Mitt Romney slams Obama's lack of executive experience on foreign policy

Speaking on Saturday in Las Vegas to the Republican Jewish Coalition National leadership winter meeting, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney criticized President Barack Obama's foreign policy in the Middle East.

Romney said the president hasn't been tough enough on Iran and its nuclear program. And he said he was surprised Secretary of State Hillary Clinton referred to Syrian President Bashar Assad as "a reformer" even as he puts down protests.

"Obama is either unwilling or incapable of dealing with this at all, Israel's very existence may be at stake."

He said Obama's efforts to engage Iran and North Korea "has not worked out terribly well."

"I don't think he understands that all the people of the world don't have common interests, but instead will exploit and repress people".

Romney said it's too soon to know how the turmoil across the Middle East will turn out. He said he's worried about Obama's "inexperience or neglect" in the region, "I believe in strength, in a strong military," Romney said.

Romney said Obama has been weak on both foreign and domestic policy because he lacks executive experience.

"The consequences of seeing someone learn on the job has not been pretty".

Romney added that Obama's inexperience as a negotiator contributed to a breakdown in the Middle East peace process.

The president's lackluster support of Israel dampened Palestinian leaders' drive to negotiate because they figured the United States could help them cut a better deal, and Israel stepped back from the negotiating table because of its lack of confidence in American support, Romney said.

Romney slammed Obama for criticizing Israeli settlements while rockets rained down from Gaza in the Palestinian territories.