Ron Paul, Mitt Romney Clash On Afghanistan

MANCHESTER, N.H. – Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Texas Congressman Ron Paul are disagreeing on how quickly to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan.

Romney said at a Republican presidential debate Monday that generals in Afghanistan should guide the pullout schedule based to conditions on the ground. He said the troops should come home as soon as possible under those conditions.

Paul said the president must tell generals what to do. He said if he were president he would begin withdrawing troops almost immediately. He said the United States has no purpose fighting a war in Afghanistan.

HuffPost's Sam Stein reports:

"I wouldn't wait for my generals. I'm the commander in chief," said the isolationist Texas Republican. "I would bring them home as quickly as possible and I'd get them out of Iraq as well."

As is custom, Paul seemed to be applauded by slightly more than half of the crowd.