Ben Carson in CNN/Salem GOP Debate

On Energy & Oil: Change archaic exportation rules to send energy to Europe

On Foreign Policy: Use economic power to keep North Korea & Russia contained

CARSON: I definitely believe that he is unstable, and I do, in fact, believe that China has a lot more influence with him than we do. But we also recognize that North Korea is in severe financial straits, and they have decided to use their resources to build their military, rather than to feed their people and to take care of various humanitarian responsibilities. We can capitalize upon that. We should use our economic power in lots of different ways. I think we can use that in order to keep Putin contained, because he is a one-horse show: energy. And we have an abundance of energy. [We can use that to] put him back in his little box where he belongs. So economic power works just as well as military power, perhaps even better.

On Homeland Security: Rebuild B52's, submarines, missiles: all three need upgrades

Q [to Trump and Rubio]: Of the three legs of the triad that Dr. Carson mentioned, which is your priority?

TRUMP: For me, nuclear is just the power, the devastation is very important to me.

RUBIO: at deterrence. Now, some have become more critical than others; for example, the submarines. And that's the Ohio Class submarine that needs to be modernized. The air component also needs to be modernized.

On Principles & Values: America designed for citizen-statesman as commander-in-chief

CARSON: You should see the eyes of some of those children when I say "we're going to have to open your head up." They're not happy about it. Later on, they realize what's going on. And by the same token, you have to be able to look at the big picture and understand that it's actually merciful if you go ahead and finish the job, rather than death by 1,000 pricks.

Q: So you could be ruthless in prosecuting war?

CARSON: Ruthless is not necessarily the word I would use, but tough, resolute, understanding the problems, and understanding that the job of the president is to do what is necessary in order to get it done.

Q: Does neurosurgery prepare you to command troops?

CARSON: There's a false narrative that only the political class has the wisdom and the ability to be commander-in- chief. But if you go back and you study the design of our country, it was really designed for the citizen statesman.

On War & Peace: Support Syrian refugees in Jordan; place more with Kurds

CARSON: I asked the Syrians themselves: What do you want? Their supreme desire was to be settled back in their own country. I said, "What can America do?" They said, "Support the efforts of those who are trying to provide safety for us, including the Jordanians." They had a brand new hospital, for instance, that was unstaffed because there wasn't enough money to do it. But if you go into Hasakah province, that's an area that's as big as Lebanon. It's controlled by the Kurds, the Christians and the moderate Sunnis. You could settle a lot of people there.

Sen. Lindsey GRAHAM: I've been to the refugee camps in Turkey, and Jordan. We've got to stop this war. Do you realize that there are more Syrian refugees in Lebanon going to school than Lebanese children? Do you realize if this war goes for another year the King of Jordan could fall? Let's have a no-fly zone