Romney Rejects Long-Term Iraq Occupation

"I think we would hope to turn Iraq security over to their own military and
their own security forces, and if presence in the region is important for us than we have other options that are nearby," Romney said.

We have communicated to the people in the region and the country that we're not looking to have a permanent presence in Iraq and I don't think we want to communicate that we were just kidding about that," he said.

Romney noted that the U.S. has bases in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar, and said: "We can have a presence in the region, but I think that at this time we need to exercise care not to communicate to insurgents something that they can use to say 'Ah ha! America does intend to be an occupier forever!'"