Yet Mr Armitage, a former US Ambassador to the Philippines, is cautious on North Korea. Republicans are not united on what they find most wrong with Mr Clinton's Russia policy. Some oppose rapid Nato expansion eastwards as unwisely provocative of core Russian security concerns. Some say the US pushed economic reform too hard, others say not hard enough. Some believe the US has intervened too much in Russia's domestic politics, others say the US has not been active enough in pursuing political change.
Republicans see further Democratic vulnerabilities on China policy.
They accuse the administration of failing to develop and explain a coherent policy, and flip-flopping on human rights and trade policy. In Asia, Republicans hint that a Bush administration would focus more on traditional commitments to Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. Mr Bush's proposed theatre ABM system would shield Japan and Taiwan against nuclear terrorists and rogue states like North Korea, even if Beijing sees that as encouraging Taiwan towards independence. Some Republicans think the US should back its old ally, Taiwan. Others lean towards the Clinton approach of restraining Taiwan's breakaway movement while warning China away from military action.