Political embarrassment in the hours

Mitt Romney continues to progress as a favorite in the Republican primaries after the last two TV debates. Within twelve hours, in a political embarrassment weekend (first was the ABC and then NBC), the opponents of Romney had the opportunity to try to stop the former governor of Massachusetts, a clear favorite in the primaries take place on Tuesday in New Hampshire .

Rick Santorum took the time and attention he was finally granted, thanks to the momentum at the start of Iowa (there are only eight votes behind Romney ) to seek alternative erected in front of the more moderate conservative favorite. Although the intervention was successful, as his attempt to not make radical statements against homosexual practice , recent polls indicate that the "momentum Santorum" is not expanding everything you need to achieve a decisive role in New Hampshire.

Slight increase in surveys of Huntsman

That vote also compete the old conservative "speaker" parliamentary Newt Gingrich and Texas Governor Rick Perry . They are more aware of what happens in the primaries in South Carolina , on 21, a key conservative state's career development. Meanwhile, Ron Paul was at your leisure before the cameras defending libertarian ideas, supported by a sector of the electorate in part as a protest vote.

After a first debate on Saturday night in which the candidates were rather thick, in the debate this Sunday morning all were more tough. The former Governor of Utah Jon Huntsman had the minutes of brilliance that needs to emerge in New Hampshire, liberal-leaning state with best home with the utmost restraint of Huntsman. The latest polls give him a steady start to rise . Huntman turned against Romney when he was criticized two years it has been ambassador to China to serve the Obama Administration . "I always put my country ahead," he said to applause, this time without resort to any sentence would send as it did in the other debate.

Issues like gay marriage and out of Iraq occupied part of the discussion in the debates. All candidates except Paul, who was not asked about it, spoke out against gay marriage, so far only legalized in some states. The strongest line was to Santorum, against whom the gay lobby is loading the last days of a brutal due to extreme manifestations of homosexuality. But by the moderator asked what if his son would confess that he is gay, Santorum said: "I would like the minutes before," which helped to soften his image.

Regarding foreign policy , again addressed without spending time in Europe (EU respublicanos only mention of the "European socialism" as they refer to the model of the welfare state across the Atlantic), candidates are primarily concerned Iraq. Except Paul, who is against the foreign military presence, and Huntsman, who warned that Iraq is on the brink of civil war and have to stay on the sidelines, the rest criticized Obama has not managed to leave troops in the country . Perry defended the military immediately return to Iraq, something the White House itself is currently negotiating without success, although the Texas governor's mouth seemed rather sound like a new invasion.

U.S. loses 6,600 million dollars in Iraq

Around 6,600 million (4,600 million) of U.S. funds for the reconstruction of Iraq after the invasion of 2003, there have probably been lost, stolen, reported Monday the Los Angeles Times.

The newspaper, citing as a source of information to auditors Americans who have reviewed the accounts, indicating that this amount "was part of the consignment of 12,000 million dollars (nearly 8350 million at current exchange rates) in cash that President George W. Bush authorized in 2003 and 2004. "

"Governments in the U.S. and Iraq are closing the books of that program this month, but after multiple audits and investigations, the Pentagon can not determine what happened to the 6,000 million," adds the article.

According to the newspaper, "first federal auditors indicate that part or all of that wasted money could have been stolen and that (his death) can not be explained simply by accounting errors or misallocation."

Stuart Bowen, special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction program, told the newspaper that the loss of 6,600 million dollars "could be the biggest theft of funds from the U.S. history."

For their part the Iraqi authorities argue that an agreement signed in 2004 between the governments of the U.S. and Iraq, leaving Washington the responsibility of that money. "Abdul Basit Turki Saeed, the chief auditor and president of the Iraqi Board of Supreme Audit Iraqi has warned U.S. officials that Iraq will take legal action to recover funds lost," writes Los Angeles Times.