Below is the Coalition Voter Guide, outlining where the remaining Democratic and Republican candidates stand on key peace issues.
Democratic Presidential Candidates remaining after Jan. 30, 2008
|
|
Key issues
|
Sen. Hillary Clinton |
|
Sen. Barack Obama |
On Iraq |
Timeline for Withdrawal
|
Sponsored a bill in 2007 to begin withdrawing troops in 90 days, and voted for several bills that set an end date for withdrawal of combat troops.
|
|
Supports a phased withdrawal of troops from Iraq, beginning immediately and withdrawing one or two combat brigades a month.
|
Continued U.S. Troop Presence
|
Has stated that the U.S. may need a residual troop force to train Iraqi troops and conduct counterterrorism operations.
|
|
Supports leaving some U.S. troops behind for counter-terrorism, force protection, and training of Iraqi security forces |
Nuclear policy |
New Nuclear Weapons |
Opposes plans to build new nuclear weapons including the RRW* and has voted to cut funding for “nuclear bunker-busters.”
|
|
Opposes making a “premature decision” to produce the RRW. |
Reducing Nuclear Stockpile
|
Supports “substantially reducing nuclear arsenals in all states that possess them.”
|
|
Supports eliminating nuclear weapons.
|
On Iran |
Military Action
|
While stressing diplomacy, believes “no option can be taken off the table” in preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
|
|
Prefers diplomacy, but believes all options must remain on the table.
|
Diplomatic Action
|
Supports diplomatic engagement with Iran.
|
|
Supports “sustained, direct, aggressive” diplomacy with Iran.
|
*RRW = Reliable Replacement Warhead
Republican Presidential Candidates remaining after Jan. 30, 2008 |
Sen. John McCain
|
|
Rep. Ron Paul |
|
Mitt Romney |
Opposes settling a timeline for withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.
|
|
Supports a timeline for withdrawal from Iraq. In May 2007, he voted to redeploy combat forces from Iraq within 180 days.
|
|
Opposes legislation that would tie war funding to a schedule for troop withdrawal calling such efforts a “date for surrender.”
|
Supports maintaining current troop levels indefinitely.
|
|
Does not have a clear position on leaving a residual force, but he has voted in favor of a ban on permanent U.S. military bases in Iraq.
|
|
No clear position.
|
No clear position.
|
|
No clear position.
|
|
No clear position.
|
John McCain supports maintaining existing U.S. nuclear stockpiles.
|
|
No clear position.
|
|
Has stated that he would not reduce the U.S. nuclear arsenal because Iran is building nuclear technology.
|
Believes military force should be the last option, but all options must remain on the table.
|
|
Opposes military action against Iran.
|
|
Has stated that the “military option remains on the table” and that the world can not live with or contain a nuclear Iran because Iran is “an irrational regime that celebrates martyrdom.”
|
Supports exerting economic pressure on Iran. Does not support unconditional dialogue with Iran.
|
|
Rep. Paul supports direct diplomacy with Iran without preconditions.
|
|
Believes we shouldn’t be “engaging Iran in direct, bilateral negotiations over their nuclear program, we shouldn’t let Iran try to position it as an Iran vs. a U.S. thing.”
|
