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Romney on Iraq, Foreign Policy

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    Republican presidential candidate on 'Fox News Sunday'

  • Duration 8:08
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Act now with governor Mitt Romney.

Governor at the final US troops are leaving no rock over the next two weeks a couple of questions first of all.

Looking back and hindsight is always 20/20 should we have to invaded.

And secondly big picture.

What should we have done differently over the nine years there.

Oh boy that's it that's a big question at.

And going back and trying to to to say what given what we know now what would have done.

What -- invaded or not at the time we didn't have the knowledge that we have now.

At the time Saddam Hussein was was hiding he was not letting the inspectors from the United Nations into the the various places that they want to go the IAEA was blocked from going into the palaces and so forth and and the intelligence and our nation and other nations was that this that this a tyrant had weapons of mass destruction.

And -- in the light of that that belief that we -- action which was appropriate time.

Lessons learned along the way why are you know I think our military would -- a lot of lessons learned we probably should the gun -- Going in with a heavier footprint.

I think there was a sense that went went went on the ship -- -- accomplish that the mission has been accomplished turns out it was just getting started.

And we had to pursue a search very late in the process the surge was successful.

And unfortunately we've we've now been able to.

To pull our troops out -- very happy to -- your troops come out but I think you're gonna see -- a lesson learned.

I think we're gonna find that this president by not putting in place -- status of forces agreement.

With that with -- -- Iraqi leadership.

Has pulled our troops out in a precipitous way.

And we should have left 102030000.

Personnel there to help transition.

To it to be the other Iraqis all military capability time I'm very concerned in this setting up -- -- it works out.

But I -- journalism -- that up right there are thousands if you become old president is going to be your problems there.

There is a concern about particularly about growing Iranian influence inside -- -- -- asked president.

Would you send US troops back into Iraq.

Let me tell you Chris I think the decision to send the US troops.

Into -- a combat -- Is a is a very high threshold decision this is -- something you do recently you don't you don't send our troops around the world every time there's something that I know but it goes off and.

And what are -- 500 American troops killed so there -- 30000 wounded.

Hundreds of billions of dollars -- -- the Iranians began -- Begin to take over.

Even as saying he's well let's iMac and it had to say -- I would send troops have not sent troops week we sent troops where where there's a substantial US interest involved.

And and and or.

I've been very high threshold is it as two decision where we send our troops the real issue of the time I think is really to Iran as their nuclear program.

And making sure that we dissuade them from taking action that would put the entire world in jeopardy.

In the time we have left -- wanted to get personal with you if I may don't get scared.

Your dad George Romney.

Ran for president 1968 and he was one of the front runners.

Until he famously sad that he got a brain washing from the generals.

In Vietnam and that kind of ended his candidacy.

First -- how old were you when that happened and secondly.

How did you feel that it hurt a bit to see your data I know you would have admired so greatly and it was a very distinguished man.

Become kind of an -- -- -- -- -- -- Yeah of course I was I was probably twenty or 21 I was a -- in my church at the time up overseas.

And and yet I got that the newspaper clippings and so forth was a disappointing yeah what -- years later when my dad was proven to be right in terms of the the errors and in Vietnam.

My wife -- -- you know dad you know how do you feel about the fact that your finally being vindicated what you said he said you know I never look back -- look forward.

There's quite a -- The rap against you that you've heard that some -- and anything you haven't heard governor your robot that -- buttoned up that you don't let.

That you don't let voters inside to know who you really are and what you really feel personally think that's fair.

You know anything's fair in this -- hopes.

The good news is that the people who see union town meetings that actually meet me and spent some time with may have a different impression do you feel.

It's hard for you to kind of open up to be emotional.

That not a slightest I think people who know me and -- interact with me understand I'm an emotional guy.

That I have very deep feelings about the country have very great concern about the way it's being guided at this time by our president.

And and so as people get to know me better -- -- to come to a different impression.

Your campaign has now put your wife pan out on the trail some say to humanize here.

How would you describe your relationship -- sweethearts are yet partners are your best friends.

All three.

I mean and I fell in love when we -- high school that it doesn't happen to a lot of people you know she was fifteen years old when I really took notice severed I was a senior she was a soft.

More.

I gave her a ride home from party she come with someone else I kissed at the door.

And I've been you know I've been following her ever since.

She's -- she's a remarkable woman and and and as she's got through some tough time she had.

Diagnosis of -- she's had breast cancer.

And my my feelings and passion for and haven't changed in the slightest over the years of -- to become stronger.

She says that when she got that diagnosis and the two -- you were in the room together.

When the doctor told her at that that she felt.

She felt as -- pro life were over and that you both cry.

A couple moment was.

Probably the toughest time in my life was we're standing there with -- as we hugged each other and the diagnosis came.

And I was afraid it was Lou Gehrig's disease.

Is as we came into the doctor's office the brochures on his table there were.

Lou -- -- and and multiple sclerosis.

And and he did these these neurological tests and then he and we could see that that she had real balance problems and she didn't have feeling in places she should have feeling it.

He stepped out of the room and we stood up and hugged each other and I said to her.

As long as it's not something fatal I'm just fine.

But that I'm look I'm happy in life as long as I've got my soul mate with -- And and and -- and that she fortunately has been able to recover.

The great majority of her health but.

You don't that that this this marriage thing it says it's about bringing two people together in a way that nothing else compares with -- but how did you convince certain -- to convince yourself because you know you must've thought this has -- only -- -- for her to change.

For us.

That you could get through it.

Well you she knows how she feels about me she feels the same way about me I hope I think because I feel about her.

And she knows that if -- to be -- it was some kind of condition at some point.

That that she would feel the same way about me.

And you know I said to her look at issues that I can't cook anymore machine with that this is a really difficult time at that at the time the disease was diagnosed it was really tough for her.

She yet we're getting ready to look at putting an elevator in the house to get ripped the second floor.

We were thinking about it a wheelchair for down the road I mean we're talking about a dramatic change in life she was tired all the time.

She couldn't take care of the family in the way she had in the past that.

And and a lot of that was.

Was what gave meaning to -- you know -- -- activities and and I said look I don't care what the -- are like you know.

I like cold cereal -- -- peanut butter sandwiches we could define what that as long as we have each other maybe think about what.

Makes a difference to you when your life it's people wife is all about the people you love.

And you know like if we can handle disease death that's a different model matter.

That the -- I don't know that I can handle that.

Disease and and and hardship we can handle as long as we of the people we lover on this.

Governor Romney -- -- thank you so much for talking with us today.

Good luck on the campaign trail we will see you and safe travels sir thanks Chris -- -- be with you.

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