US Presidential candidates clash over foreign policy

 

During the tense encounter in Florida, the rivals tangled over the Arab Spring, Iran, Israel and China.

 

The 90 minute encounter was Governor Romney’s chance to put to rest doubts about his ability to handle foreign affairs challenges, and an opportunity for President Obama to solidify his image as someone better equipped to manage foreign policy and national security issues.

Obama said his rival was “all over the map” on foreign policy. But Romney said the president had allowed “chaos” to engulf the Middle East.

 

Two instant polls said Obama won the head to head.

 

Governor Romney pointed to what he called disturbing events during Obama’s first term in office, including 30,000 dead in Syria, the attack on Americans in Libya, and an Iran four years closer to a nuclear weapon.

Libya and the killing of Americans in Benghazi was discussed, with Obama repeating his determination to find the killers. The president, Romney said, has failed to provide a comprehensive strategy to deal with rising Muslim extremism.

Obama said he re-focused attention from Iraq to Afghanistan and decimating al-Qaida, mentioning the transition to end the U.S. combat role by the end of 2014. Romney agreed with Obama on the 2014 time line.

Repeatedly through the debate, Obama called Romney’s policy proposals “wrong and reckless” and pointed out instances in which he said his Republican challenger had changed his positions.

“You said we should have gone into Iraq despite the fact there were no weapons of mass destruction, You said that we should still have troops in Iraq to this day. You indicated we shouldn