U.S. PRES. CANDIDATES ON HEZBOLLAH, SYRIA

McCain: Disarm Hizbullah, tackle Assad (JPost)
"To achieve lasting peace, sooner or later, one way or another, Hizbullah must be disarmed and its patron in Damascus confronted," according to US Presidential hopeful John McCain, who wrote to The Jerusalem Post as part of the latest installment to the 'Road to the White House' blog on JPost.com, which addressed the issue of how the US should deal with Syria.

"Lasting peace and security in Lebanon", he stressed, "must include a democratic government that has a monopoly on authority within Lebanon's borders. That means no independent militias, no Hizbullah fighters, no weapons and equipment flowing to Hizbullah across Lebanon's borders. So long as that is not the case, Hizbullah is likely to further regroup, reconstitute, and rearm."

Another presidential hopeful - Barack Obama - on the other hand, was of the opinion that a path of confrontation would not be constructive. Despite the fact that "so far, the Syrian regime has given all the wrong answers," the Illinois Senator said he "would engage Syria in direct bilateral talks while insisting on our core demands."

According to Obama, "The Democrat hopeful accused the Bush administration of issuing "empty threats" against Assad. "[The Administration] has eschewed bilateral talks on the full range of issues and failed to present a convincing roadmap to a different kind of relationship."

To read the answers in full, including those of Senator Hillary Clinton, Senator Joe Biden and former Senator John Edwards, click here.