It was wrong and you never should have said it.

MARK RISS: Yes, what I’m obviously most interested in is how we can bring an endgame to the war in Iraq and yet still do it so that it’s a victory for us and a victory for the people of Iraq. And my question is to Governor Romney.

And that is, I’ve heard the other people up there articulate themselves a little bit better. But in your answer, I didn’t hear how you would end it. I didn’t hear an endgame plan from you and I would like a response on that.

And also along those same lines, sir, a comment.

I don’t think you fully understand how offended my wife and I were and probably the rest of the people who have sons, daughters, husbands and wives serving in the war on terror to compare your son’s attempts to get you elected my son’s service in Iraq. (Cheers, applause.) I know you apologized a couple days later up there, a firestorm started. But it was wrong, sir, and you never should have said it.

MR. ROMNEY: Well, there is no comparison, of course. There’s no question. But the honor that we have for men and women who serve in armed forces is a place of honor we will never forget, and nothing compares to it. People who are willing to put their life on the line for American freedom are in a league of their own, and we owe them their -- our respect. And the sacrifice they make is something we’ll never forget.

The issue -- and I think Congressman Tancredo hit the nail on the head. This is not about broken pottery, and it’s also not about just getting out because we made a mistake. This is a global conflict going on. Radical, violent jihad. This effort ranges from Indonesia, Nigeria, and through Europe and into America, and this battlefield of Iraq is a place where we have to be successful because the consequences of what will happen on this global battlefield are enormous. And that’s why it’s so important for us to be successful with the surge, and I agree, it looks successful. I certainly hope it’s going to be fully successful. And as we are able to do that, we’re going to see ourselves able to continue in our efforts to overwhelm jihad.

The key is this: We need a global strategy -- and on my website you’ll see it -- a global strategy to help us overcome jihad globally because this is the threat which faces the entire civilized world.

MR. HUME: Governor, let me follow up on one point.

MR. ROMNEY: Yeah.

MR. HUME: You again said it looks successful. Senator McCain disagreed with you on that.

MR. ROMNEY: I’m going to wait --

MR. HUME: Is it or isn’t it?

MR. ROMNEY: Well, you know, we haven’t heard from General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker. I believe it’s successful --

MR. HUME: Okay.

MR. ROMNEY: -- but I’m going to hold out until we hear the report. I’m going to give them the benefit of hearing that.

I know there are some early reports that they’re going to say it’s successful, and I certainly hope that’s the case. But let’s listen to their report.

And assuming success, let’s start bringing our troops back when they feel it’s the right time to do so to make sure that we -- we move to the support stage out of a posture of strength and not of a -- out of a posture of bowing to the Democrats. The Democrats want to remove al-Maliki -- they want to remove the head of the government and withdraw. That’s a policy for chaos.

MR. HUME: Thank you. Thank you -- thank you, Governor.