Romney: Obama Win Means Nukes for Iran

Unsparing in their criticism of President Obama, Republican presidential hopefuls also disagreed among themselves tonight on Afghanistan, waterboarding, and Iran. Some debate highlights:

• Mitt Romney: "If we re-elect Barack Obama, Iran will have a nuclear weapon. And if you elect Mitt Romney, Iran will not have a nuclear weapon."
• Perry pokes fun: The infamous gaffe came up. Asked about the department of energy, he quipped, "Glad you remembered it," to laughter. When the questioner said he'd had time to think about it, Perry said, "Me, too."

• Waterboarding: Herman Cain and Michele Bachmann said waterboarding is not torture and they would approve it as president. Jon Huntsman disagreed, and Ron Paul called it illegal.
• Pre-emptive strike on Iran: Romney said it's justified "if all else fails." Gingrich and Rick Santorum took similar positions; Cain said he favored economic sanctions, though he would move in warships as a deterrent. Perry didn't answer directly: The US should sanction the Iranian central bank to "shut down that country's economy," he said. "And that's what the president needs to do."
• Afghanistan: Huntsman said it's time to bring all the troops home because the US has its own "nation building" to do at home. Romney and Perry said they would listen to military commanders and criticized Obama for "telegraphing" US intentions.

(More Mitt Romney 2012 stories.)