Romney: Obama fundraising distracting from Afghan decision

President Barack Obama's fundraising for Democrats has distracted him from making a decision on strategy for Afghanistan, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) suggested Monday.

Romney, a 2008 presidential candidate and possible 2012 foe for Obama, hit the administration for a perceived slowness in making up its mind about sending 40,000 new troops to Afghanistan, as was recommended by the top U.S. commander in the region, Gen. Stanley McChrystal.

Romney asserted that the president had been more focused on 30-some fundraisers in the past four months than digesting McChrystal's recommendations, which Obama has reportedly had for the same time span.

"With men and women dying in U.S. uniforms, the president ought to be focusing on getting them home and getting them home safely and stabilizing the situation in Afghanistan rather than reelecting his friends," Romney said during an appearance this morning on CBS News.

The Massachusetts Republican also criticized Obama for not being more careful in monitoring Afghanistan's election, where incumbent President Hamid Karzai declared victory in a runoff election Monday after his principal challenger withdrew from the race, citing concerns over corruption and fraud.

"It's very difficult in a counterinsurgency not to have a strong government, and one that is backed by the people," Romney said. "You really have to ask why, with all this at stake, this administration didn't take a more careful role in making sure the election was a fair election."

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