ISIS and national security have dominated last night’s presidential debate with Democratic candidates in Iowa.
The Democratic presidential hopefuls have clashed over how to deal with the militant group, in the wake of deadly terror attacks in Paris.
Hillary Clinton said “it cannot be an American fight” and called on Turkey and the Gulf states to do more.
However, rival Martin O’Malley disagreed and said the US had to “stand up to evil” and lead from the front.
The attacks killed 129 people and injured hundreds in the French capital.
Hours after the near-simultaneous attacks on November 13, CBS News vowed to shift the focus of the debate to put more emphasis on counter-terrorism and foreign policy.
A moment’s silence was observed in Des Moines before the debate began, and the three candidates expressed their condolences to the French people.
Then they clashed over the rise of ISIS, which has claimed responsibility for the atrocities.
Photo CBS
Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton was challenged by Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders for backing the Iraq War, which he says led to the rise of the militants.
She disagreed, saying US foreign policy did not have the “bulk of responsibility” for the instability in the region, pointing instead to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Iraq’s former leader, Nouri al-Malaki.
ISIS cannot be contained, it must be defeated, Hillary Clinton said, but she and the other candidates did not spell out how far they would go.
The US has been part of a coalition of countries taking part in air strikes against ISIS in Syria and Iraq, but some of the Republican presidential candidates have called for the deployment of US ground forces.
In other debate highlights, Martin O’Malley attacked “immigrant bashing” Republican Donald Trump’s plan to build a wall on Mexico border. Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley repeated calls on US to accept 65,000 Syrian refugees. Hillary Clinton backed a minimum wage of $12/hour, but Bernie Sanders wants $15/hour. Bernie Sanders criticized Hillary Clinton for taking campaign donations from Wall Street to which she replied that she supported New York City’s financial sector to help it recover from the 9/11 attacks. Bernie Sanders said he will make public college tuition free, paid for by raising taxes.
This primetime showdown was the party’s second debate of the election campaign, two fewer than the Republicans, who have a much wider field.
In 79 days, Iowa will be the first state to pick a presidential candidate from each party.
Voters across the US will go to the polls finally in November 2016 to choose the new occupant of the White House.
Hillary Clinton has vowed to help “everyday Americans” in the first major rally in her presidential campaign held in New York on June 13.
The Democratic front-runner outlined her key policies in a speech to thousands of supporters on New York City’s Roosevelt Island.
Hillary Clinton, 67, pledged to support working families, saying: “America can’t succeed unless you succeed”.
The former secretary of state and first lady’s campaign team hopes to boost approval ratings, which have flagged since her soft-launch in April.
President Bill Clinton and their daughter Chelsea appeared alongside her.
Hillary Clinton promised to “make the economy work for everyday Americans, not just those at the top” if elected president in 2016.
She said during the rally: “Prosperity can’t be just for CEOs and hedge fund managers; democracy can’t be just for billionaires and corporations.
“It’s America’s basic bargain… if you do your part, you ought to be able to get ahead, and when everybody does their part, America gets ahead too.”
Until now, Hillary Clinton has held small events with selected audiences in early voting states such as Iowa. Saturday’s outdoor rally marked a change in gear for her campaign.
HillaryClinton hopes to make history as the first female US president. If successful she would also keep the White House within the same party for a third term.
She did not detail specific policy proposals on Saturday. Her aides say that will happen over the next few weeks on issues including the economy, jobs and college affordability.
Jennifer Palmieri, the Clinton campaign’s communications director, said Hillary Clinton plans to give a policy address almost every week in the coming months.
Jeb Bush has said he admires his father and brother’s presidencies but he is his “own man” on foreign policy.
In a speech in Chicago, the former Florida governor outlined a broad strategy of projecting American power and addressing “the shortfalls in our defense spending”.
Jeb Bush also criticized President Barack Obama for an “inconsistent and indecisive” foreign policy.
He is one of several Republicans expected to run for president in 2016.
Jeb Bush is the brother of former President George W. Bush and son of former President George H.W. Bush.
He has developed campaign infrastructure but has not officially said he is running.
In the speech to the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, Jeb Bush says he has been “lucky” to have family who “shaped America’s foreign policy from the Oval Office”.
Photo Reuters
“I recognize that as a result, my views will often be held up in comparison to theirs,” Jeb Bush said.
“But I am my own man – and my views are shaped by my own thinking and own experiences.”
The Washington Post reported 19 of 21 Jeb Bush’s foreign policy advisors are pulled from his brother and father’s administrations, although many were also considered as advisors to Mitt Romney before he backed out of a run.
Jeb Bush has demurred from answering whether he believes his brother’s choice to go to war in Iraq was appropriate.
During the speech, he criticized Barack Obama as someone who “has left America less influential in the world”.
“I believe fundamentally that weakness invites war … and strength encourages peace,” Jeb Bush said.
Jeb Bush also expressed concern over negotiations with Iran over its nuclear programme and backed the National Security Agency’s bulk collection of telephone metadata records of Americans.
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