ISSUES....
Inside,
confidential, off the record
Match up
How McCain and Obama match up on top issues
Here are the positions of Democratic White House hopeful Barack Obama and his Republican rival John McCain on some of the main issues in the US presidential campaign:
IRAQ
Obama: Said he was against the war in 2002 and has vowed to end the conflict and begin to withdraw the troops immediately. He is opposed to establishing permanent bases in Iraq, but says he would be prepared to send troops back in in case of a catastrophe or genocide.
McCain: Is a fervent supporter of the US surge launched in 2007. He has vowed "no surrender" and has said he is convinced that Washington is winning the war against the insurgency. He has come under fire from Democrats for suggesting that US troops could be stationed in Iraq for 100 years, modelled on the US involvement in Germany and South Korea.
ECONOMY
Obama: Promises to cut taxes for working classes and low-income homes earning less than 75,000 dollars a year, while raising taxes for those homes with an average income of more than 250,000 dollars. On the housing crisis, he proposes setting up a fund to help stave off foreclosures, and federal help to gain access to loans.
McCain: Pledges to maintain the tax cuts put in place under President George W. Bush. Firmly against public deficits, he has vowed to fight "porkbarreling" or congressional earmarks and has proposed a freeze for a year on non-military federal spending. On the housing crisis, he has suggested state guarantees for mortgages and for student loans.
ENERGY
Obama: Wants to limit carbon gas emissions and has fixed the goal of reducing greenhouse gases by 80 percent by 2050. He wants to pump 150 billion dollars into the research of clean energy over the next 10 years. Now supports after initially opposing limited US offshore drilling.
McCain: Also wants to limit carbon gas emissions but has set a slightly more modest goal of cutting them by two-thirds by 2050. Also supports US offshore drilling after initially opposing it. He wants to build new nuclear energy plants, and is opposed to federal support for clean energy .
HEALTH CARE
Obama: Wants all Americans to be covered by a universal health care plan. His scheme, based on incentives and cost cuts, would be voluntary but oblige parents to insure their children.
McCain: Believes health care should be made more accessible. (Some 45 million Americans lack coverage.) He proposes greater oversight of insurance and pharmaceutical companies to prevent them from profiting unreasonably at the expense of consumers.
RUSSIA:
Obama: Has denounced "Russian aggression" in Georgia and says pressure has to be kept up on Moscow to be more transparent and democratic. "Let me be clear: we seek a future of cooperative engagement with the Russian government, and friendship with the Russian people," Obama said, stressing that Moscow had to act responsibly.
McCain: Has called for Russia to be excluded from the Group of Eight most industrialized nations and criticized former president and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as "a dangerous man."
IRAN
Obama: Is in favor of launching a dialogue with Iran, which he says presents a serious threat to the Middle East region and the United States. He has said he would be prepared to hold talks without pre-conditions with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. But more recently he indicated talks would begin at a lower level first. He is in favor of using international sanctions to push Iran to be more transparent over its suspect nuclear program.
McCain: Says "there is only one thing worse than military action and that is a nuclear-armed Iran." He is against any presidential-level talks, which he believes would only lend legitimacy to the regime's hardliners. He would like to tighten sanctions, mostly economic, outside the UN sphere if necessary.
MIDDLE EAST AND ISRAEL
Obama: The US commitment to Israel is "non-negotiable." He envisages isolating Hamas and Hezbollah, as long as the Islamic militant groups refuse to renounce terrorism or recognize the right of Israel to exist. He has criticized Jewish settlements in the Palestinian territories as unhelpful to the peace process, and is in favor of policies which can boost the influence of moderate Palestinians.
McCain: Supports US military aid to Israel and says he is Hamas' "worst enemy." He has repeatedly said Hamas would welcome an Obama victory. He encourages talks between Israel and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, and has called for Hamas, Hezbollah, and Syria to be politically isolated. He believes the Israeli war on Lebanon in 2006 was justified.
IMMIGRATION
Obama: Supports immigration reform which boosts border controls while legalizing under certain conditions the 12 million illegal immigrants already in the United States.
McCain: Was a key mover in 2006 legislation to try to regularize the situation of illegal immigrants, but insists on the need to secure the borders before any other reforms can be carried out.
INTERNATIONAL TRADE
Obama: Has attacked the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Canada and Mexico and says he would renegotiate it.
McCain: Supports NAFTA and sees free trade as an important tool in US foreign policy, notably in the Middle East. Unlike Obama, he supports a free trade accord with Colombia.
ABORTION
Obama: Has expressed his support for legal abortions, but called for efforts to limit unwanted pregnancies.
McCain: Opposes abortion. He said recently that life began from "the moment of conception", adding "I will be a pro-life president and this presidency will have pro-life policies."
-AFP 2 0411 GMT 08 08
Petroleumworld
News 08/25/08
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