US News
Republican hopefuls talk tough on Iran, immigration
By Tony Czuczka Jun 6, 2007, 1:15 GMT
Manchester, New Hampshire - Republican Party presidential candidates took tough stands Tuesday on Iran's nuclear programme, the Iraq war and immigration into the United States as they duelled over hot-button topics likely to figure in 2008 elections.
California Congressman Duncan Hunter, a defence expert running on a homeland-security platform, set himself apart from the nine other hopefuls by saying that the US might have to use nuclear weapons to destroy Iran's centrifuges used to enrich uranium.
'I would authorize the use of tactical nuclear weapons if there was no other way to preempt those particular centrifuges,' Hunter said during the third nationally televised Republican debate of an election season that has begun unusually early.
Most contenders rejected calls by their centre-left Democratic Party rivals for a swift US troop withdrawal from Iraq, politely criticizing President George W Bush's handling of the war but giving few specifics on how they would handle the issue as president.
Former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani, who polls say is ahead in the race for the centre-right Republican nomination, and top rival John McCain, a US senator who strongly backed sending in more American troops, agreed that failure in Iraq would threaten US security.
Giuliani, 63, was the most forceful on whether Bush was right to order the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.
'Absolutely the right thing to do,' said Giuliani, whose prominence derives heavily from his leadership of New York City after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. 'Iraq is part of the overall terrorist war against the United States.'
McCain agreed that it was right to invade Iraq but conceded problems.
'This war was very badly mismanaged for a long time. ... This is long and hard and tough, but I think we can succeed,' said McCain, 69, a prisoner of war in Vietnam who sought the centre-right presidential nomination in 2000.
As co-sponsor of a compromise plan in the US Senate to reform immigration policy, McCain drew fire from several more conservative Republicans on the stage.
Most controversially, the McCain proposal would open a path to citizenship for an estimated 11 million or more immigrants illegally living in the US, requiring them to pay a fine, learn English and meet other conditions. The main focus is on immigrants from Latin America, especially neighbouring Mexico, who do many menial jobs for lower wages than US citizens.
Tom Tancredo, a Colorado Congressman campaigning on platform of tougher immigration rules, said the United States' survival as a nation was at stake. Without firm action against illegal immigration, the US could 'split apart into a lot of Balkanized pieces,' he said.
Giuliani called the McCain-backed plan 'a typical Washington mess' built on compromises. To plug one key loophole, he said all foreigners in the US should have tamper-proof identification and be entered into a national database, he said.
'It should be in a database that allows you to figure out who they are, why they're here, make sure they're not illegal immigrants coming here for a bad purpose, and then to be able to throw out the ones who are not in that database,' Giuliani said.
Mitt Romney, 60, a former governor of Massachusetts state who has positioned himself to the right of Giuliani and McCain, also criticized the immigration plan.
McCain defended the measure, which Bush has urged Congress to approve.
'And if someone else has a better idea,' he said, 'I'd love to have them pursue - give it to us.'
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-AgenturCOMMENT
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Older Talkback
page: 1
I'm disappointed that more time was not given to the so-called 'second-tier' candidates. Ron Paul delivered his message with eloquence and conviction. His responses all received applause from the audience. He is clearly an intelligent man of principle who deserves to be heard.
In light of his strong performance I would simply say that I am disappointed in the time that he received both during the debate process as well as in the subsequent media coverage. It is as if the media is deciding that the choice is among three candidates. I know that it will be said many times that these three are the only candidates with a real chance but why is that a subject that should interest true journalists? Shouldn't non-biased reporting include equal credit for equal performance?
We need more statesmen like ten-time Congressman Ron Paul.
Go to any news story on this debate and search for Ron.
'Ron Paul delivered his message with eloquence and conviction.'
Ron Paul is an idiot moonbat and so is his internet 'hurray for Ron Paul' spammer.
'He is clearly an intelligent man of principle who deserves to be heard. '
So you say on every text message poll, every internet poll and every phone in poll. Stop being a pest, he doesn't stand a chance in hell, mostly because you and his other supporter have made such pains in the asses out of yourselves.
'We need more statesmen like ten-time Congressman Ron Paul.'
Good Lord, whatever they are paying you I will double it to stop the flow of such obvious BS.
This is kind of a chicken and the egg type comment but Ron Paul doesn't stand a chance because he has only been able to raise half a million dollars so far.
Since he is a strict Federalist, wouldn't that make Dr. Paul a wingnut?
-accused Ron Paul spammer
Ron Paul tells the truth and that makes him crazy in the eye of a 'true' Republican.
Enough is enough. Vote Democratic!
As a member of Ron Pauls inner circle I feel it necessary to state for the record that the whole 'Ron Paul eats human fetuses in order to maintain his cat like reflexes' rumor is not entirely true. He just likes snacking on them.
As an avid follower of all things Ron Paul I think that Ron Paul, a former eagle scout who invented the smallpox vaccine and can levitate, is actually the closest thing to our Lord Saviour I have seen since Jim Jones ran out of Koolaid for me.
He is also a federalist and ten-time Congressman!
Since I am new to this debate and a completely different person I would just like to say that I completely agree with all the nice things that those other people who are not me have had to say about that lovely Ron Paul, and that if you do not vote for him you have a black heart and a black soul and are the embodiment of corruption and decadence. I wonder if anyone has anything else to add about his splendid record as a 10 term congressman and inventor of oxygen?
Isn't he the twin of actor RuPaul???
Wow. We have lost our ways. The Constitution is what made this country great and free. Now it seems, our leaders don't know what it means OR the media.
Where is the champion of the people and the constitution?
Ron Paul was not even mentioned. What ever happened to unbias news? Wow. America is getting stupid.
He is a Mormon.
Hmmmm.
Romney that is.
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Romney 08!Jun 6th, 2007 - 02:11:51
Mitt Romney showed once again that he is in full control on the issues that face America today.When asked why he has political ads running in both English and Spanish,he answered that he is not anti-immigrant,but anti illegal immigrant.This shows that he will be a great and honest President with this issue and others he answered tonight.
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