Mitt Romney on Wednesday blasted President Obama for not destroying the U.S. drone recently downed in Iran, calling it a "terrible mistake"
"He was extraordinarily weak and timid in a critical moment," Romney said on Fox News. "This will have severe implications for us long term. ... I find it incomprehensible that he didn't destroy it or go get it ... the idea of letting it fall into the hands of people who will use it against us, use the intelligence against us, was an enormous mistake on the part of this president."
Iran took credit for the downed drone earlier this month. Obama said he asked Iranian leaders to give the drone back to the U.S.
White House press secretary Jay Carney, responding to criticism by former Vice President Cheney — Cheney also said Obama should have used an airstrike to destroy the drone — on Tuesday said Obama's response to the drone reflected the "unanimous views of our national security team."
He also said that while he would not discuss classified intelligence matters, the White House is "highly confident in our own unique capabilities" when it comes to dealing with Iran studying the drone.
Romney has made criticisms of Obama for "weakening" the U.S. in the eyes of the world a major component of his presidential campaign.
Romney's steady position at the front of the Republican field in the polls has been challenged by Newt Gingrich in recent weeks, but he predicted there would be a lot of "bouncing around in the poll numbers" heading into the early-state primaries. Iowa's caucus is the first vote and is set for Jan. 3.
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