With Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama locked in a tight race for the democratic presidential nomination, here is a look at where the two front-runners stand on several hot-button issues leading into the Feb. 19 primary.

Iraq:

Sen. Clinton proposes directing her Joint Chiefs of Staff, Secretary of Defense and National Security Council to draw up a clear, viable plan to start brining our troops home within her first 60 days in office.

Additionally, Clinton’s plan would involve focusing American aid efforts to governmental and non-governmental entities, as well as the Iraqi people.

She would establish a regional stabilization group consisting of allies and the states bordering Iraq to develop a strategy that will create a stabilized Iraq.

Sen. Barack Obama proposes a gradual withdrawal from Iraq, ultimately removing all combat troops in 16 months.

Obama also pledges to launch a highly aggressive diplomatic mission with Iraq and its neighbors in an effort to reach a new compact on stability in Iraq.

In addition, he will provide $2 billion to expand services to Iraqi refugees.

Taxes/ Economy:

Both Clinton and Obama are in favor of strengthening the middle class through tax cuts, and expanding with technology to create better-paying skilled jobs.

Clinton will offer new tax cuts for health care, college and retirement, and expand the childcare tax credit.

She also calls for a return to “fiscal responsibility,” with budget rules similar to those in place in the 1990s.

Obama will provide tax cuts for working families with his “Make Work Pay” program, with a tax credit of up to $1,000 per working family.

He will also attempt to dramatically simplify the current tax filing system, saving an estimated $2 billion in tax preparation fees.

Education:

Clinton’s campaign stresses the importance of improving our K-12 education system, and reducing the cost of college.

She will eliminate the poorly-funded mandate of “No Child Left Behind,” invest $1 billion into early-intervention programs to identify and help at-risk youth in America.

To make college more affordable, she will create a new $3,500 tax credit, increase the maximum Pell Grant, and encourage colleges to expand access for students from low-income communities.

Obama would focus on his “Zero to Five” plan, providing support to preschool children and their parents in preparing them for grades K-12.

He would reform “No Child Left Behind,” increasing its funding and reworking the accountability system, ensuring we help schools that need improvement.

Obama also favors a fully refundable $4,000 tax credit to help families afford college.

Health Care:

Clinton proposes a plan involving tax credits for working families to help them cover their insurance costs, ensuring that payments are proportional to income.

Her plan would be available without discrimination and would be retainable, even if you lose your job.

Obama would also establish a more affordable plan with guaranteed eligibility and comprehensive benefits. His plan would guarantee coverage for children.

In addition to reforming the health care system, he would attempt to lower costs of prescriptions by encouraging competition in the market.

Environment:

Clinton would create a $50 billion Strategic Energy Fund to fund investments in alternative energy. She would take aggressive action in transitioning to renewable energy sources, with a goal of 25 percent of electricity being generated by renewable energy by 2025.

Obama would invest $150 billion over 10 years into clean energy and double energy research and development funding. He would require 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels to be included in the fuel supply by 2022, reducing America’s oil dependency by 35 percent.

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