The New Nation - Internet Edition

Reuters, USA

Sen. John McCain, his victory as Republican nominee for the U.S. presidency virtually assured, turned his sights on his Democratic challengers on Friday, saying they were weak on national security and their Iraq stance would hand al Qaeda a victory.

McCain's remarks, and the response from Democratic presidential contenders Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, pushed Iraq war policy back to center stage in the presidential race after weeks of focus on the faltering U.S. economy. Speaking to reporters after a security round-table meeting in Norfolk, Virginia, the home of a major U.S. naval base, McCain accused Obama and Clinton of wanting to set a date for withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq.

"I believe that would have catastrophic consequences," said the Arizona senator, a former Navy pilot and prisoner of war in Vietnam. "I believe that al Qaeda would trumpet to the world that they had defeated the United States of America, and I believe that therefore they would try to follow us home."

He said the two Democrats, who have both pledged to quickly begin removing troops from Iraq if they are elected, had a "fundamental misunderstanding" of the issues at stake and would not admit the U.S. strategy to reduce violence had worked. "They even refuse to acknowledge that. That I think is going to be a major issue in this campaign," said McCain, who criticized the military cutbacks under the past two administrations and said the armed forces needed to be expanded dramatically to ease the burden on those serving now.

McCain was virtually assured the Republican presidential nomination on Thursday after his chief rival withdrew, leaving former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who is trailing far behind, as his main challenger.

DEMOCRATS STRIKE BACK

The Obama and Clinton camps, campaigning in Washington state ahead of Saturday's new round of state-by-state contests to choose Republican and Democratic candidates for the November election, fired back at McCain while arguing they were best suited to run against him.

Obama, an Illinois senator who would be the first black U.S. president, told a Seattle news conference the maverick Arizona senator, who has had trouble rallying the support of the Republican Party's conservative base, had been wrong in his support of the Iraq war.

Four US states will hold primaries and caucuses on Saturday, the first polls since this week's Super Tuesday votes.

Democratic presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton remain neck and neck and have been continuing their dogged campaigning for every vote.

Analysts say though none of these polls will be decisive, they will indicate if either received a Super Tuesday bounce.

For the Republicans John McCain has a strong lead over his remaining rivals Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul.

The BBC's James Coomarasamy says McCain has the Republican party's nomination for the White House virtually sewn up, especially after Mitt Romney suspended his presidential campaign on Thursday.

Next Votes

Saturday: Louisiana and Washington state (multi-party); Nebraska (Democratic); Kansas (Republican); US Virgin Islands (Democratic)

Sunday: Maine (Democratic)

Tuesday: Maryland, Virginia and Washington DC (multi-party)

The Republican party is holding votes in Washington, Louisiana and Kansas on Saturday.

Going into the votes McCain has a wide lead with 719 delegates, Huckabee 198 and Paul 14.

Mr Romney's suspended campaign still has 298 delegates.

On the Democratic side, Obama and Mrs Clinton are facing the prospect of a long drawn-out battle after neither was able to deliver a knock out blow in Super Tuesday's 22 state contests.

Fight for funds

The two Democrats face four state contests on Saturday - primaries in Louisiana and Kansas, and caucuses in Washington state and Nebraska. There is also a primary in the US Virgin Islands.

Results so Far

Democratic Party:

Hillary Clinton: 1055 delegates, 13 states

Barack Obama: 998 delegates, 15 states

Republican Party:

John McCain: 719 delegates, 12 states

Mike Huckabee: 198 delegates, 6 states

Ron Paul: 14 delegates, 0 states