and i say we ve got a lot to show for our efforts. and i as president would like to square with the american people on what we have to show for it. the taliban is no longer in power. we ve run out al qaeda. they re now in sanctuaries. we ve had free elections. osama bin laden is no longer around. we have strengthened civil society. we ve helped the military. we ve helped the police. i believe it s time to come home. and i would say within the first year of my administration, which is to say the end of 2013, i would want to draw them down. i want to recognize afghanistan for what it is. it is not a counterinsurgency. i don t want to be nation building in southwest asia when this nation is in such need of repair. but we do have a counterterror mission in southwest asia, and that would suppose leaving behind maybe 10,000 troops. for intelligence gathering, for special forces rapid response capability and training. governor romney, time to come home? well, we want to bring our troops h
i believe it s time to come home. and i would say within the first year of my administration, which is to say the end of 2013, i would want to draw them down. i want to recognize afghanistan for what it is. it is not a counterinsurgency. i don t want to be nation building in southwest asia when this nation is in such need of repair. but we do have a counterterror mission in southwest asia, and that would suppose leaving behind maybe 10,000 troops. for intelligence gathering, for special forces rapid response capability and training. governor romney, time to come home? well, we want to bring our troops home as soon as we possibly can. and governor huntsman says the end of 2013. the president and the commanders are saying they think 2014 is a better date. we ll get a chance to see what happens over the coming year. we want to bring our troops home as soon as we possibly can. and i will if i m president, i will inform myself based upon the experience of the people on the ground, i w
but we do have a counterterror mission in southwest asia, and that would suppose leaving behind maybe 10,000 troops. for intelligence gathering, for special forces rapid response capability and training. governor romney, time to come home? well, we want to bring our troops home as soon as we possibly can. and governor huntsman says the end of 2013. the president and the commanders are saying they think 2014 is a better date. we ll get a chance to see what happens over the coming year. we want to bring our troops home as soon as we possibly can. and i will if i m president, i will inform myself based upon the experience of the people on the ground, i want to make sure we hand off the responsibility to an afghan security force that is capable of maintaining the sovereignty of their nation from the taliban. but i can tell you this, i don t want to do something that would put in jeopardy much of the hard-earned success which we ve had there, and i would bring our troops home as soon
i have decided to sand aside. and now, everything is different. what do we need to do as a country to get back on the right track? can anyone overtake mitt romney as he tries to close in and seal the nomination. can rick santorum build on his stunning iowa success? is time running out for these candidates to catch the front-runner? save their campaigns? we ve got some tough decisions to make. we are going to take america back. believe me, this moment sum going to continue. the voting has begun. the stakes couldn t be any higher. n tonight, we put them all to the test. so what s next in this campaign season filled with so many dramatic surprises? this is the abc news republican presidential debate. your voice. your vote. now joining us tonight from new hampshire s own wmur, political director josh mckelvin. good evening to all of you. welcome to st. anselm college and the first debate of 2012. those eight votes in iowa reminded us on tuesday, every vote count
at the abc news debate. and cnn will bring you an encore presentation of it and it starts right now. tonight, all eyes on new hampshire. after just eight votes in iowa, separated him on to new hampshire. game on. we will win this election. the game has changed. i have decided to stand aside. now, everything is different. what do we need to do as a country. can anyone overtake mitt romney as he tries to close in and seal the nomination? can rick santorum build on his success, is time running out for these candidates to catch the front-runner. save their campaigns. we have tough decisions to make. we will take america back. this is going to continue the voting has begun and stakes couldn t be higher, tonight we put them all to the test. live in manchester and st st. anselm college in partner sh ship, this is the abc republican debate. your voice, your vote. now reporting, diane sawyer, george stephanopoulos and wmur, political director josh mckelvin. g