Obama, House GOP Set to Clash on Terror Policy

For now President Barack Obama and the newly ascendant House Republicans are engaged in debate almost exclusively on economic policy. But ultimately the clash will shift to homeland security policy, Politico reports.

Differences are great on such issues as counterterrorism methods, the Guantanamo Bay detention center and Obama’s choice of civilian courts to try accused Sept. 11 terrorist Khalid Sheik Mohammed and other terrorism suspects.

The budget issues may be more ripe for compromise than security policy. Republicans have warned the president against civilian trials.

“The best advice for him would be to let this lie, at least for the next two years,” says Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., presumptive Homeland Security Committee chairman. “I don’t think Republicans are looking for a fight with the president on this, but if he tried to bring detainees to the U.S., we’d have to resist it,” King says. “That would be a needless provocation.”