South Carolina GOP Debate
By: Hope Wilkos, Writer/Blogger
Photos: Reuters
Once again the GOP candidates took the stage at Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, to debate the greatest issues at hand, foreign policy and their vision for national security.
The debate was sponsored by CBS News and The National Journal and aired on Saturday evening, November 12th.
Each of the GOP candidates took a stab at President Obama and his foreign policies.
One of the leading contenders, former Mass. Governor Mitt Romney, criticized Obama’s policy towards Iran and took a stand that military forces should be able to target and kill American citizens fighting beside enemies overseas, without a trial. A regime change is necessary in Iran and he would take whatever military action is necessary to stop Iran from assembling nuclear weapons. One area where he sided with Obama was in the decision to kill American-born Moslem cleric, Anwar al-Awlaki in Yemen.
Controversial candidate, Herman Cain, was all for reviving waterboarding of suspected terrorists, an action that was banned by President Obama in 2009. He sees it as a method to obtain intelligence information. Cain would do whatever it takes to overthrow the current Iran regime and supports US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan by 2014.
Texas Governor Rick Perry used the evening to redeem himself from his memory lapse in the previous debate and received applause for his view on U.S. aid to foreign countries. He believes the foreign-aid budget should start at zero dollars. He is a staunch ally of Israel and understands their challenges.
Other candidates with very aggressive action plans include Michele Bachmann, Jon Huntsman, Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum. Gingrich would forcefully “take out the Iranian scientists” and “break the regime” to cease the building of nuclear weapons. He also agreed with the killing of Anwar al-Awlaki in Yemen.
Bachmann would bring back waterboarding and feels that Israel is unjustly the target of worldwide nuclear war.
Ron Paul is against waterboarding and abides by the law in the declaration of war. Huntsman, who served as Obama’s Ambassador to China, said that U.S. troops should be withdrawn from Afghanistan. He insistently would work towards dismantling al Qaida. We need to start the rebuilding here at home with education.
Although the candidates set forth their foreign policy plans and criticized President Obama, polls show that Americans give him a good rating in that area for handling foreign policy at 52%.
With each debate that takes place, we are coming closer to the primaries where one candidate will stand out and be the clear leader for the job of the new U.S. President.
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