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| US election debate: Candidates spar on foreign policy | US election debate: Candidates spar on foreign policy |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| By Jude Sheerin BBC News, Boca Raton, Florida | By Jude Sheerin BBC News, Boca Raton, Florida |
| US President Barack Obama and his Republican challenger Mitt Romney have battled over national security, in the third and final presidential debate. | |
| The rivals tangled over the Arab Spring, Iran, China's rise and more in a feisty 90-minute head-to-head. | |
| Mr Obama said his challenger was "all over the map" on foreign policy, while Mr Romney said the president had failed to uphold American global leadership. | |
| The two candidates are running neck and neck with two weeks until the election. | |
| Mr Romney highlighted civilian deaths in Syria, the Muslim Brotherhood taking power in Egypt, the rise of al-Qaeda affiliates in North Africa, Iran's nuclear programme, and last month's Libya US consulate attack as examples of the "tumult" that the Obama administration had allowed to overtake the region. | Mr Romney highlighted civilian deaths in Syria, the Muslim Brotherhood taking power in Egypt, the rise of al-Qaeda affiliates in North Africa, Iran's nuclear programme, and last month's Libya US consulate attack as examples of the "tumult" that the Obama administration had allowed to overtake the region. |
| "I congratulate him on taking out Osama bin Laden and taking on the leadership of al-Qaeda," the former Massachusetts governor said. | "I congratulate him on taking out Osama bin Laden and taking on the leadership of al-Qaeda," the former Massachusetts governor said. |
| "But we can't kill our way out of this... We must have a comprehensive strategy." | |
| 'Policies of the 1980s' | 'Policies of the 1980s' |
| But Mr Obama hit back. | But Mr Obama hit back. |
| The president said he was glad Mr Romney had recognised the threat posed by al-Qaeda, reminding him that he had earlier this year cast Russia as America's number one geopolitical foe. | The president said he was glad Mr Romney had recognised the threat posed by al-Qaeda, reminding him that he had earlier this year cast Russia as America's number one geopolitical foe. |
| Mark Mardell @BBCMarkMardell | |
| #LynnDebate.Romney pivots to President Peaceful,loves teachers, loves cars. Obama firm, gets in a couple of zingers. Draw href="http://twitter.com/BBCNewsUS" target="_blank">@BBCNewsUS | |
| href="http://twitter.com/BBCMarkMardell/status/260568662107361280" title="View this Tweet on Twitter">20 Minutes ago href="https://twitter.com/intent/favorite?tweet_id=260568662107361280" title="Favourite on Twitter" class="wi_favourite"> href="https://twitter.com/intent/retweet?tweet_id=260568662107361280" title="Retweet on Twitter" class="wi_retweet"> href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?in_reply_to=260568662107361280" title="Reply on Twitter" class="wi_reply"> | |
| Spinning before the debate is over href="http://t.co/JSqyYlWL">http://t.co/JSqyYlWL | |
| href="http://twitter.com/BBCMarkMardell/status/260568228974174208" title="View this Tweet on Twitter">22 Minutes ago href="https://twitter.com/intent/favorite?tweet_id=260568228974174208" title="Favourite on Twitter" class="wi_favourite"> href="https://twitter.com/intent/retweet?tweet_id=260568228974174208" title="Retweet on Twitter" class="wi_retweet"> href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?in_reply_to=260568228974174208" title="Reply on Twitter" class="wi_reply"> | |
| #LynnDebate.Obama says Romney trying "airbrush history" over stance on car industry href="http://twitter.com/BBCNewsUS" target="_blank">@BBCNewsUS | |
| href="http://twitter.com/BBCMarkMardell/status/260567800970633216" title="View this Tweet on Twitter">24 Minutes ago href="https://twitter.com/intent/favorite?tweet_id=260567800970633216" title="Favourite on Twitter" class="wi_favourite"> href="https://twitter.com/intent/retweet?tweet_id=260567800970633216" title="Retweet on Twitter" class="wi_retweet"> href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?in_reply_to=260567800970633216" title="Reply on Twitter" class="wi_reply"> | |
| #LynnDebate.Romney saying how much he loves the car industry - Detroit not a far away city of which we know little @BBCNewsUS | |
| href="http://twitter.com/BBCMarkMardell/status/260567644384661505" title="View this Tweet on Twitter">24 Minutes ago href="https://twitter.com/intent/favorite?tweet_id=260567644384661505" title="Favourite on Twitter" class="wi_favourite"> href="https://twitter.com/intent/retweet?tweet_id=260567644384661505" title="Retweet on Twitter" class="wi_retweet"> href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?in_reply_to=260567644384661505" title="Reply on Twitter" class="wi_reply"> | |
| target="_blank">#LynnDebate.Spinners obviously bored with debate. They're flooding the spin room already href="http://twitter.com/BBCNewsUS" target="_blank">@BBCNewsUS | |
| href="http://twitter.com/BBCMarkMardell/status/260567152933892096" title="View this Tweet on Twitter">26 Minutes ago href="https://twitter.com/intent/favorite?tweet_id=260567152933892096" title="Favourite on Twitter" class="wi_favourite"> href="https://twitter.com/intent/retweet?tweet_id=260567152933892096" title="Retweet on Twitter" class="wi_retweet"> href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?in_reply_to=260567152933892096" title="Reply on Twitter" class="wi_reply"> | |
| Content from Twitter. Learn more about content from Twitter. | Content from Twitter. Learn more about content from Twitter. |
| "Governor, when it comes to our foreign policy you seem to want the policies of the 1980s, just like you want to import the social policies of the 1950s and the economic policies in the 1920s," the president said. | "Governor, when it comes to our foreign policy you seem to want the policies of the 1980s, just like you want to import the social policies of the 1950s and the economic policies in the 1920s," the president said. |
| Mr Obama said Mr Romney had backed the Iraq invasion, even though there were no weapons of mass destruction. | Mr Obama said Mr Romney had backed the Iraq invasion, even though there were no weapons of mass destruction. |
| He also accused him of having advocated a continued troop presence in Iraq, opposing nuclear treaties with Russia, even when they had broad bipartisan backing, and of flip-flopping over whether the US should have a timeline for leaving Afghanistan. | He also accused him of having advocated a continued troop presence in Iraq, opposing nuclear treaties with Russia, even when they had broad bipartisan backing, and of flip-flopping over whether the US should have a timeline for leaving Afghanistan. |
| "What we need to do with respect to the Middle East is strong, steady leadership, not wrong and reckless leadership that is all over the map," Mr Obama said. "And unfortunately, that's the kind of opinion that you've offered throughout this campaign." | "What we need to do with respect to the Middle East is strong, steady leadership, not wrong and reckless leadership that is all over the map," Mr Obama said. "And unfortunately, that's the kind of opinion that you've offered throughout this campaign." |
| Mr Romney hit back, accusing Mr Obama of going on an "apology tour" of the Middle East when he came into office, which he said had made America look weak, and of allowing Iran to get four years closer to a nuclear bomb. | Mr Romney hit back, accusing Mr Obama of going on an "apology tour" of the Middle East when he came into office, which he said had made America look weak, and of allowing Iran to get four years closer to a nuclear bomb. |
| But the president said the claim about an apology tour was "the biggest whopper told during the campaign" and insisted that he would defend Israel from Iran. | But the president said the claim about an apology tour was "the biggest whopper told during the campaign" and insisted that he would defend Israel from Iran. |
| Though the debate was supposed to focus on foreign policy, both candidates pivoted frequently back to the looming issue of the US economy. | |
| Mr Obama said that Mr Romney's plans would do little to lower the government budget deficit and that the US must reduce spending in a responsible way "while asking the wealthy to pay a little more". | |
| Mr Romney said he knew what it took to create jobs and increase salaries, while Mr Obama was nine million jobs short of his pledge of 5.4% employment. | |
| Gruelling weeks ahead | |
| An NBC poll on Sunday put the men in a dead heat, each with 47% support. | An NBC poll on Sunday put the men in a dead heat, each with 47% support. |
| Monday's debate at Lynn University is moderated by CBS News' veteran presenter Bob Schieffer. | Monday's debate at Lynn University is moderated by CBS News' veteran presenter Bob Schieffer. |
| A lacklustre performance by Mr Obama in the opening debate in Denver, Colorado, on 3 October gave Mr Romney a campaign boost. | A lacklustre performance by Mr Obama in the opening debate in Denver, Colorado, on 3 October gave Mr Romney a campaign boost. |
| But in their second face-off in New York last week, a more aggressive Barack Obama buried the memory of a poor first showing as he came out swinging on the economy, tax and foreign policy. | But in their second face-off in New York last week, a more aggressive Barack Obama buried the memory of a poor first showing as he came out swinging on the economy, tax and foreign policy. |
| After Monday night's showdown, both candidates will be returning to the campaign trail for a gruelling final two weeks of wooing voters in swing states. | After Monday night's showdown, both candidates will be returning to the campaign trail for a gruelling final two weeks of wooing voters in swing states. |
| Because the presidency is decided through state-by-state contests, campaigns are focused on the nine or so states that are not essentially decided. | Because the presidency is decided through state-by-state contests, campaigns are focused on the nine or so states that are not essentially decided. |
| Certain states, such as Ohio, Virginia and Florida - where the key issues for voters remains the economy and jobs - are seen as particularly essential to both candidates' hopes of winning. | Certain states, such as Ohio, Virginia and Florida - where the key issues for voters remains the economy and jobs - are seen as particularly essential to both candidates' hopes of winning. |
| The system can lead to a candidate winning the popular vote but losing the presidency, as former Vice-president Al Gore did in 2000. | The system can lead to a candidate winning the popular vote but losing the presidency, as former Vice-president Al Gore did in 2000. |