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President Barack Obama addresses United Nations
U.S. President Barack Obama. PHOTO/File
President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney were arguing over how to address U.S. challenges in the Middle East and elsewhere overseas in nearly back-to-back addresses Tuesday at the annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative.
Foreign policy has again taken the spotlight from economic issues in the tight presidential race as Obama also was addressing world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly. His U.N. visit was expected to be brief so he could get back to campaigning for the less than 10 percent of voters who say they have yet to make up their minds for the November election.
The Obama and Romney speeches at the gathering founded by former President Bill Clinton follow deadly anti-American protests in Muslim countries over an amateur anti-Islam film made in the U.S.
In his speech Tuesday, Romney said the attack on the American consulate in Libya that killed U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens amid the protests was an act of terrorism. He said the United States must use foreign aid to bring about lasting change in Libya and elsewhere.
Romney also said foreign aid cannot sustain a developing country on a permanent basis and that U.S. policies should promote work, not reliance. Aid should give people dignity and change attitudes toward the West, he added.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Obama’s top spokesman have said the attack on the consulate in Benghazi was a terrorist attack. Obama himself has not used that language.
Obama was expected to address the Clinton forum at midday after his speech at the U.N.
