Republican White House contenders have offered strong support for the war in Iraq but voiced qualms about the management of it during a debate yesterday.
The Republican debate at the California presidential library of the late Ronald Reagan produced few confrontations but exposed some differences among the 10 candidates on social issues like abortion.
Most of the candidates called for victory in Iraq, one week after Democratic presidential candidates in their first debate endorsed the war's quick end.
"We must win in Iraq. If we withdraw, there will be chaos, there will be genocide, and they will follow us home," said Arizona Senator John McCain, who has led the charge in support of the war and backs President Bush's plan to increase troop levels in Iraq.
Former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, the leader of the Republican pack in national polls, said: "We should never retreat in the face of terrorism. Terrible mistake."
But some candidates raised doubts about the management of the war by Mr Bush and his administration. Mr McCain said the war was "badly managed for four years.
Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee said: "Clearly there was a real error in judgment, and that primarily had to do with listening to a lot of folks who were civilians in suits and silk ties and not listening enough to the generals."
One-time Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney said: "I want to get our troops home as soon as I possibly can. But, at the same time, I recognise we don't want to bring them out in such a precipitous way that we cause a circumstance that would require us to come back."
Polls show broad public dissatisfaction with Mr Bush, the Iraq war and Republicans in general 18 months before the November 2008 election for the presidency, forcing the candidates to walk a fine line in deciding whether to embrace Mr Bush or his policies.