Rick Santorum: Treat Iran nuclear scientists like 'enemy combatants' --Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum also asserted that it was acceptable to 'take people out' By Lori Price, www.legitgov.org 11 Jan 2011 On Wednesday's 'On the Record' with Greta Van Susteren, Fox News, GOP presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, commented on the most recent [Israel-backed] assassinated Iranian nuclear scientist. Santorum said that Iranian nuclear scientists should be categorized as 'enemy combatants.'