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GOP vice presidential candidate on the attacks in Benghazi and Cairo and Romney's criticism of Obama's reaction, sequestration and more
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And -- daily -- Americans in the mideast quickly turning the campaign trail into a critical discussion of our national security.
On the record today traveled to Green Bay, Wisconsin to talk one on one -- GOP vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan's.
I see -- great to be back with -- welcome home it's good to be home is -- it is nice and dad say a big crowd town hall was -- local people here in Green Bay I thought I was.
As you started it -- and start talking about.
-- -- about what happened in Libya right there are early were signs just signs.
That the attack was planned course was not eleven and on territory on -- -- -- -- consulate.
If fewer vice president working -- -- president Romney.
What would you be thinking about.
But wanna get to the bottom of it number one number two well it's not speak unequivocal terms.
I disagree with the original statements that the embassy put out -- the administration put out in Cairo.
Sympathize seeing with the people who were storming the embassy.
We should stand up for our balance we should stand up for our free speech rights.
And so I think that statement was wrong in the administration was right to walk it back after they've stood by that statement a couple of times now what happened -- -- Ghazi.
Afterwards.
We've lost -- of our diplomats our ambassador was killed.
This is a -- this is outrageous.
And of all the things we need in a moment like this going forward as we need peace through strength.
Our adversaries.
Or tempted to test us need to know.
That America is strong militarily.
That we're not gonna have these devastating defense cuts that I think questions the resolve.
And the strength of our military.
In our president needs to speak with force and clarity.
For our principles that cervix is several issues -- is how to achieve peace through strength back to we have this issue of sequestration rent three Afghanistan relieved about Afghanistan's -- wanna serve back off -- I'm sure so peace through strength what we mean is.
Don't gut the military.
The president don't forget give us a big cut the military -- and eight billion dollars which we think goes past the bone.
Compromises readiness for strength.
We need to give our our soldiers sailors airmen and Marines the equipment they need to do their job as safely as possible -- sequestration -- -- he talked about this it's and I want to work.
We passed legislation in the house I offered it to prevent it from happening by cutting government spending elsewhere there's a lot of waste in Washington let's get after that.
Other place in the Pentagon we definitely -- -- after that but this goes far past that and by doing this by having these reckless defense cuts coming down the pike.
That's -- coming under president Obama's lack of leadership or his proposals.
That we can sense that is not -- strengths that we believe that that's wrong we would do that differently with respect to Afghanistan.
We believe -- agree with the point fourteen transformation.
But we also think.
-- ours but our generals are commanding generals are saying give us the -- strength we need throughout the fighting season than they ought to be given that.
Because if you have a troop draw down in the middle of a fighting season in September mar our fear is if you're giving them the same -- the scene counterinsurgency strategy.
But taking people out -- we're getting shot at.
That.
I fear makes us more vulnerable.
So we have issues with the with the way the Obama administration is prosecuting it -- some of these decisions we support when he fourteen transformation.
In the event to become vice president and governor rod because president human hair wherever we are in in -- in the transition of Afghanistan.
So assuming that does -- EP -- vice president president.
What do you do at that point.
But we stick but the point fourteen transition period and then point thirteen is time we reassess.
What the post when he fourteen posture looks like that's something we've been saying all along that's what any administration's going to have to do which is.
We have this time -- -- point fourteen we agree with that timeline we're moving toward that.
But we -- to spend 4013.
Assessing.
What is our posture because the goal here trying to.
Is to continue to deny safe haven for al-Qaeda.
And related groups so that they don't have staging grounds the means of acquiring weapons and money to come and attack us again.
Are safer now than when pressed about office well I think because of.
The drone strikes because of killing of Osama bin Laden because of the bush administration's prosecution in the war on terror.
We are safer but I I would say it's kind of a mixed record.
I really think by gutting defense like the president is doing.
Risks.
Those risks are on on palatable is what it does.
Is it tells our adversaries that were weakening there -- reducing our our strength of our military and I think you'll have more phone platform policy adventurism.
I also think the Iran policy by this administration has been woefully inadequate.
We are.
At a place where were they are 90% in the -- we're getting a nuclear weapon.
What would -- do feminists say you know this is that troubling thing for the for the world what would you do well I think I've been working on increasing in boosting up sanctions for quite awhile and congress.
The Obama administration was brought kicking and screaming to putting in these tough sanctions on -- -- -- -- these sanctions had we had the kind of result we needed.
Back in 2009 and earlier hopefully we would have had a different outcome.
But these sanctions can only work -- they're really tough sanctions that make the of the mullahs in Iran change their opinion about.
Going for nuclear weapons.
They haven't changed their opinion they've gotten much farther down the path to getting nuclear weapon and -- time and our ally Israel needs our strength in -- -- moral support.
Our public support it's now and I fear that the relations with Israel -- article an all time low.
How much work we crank up and we have the product they're cheaters and it says of -- get around the sanctions are to be some countries that won't go along with the sanctions and we'll -- worksheet.
And there comes a point what would there just isn't that much more margin to crank it up and it's only hurting the people -- but the thing is with -- Central -- sanctions.
On the -- administration requested and got waivers they're giving waivers itself.
-- say no waivers and no I'm saying well yeah I'd sums.
Case is that the great thing about central -- agencies you can really bring pain.
To the government of Iran without necessarily repeat hurting the people -- -- -- I don't believe that the administration has been strong enough on sanctions more importantly -- dragged their feet on sanctions.
It was only because of that enormous bipartisan support for sanctions in congress that we have distinctions we have today.
They're a little late and that's what I -- that's what I'm concerned about his.
It's been four years they've gotten this much closer toward nuclear weapon but think about what the world will look like with a nuclear Iran.
Is the world's greatest sponsor terrorism.
It could very well trigger an arms race in the Middle East a very dangerous part of the world and think about.
What they would how they -- conduct themselves appear nuclear nation they've been supporting -- is already Hezbollah Hamas.
Think about what it would be like if they have nuclear weapon behind them but that's just that thought shudders I shudder to think about it because this I think is is our greatest foreign policy.
Concern right now it affects the national security of America and our allies.
And I just think by the results of the fact that that this much closer to -- nuclear weapon.
This administration is just not done near the job they should have done.
You mentioned today the town hobbies have asked about the doctor Pakistan and your heart about the -- I mean out of -- -- coming up the White House they -- -- something about.
Our relationship with -- allies and I don't -- -- -- has our relationship.
In the last three years change that many of our allies.
Well I worry that by.
Gutting defense like we are by not speaking with moral force by standing up for our principles.
Freedom of religion freedom of speech women's rights individual rights the president's missed lots of options between revolution in Iraq.
He said -- -- side had to go about a year ago he's still there.
And so I worry that our resolve is being tested our adversaries CS gutting defense and so they're more willing to it.
Engage in what I call foreign policy adventurism.
In our allies.
They wonder if we have the kind of resolve that we traditionally have take a look at.
The way we've been treating Israel lately take a look at all these other issues and I really believe that we needed piece of string doctrine which we don't have if America is strong.
If we assert our beliefs by standing -- for what we stand for and have a strong so move military that's unrivaled.
That our adversaries would test test them as much in our allies will trust us more I just don't think that's what we are right now.
You mention women's rights the Obama campaign is running an ad saying that a -- -- Ryan administration would be dangerous.
The women you smirk.
-- -- -- because this is what politicians do when they don't have a good record around.
Look at where we on this -- point three million people from and find work the poverty rate among women is the highest in the generation.
-- Obama's that if if you just pass a stimulus package all the borrowing and spending unemployment would never get above 8% it's been above 8% 43 months.
So the president doesn't have a record to run on so he's running this divisive campaign.
Hope and change is not divide smear and fear divide and conquer I don't think we're gonna fall -- that this is just a political tactic.
To try to divide America -- you still -- the women's vote that's a very powerful solid management gets -- -- -- -- I understand that but that I mean that's been run against him look I think the women's issues I think my mom Betty.
I think -- my wife and I think my daughter lives I think of the quality of education we're giving our children I think about -- mountain of debt that we are giving the next generation which will guarantee.
But they haven't diminished future.
I think the poverty rate among women I think about women who -- great -- Norris who start businesses that employ people and they're not doing it because of this terrible economy.
So we are all in this together and I really mean that when I say that and what we need other kinds of pro growth economic policies that -- in -- proposing.
To get us out of this rut -- and so the president is going to be trying to talk to people.
In different groups to divide people in hopes that he can come up with a coalition of fifty plus one to win this election.
We are talking everybody with the same purpose with the same principles about what you need to do to get this country back on track.
-- says it -- 624240000.
Jobs here with us.
That's right -- and we get this economy growing at the rate we know we can around 4% a year.
And we'll treat twelve million jobs here's the problem that a the president's failed on his promises.
The economy's suffering as a result of these terrible policies and his lack of leadership.
We're not gonna -- we're gonna get this debt deficit under control we're gonna pass a budget which they haven't done for three years.
Were going to put the pro growth policies in place that we know we can let this private sector take off.
And if we get these policies in place we know we can get this economy growing.
We get this kind of drawing around 4% a year on average than we can create those troubling jobs which is our goal we have to have goals you have to have policies that -- proven to work.
-- pro growth economic policies that have been proven to work.
We're gonna put in place -- DeVon energy policy that seven education policy spending cuts budgets champion small businesses all of those things others get people back to work.
