Transcript: Ron Paul's exchange with Huckabee over US foreign policy

Transcript of Ron Paul's exchange over US foreign policy with Mike Huckabee during the Sep. 5 GOP debate. Huckabee was correct to point out that "Even if we lose elections, we should not lose our honor". Unfortunately, FOX's post-debate broadcast and CNN's Politcal Ticker cut out Paul's response. That's too bad, because his statement about losing American lives to save face was another great moment in the history of modern American politics.

FORMER ARKANSAS GOVERNOR MIKE HUCKABEE: Congressman, whether or not we should have gone to Iraq is a discussion the historians can have, but we're there. We bought it because we broke it. We've got a responsibility to the honor of this country and to the honor of every man and woman who has served in Iraq and ever served in our military to not leave them with anything less than the honor that they deserve.

MODERATOR: Go ahead. You wanted to respond? Go ahead. It was addressed to you, you go ahead and respond.

TEXAS REP. RON PAUL: The American people didn't go in. A few people advising this administration — a small number of people called the neoconservatives — hijacked our foreign policy. They're responsible, not the American people. They're not responsible. We shouldn't punish them.

HUCKABEE: Congressman, we are one nation. We can't be divided. We have to be one nation under God. That means if we make a mistake, we make it as a single country: the United States of America —

PAUL: No. —

HUCKABEE: — not the Divided States of America.

PAUL: When we make a mistake, it is the obligation of the people through their representatives to correct the mistake, not to continue the mistake.

HUCKABEE: And that's what we do on the floor of the senate.

PAUL: No, we've dug a hole for ourselves and we've dug a hole for our party. We're losing elections and we're going down next year if we don't change it, and it has all to do with foreign policy and we have to wake up to this fact.

HUCKABEE: Even if we lose elections, we should not lose our honor, and that is more important to the Republican party.

PAUL: We have lost over 5000 Americans over there in Afghanistan and Iraq, plus the civilians killed. How many more do you want to lose? How long are we going to be there? What do we have to pay to save face? All we're doing is saving face. It's time we came home.