Obama, Romney advisors Janine Davidson and Dov S. Zakheim debate in Tempe

TEMPE, AZ - Advisors on national security to President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney debated foreign policy at Arizona State University in Tempe Wednesday night.

Obama's advisor, Janine Davidson, highlighted his foreign policy successes, namely the killing of Osama Bin Laden and pulling the troops out of Iraq.

Davidson also criticized Romney's tour abroad this summer, saying he insulted our allies.

Romney's advisor, Dov S. Zakheim, countered by criticizing the Obama administration for cutting nearly $500 billion from the defense budget which he said makes the United States look weak to our enemies.

One of the more spirited moments in the debate came on the topic of Iran and their quest to develop nuclear weapons.

"I believe the sanctions are starting to work," Davidson said. "If you bring Iran to the table and change their calculus so they can determine it's no longer in their best interest to have this weapon, that's a better, long-term outcome than the military option."

"If we say 'we're going to wait until they've just about got a bomb,' when the Israelis look at our intelligence record including our ability to predict all those riots the other week and say 'well, suppose you're wrong again,'" countered Zakheim.

The debate at ASU comes exactly two weeks before the candidates themselves debate one another in Denver on October 3rd.