11:44AM
Biden: US won't stand in Israel's way on Iran
Issandr El Amrani
Love that respect for sovereignty:
More at Marc Lynch's. And analysis at Helena Cobban's.
WASHINGTON — Plunging squarely into one of the most sensitive issues in the Middle East, Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. suggested on Sunday that the United States would not stand in the way of Israeli military action aimed at the Iranian nuclear program.
The United States, Mr. Biden said in an interview broadcast on ABC’s “This Week,” “cannot dictate to another sovereign nation what they can and cannot do.”
"Israel can determine for itself — it’s a sovereign nation — what’s in their interest and what they decide to do relative to Iran and anyone else," he said, in an interview taped in Baghdad at the end of a visit there.
The remarks went beyond at least the spirit of any public utterances by President Barack Obama, who has said that diplomatic efforts to halt Iran’s nuclear program should be given to the end of the year. But the president has also said that he is “not reconciled” to the possibility of Iran possessing a nuclear weapon — a goal Tehran denies.
More at Marc Lynch's. And analysis at Helena Cobban's.
Reader Comments (4)
A U.S decision to allow its proxy to attack Iran could well prove to be the start of WWIII and the worst foreign policy error of the 21st century. Once those ICBMs are fired from Israel, with or without nuclear warheads, then, arguably, everyone living today will suffer the consequences.
From Alaska to Mexico and from London to Oman and Karachi – the world will have years to reflect on our stupidity and the arrogance of our elected representatives.
Lynch has an update on that page, saying that the White House has issued a clarification, insisting that their policy hasn't changed.
Colindale<
But what did he say that's so outlandish? he said that Israel has interests and the US has interests. Do you really think that if Israel had their hearts set on it, the US could seriously stop them outside of blocking them militarily?
Al-Jazeera has picked up the White House's backtracking: http://bit.ly/knlX9" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/knlX9