To some this debate may have been uneventful but candidates provided a tremendous amount of insight into their values and how they would manage the presidency if elected to that office.   As I continue to follow many of these debates I am constantly reminded of the fact that all of them would be superior to the current occupant of the office but others are week by week helping me to define who I believe to be the superior choice for 2012.  Moderators included Scott Pelley and Major Garrett.  

Newt Gingrich provided his standard excellent performance as he once again had to explain the facts of life to the CBS moderator, Scott Pelley.   The subject was Torture and the question surrounded whether President Obama had the power or the authority to target another American for assassination as he did with the terrorist, Anwar al-Awlaki.  Pelley had called al-Awlaki a terrorist suspect and Gingrich hopefully set him straight.   Al-Awlaki was not a suspect.  He pointed to the fact that there was no relevant rule of law as it might pertain to an American waging war against the United States.   Such a person waging war against the US has none of the civil liberties of the US.   Newt also took a hard line on Iran gaining a nuclear weapon and completely satisfied me with his position on both Water Boarding and Torture.   Water Boarding is not Torture.

John Huntsman disagreed with Gingrich and described Water Boarding to be torture.  He also told us he would bring the troops home from Afghanistan immediately and that he would not favor challenging China on its currency manipulation. 

Ron Paul also disagreed with Gingrich and he also described Water Boarding as torture.   He indicated an unwillingness to use military power to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. 

Michele Bachman agreed with Newt Gingrich.  She does not believe Water Boarding is Torture and she emphatically stated that she would reinstitute the method as a necessary interrogation method.

Herman Cain also agreed with Gingrich.  He does not believe Water Boarding is torture.  Cain was not in his element in this debate.  I agree with Herman that a good President will surround himself with good people, listen to all points of view and make a decision but I believe we need more in these debates than a process.  I want to also know his position and what goals he will set for the good people he will hire.   

Mitt Romney seemed at home discussing foreign policy.  After exhausting every peaceful method he would use military force to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon.   He was solid in his criticism of the methods China has used to compete in the world economy.   At present he said, “We have a president who thinks America is just another nation.”  Romney believes the opposite and would work to protect Americans and our world interests.  

Rick Perry helped himself tremendously by the manner in which he referenced his failure to remember the Energy Department in the last debate.  He did so with humor and self deprecation.  Despite a weak answer concerning the ground situation in Afghanistan and a horrible transition he made from a conversation about the status of Afghanistan to foreign aid, his points on foreign aid were well made and this was Perry’s best debate.

Rick Santorum demanded equal time in this debate and gave good answers demonstrating his prowess in the area of foreign policy.  He demonstrated strength and accuracy in his analysis of both Iraq and Afghanistan.  I might also add that despite his demand, he did not get equal time.  

A word about Torture:  We all have our own definitions of this word and this is a problem.  We cannot continue to debate the subject of Water Boarding with some considering this a method of torture and others not.   There are obvious differences between Water Boarding and those methods I consider torture.  My point of view is that torture involves extreme physical pain.  It includes breaking of bones, breaking of skin, stretching, injuring an individual physically, so much so that often irreparable physical or mental damage is done to the victim.  Water Boarding is not among these methods.  While using Water Boarding as a means of enhanced interrogation the victim is merely deceived.  The victim is made to believe he may drown.  No permanent physical or mental damage is involved and no extreme pain or physical abuse is involved.   I understand this settles nothing as far as Huntsman or Paul followers are concerned however I would also like to say the following.  The President of the United States must accept responsibility for the safety of over 300 million Americans.  If the President knows that an individual possesses information that might save the lives of multiple hundreds, thousands or millions of these Americans then he should not only be willing to Water Board but he should be willing to use any method, including torture to obtain that information.  For the President to do anything else would be immoral.  Were I President, I would not want to tell the families of millions of victims that I might have saved the lives of their loved ones but I chose instead to stand on principle and not pursue that information that might have saved those lives.  So, when John Huntsman speaks of diminishing our values by torturing under any circumstance, it matters little to me whether he is including Water Boarding in that definition or not.  I would expect him to get that information using any means that might be at his disposal.