Pawlenty criticizes Obama, GOP on foreign policy

[June 28, 2011]  NEW YORK (AP) -- Republican presidential hopeful Tim Pawlenty says President Barack Obama has lacked a clear vision in dealing with the citizen uprisings across the Middle East.

Pawlenty is set to make a major foreign policy address Tuesday morning in New York. His campaign released excerpts of the speech.

The Minnesota governor criticized Obama for his silence in 2009 when the Iranian government cracked down on pro-democracy protesters. And tensions between Israel and the Palestinians are worse now than when Obama took office, Pawlenty said.

But Pawlenty also had tough words for some Republicans like rival GOP hopeful Mitt Romney who advocate reducing U.S. military presence in Afghanistan.

Pawlenty said isolationism will cost far more in the long run than what it would save in the U.S. budget.

[Associated Press]

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