Republican Mitt Romney warned Monday that Islamic extremism was not on the run, faulting President Barack Obama's leadership on the Middle East in their final White House debate.
Two weeks before Obama asks voters for a second term in the November 6 election, the rivals clashed on foreign policy in a final showdown with the capacity to reshape their neck-and-neck race.
"We certainly can't kill our way out of the mess," Romney said, bemoaning Obama's leadership in the Middle East amid the "disturbing" evolution of the Arab Spring, and warning Islamic extremism was rampant in the region.
The Republican called for a strategy to deflect Muslim nations from Islamic radicalism, which he warned "is certainly not on the run.
"It is certainly not in hiding," he added, in a clear swipe at the president's claim to have decimated al-Qaida.
Obama came out strong and hard against Romney, warning that his national security policy was "all over the map," accusing his foe of shifting positions and saying he had learned as commander-in-chief that clarity was paramount.
The president also seized on Romney's past comment that Russia was Washington's top geopolitical foe.
"The 1980s are now calling to ask for their foreign policy back because the Cold War's been over for 20 years," a mocking Obama said.
"Governor, when it comes to our foreign policy, you seem to want to import the foreign policies of the 1980s, just like the social policies of the 1950s, and the economic policies of the 1920s."
Republican Romney was seeking to erode the Democratic president's advantage on national security and to emerge as a plausible commander-in-chief as they also were expected to spar on Iran and China.
The rivals are neck-and-neck in national polls after Romney surged following his first debate win in early October and started chipping away at Obama's foundation in the swing states that will decide the election.
Foreign policy is unlikely to decide who wins on November 6, with the sluggish economy driving the election, but Romney is under pressure to show basic competence following a string of blunders.
It is unclear whether Romney's differences with Obama are more a matter of tone or substance, and whether the Republican, if elected, would follow up on tough campaign talk on China's economic "cheating" and Russia for example.
Obama's camp is making the case that Romney, who has little overseas experience, cannot be trusted to steer the United States through a treacherous world of belligerent emerging powers and national security threats.
"On foreign policy, Mitt Romney has nothing to offer except bluster, chest-thumping, and a commitment to endless war," Senator John Kerry, a possible secretary of state in Obama's second term said, ahead of the presidential clash.
"As tonight's debate will demonstrate, blunder and bluster are no substitute for strong leadership," said Kerry, who has been acting as Romney for Obama's debate preparations.
New polls released Monday had the race a cliffhanger with two weeks to go.
CBS News and ABC News had Obama up by two and one points in the national race, but a Politico/GWU/Battleground poll showed Romney leading by two points.
While national polls offer a snapshot of momentum in the race, the nine or so states that could swing to either side will define the outcome.
Obama retains several pathways to the 270 electoral votes needed to win on November 6, but Romney has chiseled away at his advantage with signs that Florida and North Carolina are slipping towards the Republican.
The president, currently polling around 70 percent among Hispanic voters, seems to be doing well in early voting in Nevada, with the result possibly hanging on a combination of close races in Ohio, Iowa, Wisconsin and Virginia.
Romney won the first debate after a lethargic performance from Obama, but the president's feisty showing on Long Island, New York last week made the third debate as a tie-breaker of sorts.
The Republican was likely make a new attempt to trip Obama over his administration's shifting stories on the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya on September 11 that killed four Americans.
The Republican has squandered several chances to jump Obama on the issue, after a hasty statement early in the crisis and a stumble in the last debate over the president's characterization of events in Benghazi.
Republicans claim Obama was reluctant to admit the attack was an act of terrorism, fearing an Al-Qaeda comeback would knock him off his pedestal as the commander-in-chief who had put the militants on the run.
Top Obama aides at first said the attack was a spontaneous act that arose out of anger at an anti-Muslim video.
Later assessments blamed heavily armed militants, but officials say the incident still seems more opportunistic than pre-planned.
The Republican will seek to pressure Obama over Iran's nuclear program, arguing that presidential weakness has emboldened Tehran.
Complicating one of the main topics on the eve of the debate, The New York Times said US officials believed Iran was ready for one-on-one talks with Washington, though the White House denied the report. (AFP)
Two weeks before Obama asks voters for a second term in the November 6 election, the rivals clashed on foreign policy in a final showdown with the capacity to reshape their neck-and-neck race.
"We certainly can't kill our way out of the mess," Romney said, bemoaning Obama's leadership in the Middle East amid the "disturbing" evolution of the Arab Spring, and warning Islamic extremism was rampant in the region.
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Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, left is greeted by President Barack Obama before the start of the third presidential debate at Lynn University, Monday, Oct. 22, 2012, in Boca Raton, Fla. (AP-Yonhap News)
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The Republican called for a strategy to deflect Muslim nations from Islamic radicalism, which he warned "is certainly not on the run.
"It is certainly not in hiding," he added, in a clear swipe at the president's claim to have decimated al-Qaida.
Obama came out strong and hard against Romney, warning that his national security policy was "all over the map," accusing his foe of shifting positions and saying he had learned as commander-in-chief that clarity was paramount.
The president also seized on Romney's past comment that Russia was Washington's top geopolitical foe.
"The 1980s are now calling to ask for their foreign policy back because the Cold War's been over for 20 years," a mocking Obama said.
"Governor, when it comes to our foreign policy, you seem to want to import the foreign policies of the 1980s, just like the social policies of the 1950s, and the economic policies of the 1920s."
Republican Romney was seeking to erode the Democratic president's advantage on national security and to emerge as a plausible commander-in-chief as they also were expected to spar on Iran and China.
The rivals are neck-and-neck in national polls after Romney surged following his first debate win in early October and started chipping away at Obama's foundation in the swing states that will decide the election.
Foreign policy is unlikely to decide who wins on November 6, with the sluggish economy driving the election, but Romney is under pressure to show basic competence following a string of blunders.
It is unclear whether Romney's differences with Obama are more a matter of tone or substance, and whether the Republican, if elected, would follow up on tough campaign talk on China's economic "cheating" and Russia for example.
Obama's camp is making the case that Romney, who has little overseas experience, cannot be trusted to steer the United States through a treacherous world of belligerent emerging powers and national security threats.
"On foreign policy, Mitt Romney has nothing to offer except bluster, chest-thumping, and a commitment to endless war," Senator John Kerry, a possible secretary of state in Obama's second term said, ahead of the presidential clash.
"As tonight's debate will demonstrate, blunder and bluster are no substitute for strong leadership," said Kerry, who has been acting as Romney for Obama's debate preparations.
New polls released Monday had the race a cliffhanger with two weeks to go.
CBS News and ABC News had Obama up by two and one points in the national race, but a Politico/GWU/Battleground poll showed Romney leading by two points.
While national polls offer a snapshot of momentum in the race, the nine or so states that could swing to either side will define the outcome.
Obama retains several pathways to the 270 electoral votes needed to win on November 6, but Romney has chiseled away at his advantage with signs that Florida and North Carolina are slipping towards the Republican.
The president, currently polling around 70 percent among Hispanic voters, seems to be doing well in early voting in Nevada, with the result possibly hanging on a combination of close races in Ohio, Iowa, Wisconsin and Virginia.
Romney won the first debate after a lethargic performance from Obama, but the president's feisty showing on Long Island, New York last week made the third debate as a tie-breaker of sorts.
The Republican was likely make a new attempt to trip Obama over his administration's shifting stories on the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya on September 11 that killed four Americans.
The Republican has squandered several chances to jump Obama on the issue, after a hasty statement early in the crisis and a stumble in the last debate over the president's characterization of events in Benghazi.
Republicans claim Obama was reluctant to admit the attack was an act of terrorism, fearing an Al-Qaeda comeback would knock him off his pedestal as the commander-in-chief who had put the militants on the run.
Top Obama aides at first said the attack was a spontaneous act that arose out of anger at an anti-Muslim video.
Later assessments blamed heavily armed militants, but officials say the incident still seems more opportunistic than pre-planned.
The Republican will seek to pressure Obama over Iran's nuclear program, arguing that presidential weakness has emboldened Tehran.
Complicating one of the main topics on the eve of the debate, The New York Times said US officials believed Iran was ready for one-on-one talks with Washington, though the White House denied the report. (AFP)
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