US Republican presidential hopefuls talk tough, argue over Reagan legacy

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080111/wl_afp/usvote2008republicans_080111055446;_ylt=Ai_VRUp.8LN3TO_Y8KPbRbms0NUE


US Republican presidential hopefuls talk tough, argue over Reagan legacy

18 minutes ago

MYRTLE BEACH, South Carolina (AFP) - Republican White House hopefuls talked tough on Iran and argued who best embodied the legacy of conservative hero Ronald Reagan in a high-stakes debate in South Carolina on Thursday.

Asked about the incident last week when Iranian boats swarmed US navy ships in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, the leading candidates endorsed the response of the American commanders at the scene but issued stern warnings they were prepared to back military action if provoked by Tehran.

"Be prepared, first, to put your sights on the American vessel. And then be prepared that the next thing you see will be the gates of hell, because that is exactly what you will see after that," former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee said to applause.

Former senator Fred Thomspon, who hopes to revive his flagging candidacy in the South Carolina primary on January 19, quipped: "I think one more step and they would have been introduced to those virgins that they're looking forward to seeing."

Vietnam war and navy veteran John McCain, fresh off a come-from-behind victory in New Hampshire on Tuesday, said the Gulf incident was "of the utmost seriousness in one of the most important waterways in the world, because of so much of the world's oil goes through there."

McCain supported the navy officers' response and said it would be "presumptous" to second guess them.

of hell" bullshit. What an ass--how come HE never served in the military? I was glad to see that Fred Thompson pwned him--that was a satisfying moment.