KOLBE, RYAN DIFFER ON ACTION VS. IRAQ

How the United States deals with Iraq was a major concern among many of the
people at a forum Sunday with Congressional District 8 candidates.

Several of about 100 people gathered at Congregation Anshei Israel
applauded when Democrat Mary Judge Ryan said she objected to unilateral
military action against Iraq.

Ryan said she would have voted against the congressional resolution giving
President Bush authority to use military action against Iraq if needed. And
Ryan said Congress, not the president, should be dealing with issues of war.

Incumbent Republican Jim Kolbe, seeking his 10th term, defended his vote of
support, saying the resolution gives Iraqi President Saddam Hussein very
little "wiggle room."

He also told the crowd that high-ranking Democratic leaders such as Sen.
Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle of
South Dakota and House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt of Missouri joined
him in supporting Bush.

"The threat from Saddam Hussein is real. The threat is immediate and it's
serious," Kolbe said.

Kolbe also said that unlike Ryan, he's been privy to security briefings on
the threat Iraq poses to the United States.

Ryan responded that Kolbe's stance indicates a "disconnect" between the
incumbent and district residents. She pointed to Kolbe saying a few minutes
earlier that most of the calls, letters and e-mail to his office object to
the use of military action against Iraq.

Kolbe later said he hopes no one elected to Congress makes policy decisions
based solely on "how the phone calls line up."

Libertarian Joe Duarte said the United States should react to any threat to
security without having to worry about seeking approval or support from the
United Nations. He said, however, that the United States should declare war
rather than continue passing resolutions.

Jim Dorrance, a registered Democrat running as a write-in candidate, said
war is too expensive and that there is a lack of new public information
about the threat posed by Iraq.

It was the first time voters got to see all of the candidates for District
8 at the same time. The district, whose boundaries were redrawn this year
to reflect census changes, covers much of the Northwest and East sides, the
Catalina Foothills and all of Cochise County. Election Day is Nov. 5.

Kolbe walked to Congregation Anshei Israel from his home nearby. He took
swigs from a bottle of water as he worked through the crowd shaking hands.

Ryan, chief deputy attorney for the Pima County Attorney's Office, worked
to publicize the forum, one of the few opportunities she has to debate
face-to-face with the incumbent. Several supporters broke into applause
when she walked into the room to start the forum.

The audience was asked by members of the League of Women Voters, the
sponsor, to refrain from reacting to candidates to save time.

Duarte got the biggest crowd reaction. He called Palestinian leader Yasser
Arafat "Charles Manson times 10" who needs to be "taken out in any way that
is appropriate." He said insider corporate trading should be legal and
criticized some aspects of the Homeland "Insecurity" Act. Duarte also
voiced support for the full legalization of drugs.

Kolbe called U.S. relations with Israel the "bedrock" of national foreign
policy. Ryan said U.S. involvement with Israel has declined since Bush was
elected and that it "needs to be more than just writing checks."

Both Kolbe and Ryan opposed Proposition 203, the medical marijuana initiative.

All of the candidates called for greater corporate accountability. Ryan
said there should be stronger independent oversight, while Kolbe said
better enforcement of existing laws is most important.