By KUNA,
Washington : U.S. presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama rehashed their differences on Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan and the U.S. economic downturn on Tuesday night during their second debate, with four weeks before the election.
Both Republican McCain and Democrat Obama agreed that Iran must not be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon, in answer to a question from a member of the audience regarding what each man would do as president if Iran attacked Israel.
Iran is a threat to the stability of the entire Middle East, McCain said, and if Iran acquires a nuclear weapon, other countries in the region would seek the same. Obama said a nuclear-armed Iran would create the possibility of a nuclear weapon falling into the hands of terrorists, and that the U.S. would never take the military option off the table when dealing with Iran.
Both candidates called for working with European allies to impose tougher sanctions on Iran in response to the nuclear issue.
McCain again slammed Obama for saying he would agree to direct talks with Iranian leaders with no pre-conditions, and Obama again defended that position, saying “tough, direct diplomacy” with Iranian leaders offers a better chance for a better outcome on the issue.
The debate was a town hall format in Nashville, Tennessee, in which questions were taken from a live audience as well as from submissions via the Internet. Like the first debate between the two, held last month, analysts and watch groups polled gave the edge to Obama. The third and final debate takes place next Wednesday.
With recent polls showing Obama ahead by 4 to 8 percentage points and gaining in almost every battleground state, analysts agreed that McCain again failed to convincingly win the face-off — leaving Obama in a good position with the Nov. 4 election fast approaching.
After McCain, 72, a 26-year U.S. senator, cited his “knowledge, experience and judgment” in foreign policy, and said this was “no time for on-the-job training,” Obama, 47, was ready. Noting that McCain has repeatedly said that Obama “does not understand” key foreign policy issues, Obama said there were in fact some things he did not understand — such as why McCain served as a “cheerleader” when his fellow Republican, President George W. Bush, launched the war in Iraq in 2003; why McCain believed U.S. forces would be greeted as liberators in Baghdad; and why McCain believed weapons of mass destruction would be found in Iraq.
“We need to fundamentally change Bush’s and McCain’s foreign policy,” Obama said.
“It has not worked.” The two repeated their previous positions on Afghanistan and Pakistan. McCain said a strategy similar to that used by General David Petraeus in Iraq would bring victory in Afghanistan, and he criticized Obama for advocating U.
S. military strikes in the mountainous border region of Pakistan, where Taliban and al Qaeda forces have reconstituted.
Obama called for ending the Iraq war, putting more U.S. troops in Afghanistan, and sending more non-military aid to Pakistan while insisting that Pakistani forces go after extremists in that country who are attacking U.S. troops.
McCain said Obama was “announcing he would attack Pakistan. Remarkable.” McCain said the U.S. should work with Pakistan and help Pakistani forces rout out the terrorists there. “We should coordinate our efforts together, not attack them,” he added.
Obama again stated that if Pakistan is “unable or unwilling” to do this job, and U.S. forces have Osama bin Laden in their sights, then U.S. forces will “kill bin Laden and crush al Qaeda.” Both candidates warned of a resurgent Russia, with McCain calling for “moral support” for Georgia and Ukraine, and Obama countering with a call for “financial and concrete assistance” for countries comprising former satellites of the old Soviet Union.
On domestic issues, the candidates repeated their familiar views, detailing their tax plans, and spending and budget priorities. McCain called for not raising taxes on anyone, while Obama said his tax plan would not increase taxes for 95 percent of Americans — those making less than 250,000 dollars a year.
They both condemned “greed and excess” of Wall Street which led to the current U.S. economic spiral.
Obama emphasized help for the middle class, homeowners in jeopardy paying their mortgages, road and bridge projects to create jobs, as well as a health care system overhaul and a 10-year push for U.S. “energy independence.” McCain mentioned a new proposal to have the U.S. government “renegotiate home values” and “buy up bad loans” to stabilize U.S. home values — a clear response to the U.S. subprime mortgage crisis. McCain again advocated an “across the board freeze” on U.S. government spending, except for the Defense Department and needs of U.S. military veterans.
McCain strongly advocated building numerous new nuclear power plants as part of his energy policy, while Obama called for a “new energy economy” that would create 5 million new jobs including solar, wind and geothermal development as well as a nuclear component.
Obama blasted McCain for voting against renewable energy while supporting “big oil,” and said the United States cannot just drill its way out of its energy problems.
McCain said more offshore oil drilling must take place in the U.S. now to “bridge the gap” to a new energy future.
In his closing remarks, Obama said the need for fundamental change is what is at stake in the election.
“We need the courage, sacrifice and nerve to move in a new direction,” said the Illinois senator.
In his closing comments, Arizona Senator McCain said, “When times are tough, you need a steady hand at the tiller. I will always put my country first.”