GOP DEBATE

Afghanistan, Iran Policy Slammed

But Huntsman tries to make plea for withdrawal.

The CBS News/National Journal debate Saturday night kicked off by sticking to the Republican candidates' pledge of talking about foreign policy as they slammed President Obama’s policies on Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Texas Gov. Rick Perry said “we need to do foreign aid differently,” and stated that “my foreign-policy budget for countries would be zero dollars”—including for Israel—until they proved themselves otherwise. On Iran, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney called Obama’s Iran policy “his greatest failing as a foreign-policy president” and said he supported “crippling sanctions,” while former House speaker Newt Gingrich called for “every possible aspect short of war in breaking down the regime" —with both suggesting they would go to war with Iran to prevent nuclear weapons. Former Utah governor Jon Huntsman took the opportunity to stand apart from the other candidates by saying he supported a full withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan.