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But what is also important for us to understand is—is that for America to be successful in this region, there are some things that we're going to have to do here at home as well. You know, one of the challenges over the last decade is we've done experiments in nation building in places like Iraq and Afghanistan. And we've neglected, for example, developing our own economy, our own energy sectors, our own education system. And it's very hard for us to project leadership around the world when we're not doing what we need to do here.
MR. SCHIEFFER: Governor Romney, I want to hear your response to that, but I would just ask you, would you have stuck with Mubarak?
MR. ROMNEY: No, I believe, as the president indicated and said at the time, that I supported his—his action there. I felt that—I wish we'd have had a better vision of the future. I wish that, looking back at the beginning of the president's term and even further back than that, that we'd have recognized that there was a growing energy and passion for freedom in that part of the world and that we would have worked more aggressively with our—our friend and with other friends in the region to have them make the transition towards a more representative form of government such that it didn't explode in the way it did. But once it exploded, I felt the same as the president did, which is these—these freedom voices in the—the streets of Egypt where the people who were speaking of our principles and the—the—President Mubarak had done things which were unimaginable, and the idea of him crushing his people was not something that we could possibly support.
Let me—let me step back and talk about what I think our mission has to be in the Middle East, and even more broadly, because our purpose is to make sure the world is more—is peaceful. We want a peaceful planet. We want people to be able to enjoy their lives and know they're going to have a bright and prosperous future and not be at war. That's our purpose. And the mantle of—of leadership for promoting the principles of peace has fallen to America. We didn't ask for it, but it's an honor that we have it.
But for us to be able to promote those principles of peace requires us to be strong, and that begins with a strong economy here at home, and unfortunately, the economy is not stronger. When the—when the—the president of Iraq—excuse me—of Iran, Ahmadinejad, says that our debt makes us not a great country, that's a frightening thing. The former chief of—chief of the Joints Chief of Staff said that—Admiral Mullen—said that our debt is the biggest national security threat we face. This—we have weakened our economy.
We need a strong economy. We need to have as well a strong military. Our military is second to none in the world. We're blessed with terrific soldiers and extraordinary technology and intelligence. But the idea of a trillion dollars in cuts through sequestration and budget cuts to the military would change that.
We need to have strong allies. Our association and—and connection with our allies is essential to America's strength. We're the—the great nation that has allies, 42 allies and friends around the world.
And finally, we have to stand by our principles. And if we're strong in each of those things, American influence will grow. But unfortunately, in nowhere in the world is America's influence greater today than it was four years ago.
