4. How much longer should U.S. troops be in Iraq? At this time, do you favor or oppose spending as much money as President Bush requests on the Iraqi war?

Imposing an arbitrary "deadline" for bringing our troops home would be a mistake. Our forces and those of our coalition partners must remain in Iraq until the Iraqi people and a stable government are able to provide for their own basic security. Congress will ultimately determine levels of funding for our efforts in Iraq, and I am committed to providing the resources necessary to ensure that our troops have what they need to accomplish their mission as safely and effectively as possible.

5. Do you favor or oppose the United States remaining a member of the United Nations?

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United Nations dithering over Iraq demonstrated its essential irrelevance in the world today. The U.S. will — as it should — act in its own interests in international affairs, and while we should seek cooperation with other nations through the U.N. and other organizations, we should never submit our interests to a mythical consensus of international opinion. I favor more bilateral relationships rather than submitting our interests to the complexities of multilateral bodies. I have in the past voted to withdraw from the U.N. and might do so again in the future.

6. As gasoline prices continue to rise in the U.S., do you favor or oppose releasing some of the federal government's oil reserves in an attempt to drive down gas prices?

The Strategic Oil Reserve is for use in the event of a cutoff of oil imports due to international military or diplomatic events. It was not designed as a short-term price stabilizer and should not be used as such. The real solution to high gas prices is the prudent but aggressive development of our own domestic resources — many of which are found right here in the Intermountain West. Only when we are less dependent upon foreign sources will we enjoy true energy security and affordability. That requires getting the government out of the way and making it possible for domestic energy suppliers to actually develop the abundant conventional and new sources we have right here at home.

7. The U.S. is now running huge budget deficits. How would you deal with this problem? Do you favor or oppose making the Bush tax cuts permanent? If so, how do you reconcile giving more tax cuts as the deficit just grows larger?