The fifth Republican debate Tuesday night in Las Vegas was heavy on foreign policy and national security, spotlighting the approaches of GOP candidates to fighting the Islamic State and protecting the homeland. Here are six takeaways:
Cruz in cross hairs
Ted Cruz, who is gaining in national polls and taken the lead in Iowa, was, for the first time, a primary target throughout the debate.
That included his Senate vote to end the National Security Agency's bulk records collection program and his opposition to toppling Middle Eastern dictators. Marco Rubio hit Cruz repeatedly, saying his vote against the phone metadata program means the nation lost a "valuable tool."
The Florida senator circled back for another swipe against Cruz’s vote against the Defense Authorization Act. “You can’t carpet bomb ISIS if you don’t have planes and bombs to attack them with,” said Rubio. Cruz has said he’d bomb ISIS until the sand glows.
In the undercard debate, Sen. Lindsey Graham delivered one of the night’s most memorable lines in attacking Cruz for opposing ground troops in Iraq and Syria. “Getting in bed with Iran and Russia to save Assad is inconceivable,” said Graham. “Princess Buttercup would not like this,” he said, referring to a character in The Princess Bride, a favorite Cruz movie.
Be Smarter. Faster. More Colorful and get the full story at http://usat.ly/1I8Slc4
***********************************************************************************************************************************************
Want even more?!
Subscribe to USA TODAY's YouTube channel: http://bit.ly/1xa3XAh
Like USA TODAY on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/usatoday
Follow USA TODAY on Twitter: https://twitter.com/USATODAY
Follow USA TODAY on Instagram: https://instagram.com/usatoday/
