Republican Presidential Debate: National Security and Terrorism Take Center Stage

Strategic Insights -

Nine Republican presidential candidates faced off in the last debate of 2015, focusing on terrorism and national security, in a heated discussion that touched on issues like ISIS, immigration, and regime change. The debate was moderated by Hugh Hewitt, Dana Bash, and Wolf Blitzer, and it marked the last opportunity for the candidates to appeal to voters before the Iowa primary on February 1.

Key Takeaways:

  • The debate was dominated by front-runner Donald Trump's proposal to ban all Muslims from entering the U.S. or to shut down parts of the internet to curb ISIS recruitment, with many candidates criticizing the idea.
  • Trump shot back at critics, calling them "chaos candidates" who would go on to be "chaos presidents," while Jeb Bush called Trump "unhinged."
  • The candidates coalesced around the situation on the ground in Syria, with more hawkish candidates like Marco Rubio, Ben Carson, and John Kasich advocating for increased surveillance programs to target terrorists on American soil.
  • Trump, Fiorina, and Kasich all supported increased surveillance, while Carson said foreign policy in the Middle East should focus on American interests first.
  • Candidates like Bush, Rubio, and Cruz expressed concerns about regime change in the Middle East, with Cruz blaming the Obama administration for toppling Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Rubio saying that Gadhafi was responsible for American deaths.
  • On immigration, Rubio and Cruz traded barbs over their immigration plans, with Rubio still supporting the path to citizenship enshrined in the 2013 immigration reform bill he championed.

Statistics:

  • 9 candidates participated in the debate, covering a range of topics including terrorism, national security, and immigration.
  • The debate marked the last opportunity for the candidates to appeal to voters before the Iowa primary on February 1.
  • The candidates expressed varying opinions on regime change, with skeptics like Paul and Kasich advocating for a more hands-off approach.

Sources:

  • UPI, "Nine Republican candidates spar over terrorism in final debate of 2015" (Dec. 15)
  • CNN, "GOP debate transcript: What the candidates said about ISIS, immigration and more" (Dec. 15)
  • The Hill, "GOP debate: Candidates clash on immigration, terrorism, and more" (Dec. 15)