Des Moines Register
11-09-07
Giuliani faults the other Clinton
The former president's budget cuts weakened the U.S. military, he contends.
By JONATHAN ROOS
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
Ames, Ia. -Republican Rudy Giuliani, campaigning in Iowa the same day that Bill
Clinton was in the Hawkeye State, charged Thursday that the former president
had weakened the American military and intelligence services through spending
cuts during his administration.
"Our military is too small to deal with the Islamic terrorism threats, but it really is
too small to deter would-be aggressors to even think of challenging us. And that's
due to Bill Clinton," Giuliani told students and others in the audience of about 350
at Iowa State University's Memorial Union.
"Bill Clinton cut our military and our intelligence budget by such a huge amount
that we've never made up the difference," said the former New York mayor, a
candidate for the Republican presidential nomination.
Giuliani said in response to a question about relations with China that the United
States needs a bigger military, including at least 10 more combat brigades and a
300-ship Navy.
"If we do that, it will send a very strong signal to China and then Russia ... that it
doesn't make sense to challenge us," he said.
Bill Clinton, a Democrat, made campaign appearances Thursday in southwest
Iowa on behalf of his wife's presidential campaign. The Clinton campaign did not
respond to a call seeking comment about Giuliani's remarks.
Giuliani has made a habit of criticizing fellow New Yorker Hillary Clinton and the
other leading candidates for the Democratic nomination while abstaining from
direct attacks on his chief Republican rivals. His comments here and in Cedar
Falls earlier Thursday were no exception.
He asserted that Democrats are advocating higher taxes in order to pay for
government-driven health care mandates and other programs, but that he would
reduce taxes and cut spending by civilian agencies if he is elected president.
Increasing taxes on business and investment would be "a terrible disaster for our
economy," Giuliani told students and others in an appearance on the University
of Northern Iowa campus. "We'll keep the tax rates low, like they are now, and
then lower them even more."
He hit the tax theme again at his Ames campaign appearance. When Democrats
offer proposals to raise taxes on the rich, "what they mean by rich is everybody
paying taxes," he said.
Giuliani gave students in the crowd a homework assignment, inviting them to
read a book by French President Nicolas Sarkozy that sets out goals
emphasizing the need for less government and regulation in France.
At the Cedar Falls campaign event, Giuliani was asked by public speaking
teacher Nikki Johnson about the disillusionment of students with government.
Giuliani clapped his hands and said, "Wake up, look at America. You are in a
country that is the greatest country in the history of the world. You are so lucky.
People who lived before you never had this kind of freedom. People before you
never had this kind of opportunity.... We're so lucky that sometimes we take it for
granted."
Johnson gave Giuliani good marks for making his point. "I thought it was
appropriate," she said.
Reporter Jonathan Roos can be reached at (515) 284-8443 or jroos@dmreg.com