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not go as far as McCain in punitive action against the nation, but would encourage the nation to make a return to a more open democracy.

When it comes to Israel, the differences between the senators begin to blur. Both men support Israel's right to defend itself from attacks from Hamas and other pro-Palestinian groups, but both men are viewed with skepticism by both sides of the conflict. Obama's views on diplomacy with Iran and his assertion that peace with the Palestinians must include sacrifices from both sides is somewhat poorly received in an Israel fresh off of 8 years of an extremely Israel-friendly Bush administration. McCain has also called for concessions in peace talks, most notably, and controversially, in an interview with Jewish newspaper Haaratz, where he indicated he would support re-drawing Israel boundaries to their 1967 lines, which would require withdrawal from the West Bank, a position that is extremely unpopular in the Jewish state.

Ultimately, the final difference seems to be a matter of change versus a continuation of our current course. With very few exceptions, McCain's foreign policy is a continuation of the Bush administration ideals of aggressive military spending and deployment, non-negotiation with enemies, and a continuation of the Iraq war. Obama favors more diplomatic solutions, and a quick end to the Iraq war. The decision voters make in November will determine the course of American discourse in the world at large, and to our relationship with our enemies.

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