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The third and final presidential debate is scheduled for Monday night at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla. With the election less than three weeks away, this debate will be the last opportunity for both President Barack Obama and challenger Mitt Romney to distinguish themselves to voters on issues of foreign policy. Here are some topics to look for when watching the debate:

WARS IN AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ

The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq define the dissatisfaction of the American people with the government's involvement in the Middle East.

In 2011, Obama made good on his campaign promise to end the war in Iraq and bring the troops home.

The war in Afghanistan, however, is ongoing and a major factor in the candidates' foreign policy agendas.

Debate rhetoric for the war in Afghanistan will likely focus on a timetable for withdrawal. Six-in-ten Americans support the removal of troops from Afghanistan "as soon as possible."

Vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan said during the vice presidential debate that the United States should not lose the gains made in Afghanistan or let the Taliban resurge there.

Vice President Joe Biden said the administration plans for a full withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan by 2014. However, there are reports that the State Department will negotiate to extend the stationing of troops past the 2014 date.

A resurgence of the Taliban in Afghanistan could pose a threat to the national security of the United States. There are fears that the Afghan military will not be able to keep control of the government and the country will erupt in civil war.

For the debate, Obama will be able to promote the end of the war in Iraq as one of the successes of his presidency. 

Additionally, while Romney agrees with the president's 2014 withdrawal timeline for Afghanistan, he plans to rely on the generals' judgment before committing to a withdrawal date. His promises not to decrease the military budget also hint at a more flexible timeline.

Regardless of the withdrawal timeline, the U.S. will continue its support by contributing to NATO's $4.1 billion funding of the Afghan military, a cost that is likely to upset the two-thirds of Americans that feel the country is too involved in the Middle East.

ISRAEL AND IRAN

The relationship between Israel and Iran reached new tensions recently as the threat of Iran obtaining a nuclear weapons escalated.

Israel and the United States are both firmly committed to preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear capability, but differ on the proper approach. The two countries disagree on where the "red line" should be drawn.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the UN last month that Iran must not procure enough enriched uranium to produce a nuclear weapon, while the U.S. draws the line at Iran developing a dedicated weapons program. Israel takes a more aggressive stance on the issue, threatening military action.

Iran insists that its nuclear facilities are strictly for peaceful purposes. However, reports have indicated that Iran could have a nuclear weapon in the term of the next president.

While Obama and Romney have publicly stated their commitment to preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, economic sanctions may not be enough of a deterrent. Both candidates have left a military option on the table, but this would be highly unpopular with the American public more concerned with domestic issues and weary of war in the Middle East.

Obama is likely to tout the heavy economic sanctions the UN imposed on Iran that caused its currency to plummet, but he is also likely to face attacks from Romney about the lack of diplomatic success. Romney will look to convince voters that he can handle foreign policy issues with his relative inexperience.

CHINA

The interests of the United States and China are intertwined past the point of separation. For the debate, the candidates will have to push their stances on trade, security and the outsourcing of jobs.

The trade deficit between the U.S. and China was over $200 billion this year. In addition, there is a prevailing concern that China will hold an extensive amount of leverage over the U.S. because it owns a large portion of the national debt.

Romney has attacked Obama on what he calls as a failure to stand up to China. During the second debate, Romney said he "would get tough on China" but did not elaborate on what that meant.

Obama, meanwhile, criticizes his opponent for outsourcing manufacturing jobs to China. Obama has also filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization about export subsidies on American automobiles.

Additionally, China's dispute with Japan over the territorial possession of islands in the East China Sea have hinted at more tension -- enough so that former Defense Secretary Robert Gates recently said an armed conflict could erupt on one of those islands. China has become increasingly aggressive in its territorial claims and Japan is one of the Unites States' most important allies.

Cybersecurity in China has also been an issue, with concerns that the government and other institutions can gain access to information from the U.S. Congress released a report warning American companies against buying equipment from Huawei, a Chinese telecommunications firm, for fear that the parts may have been compromised.

ARAB SPRING

The Arab Spring puts the United States in a tough foreign policy situation because American interests are at odds with the increasing desire to lower involvement in the Middle East.

The good news for both the Obama and Romney campaigns is that since the Arab Spring began, ideological extremists have been weakened. Both candidates want to emphasize stability in the region as an important goal for foreign policy.

Regime changes in Middle Eastern countries may be the most effective way to secure peace within the region. However, it may take time for the new governments to establish an effective government.

The rise of conservative Islamist regimes hurt the expansion of American interests in the region. Still, stable governments are of the greatest concern to Americans.

While Obama has supported the uprisings against dictatorial governments, he has largely remained outside the conflict, being reluctant to commit military power. Romney has called for arming rebels in Syria and taking a more aggressive stance to ensure that political parties linked to Islamic tradition don't gain power.

Arguably, inaction in Syria and Libya led to increased and unnecessary bloodshed and violence.

Romney also points to the Sept. 11 attacks in Libya as evidence that the Obama administration failed to effectively handle the Arab Spring.

Whoever wins the election will likely have to start handling the situation in the Middle East with a new approach since the American influence in the region is increasingly weakening.

CYBER WARFARE

Cyberspace looks to be the new frontier for warfare in the Internet Age.

Earlier this month Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta warned of a potential cyber "Pearl Harbor" attack on the United States.

Cyber warfare is politically motivated hacking into another nation's computers to extract information. It can greatly compromise national security and impact the economy.

Obama has declared the digital infrastructure of the United States an asset and set up the U.S. Cyber Command to defend military networks. It also has the ability to attack the computer systems of other countries.

Controversial reports suggest that most cyber attacks are performed by America.

China, Russia, Israel and Iran are thought to have significant cyber warfare capabilities.

Reach Staff Reporter Jillian Olivas here.