The Jerusalem Post reports that Joe Biden told Israeli officials not to expect Obama, should he become president, to do anything about Iran’s nuclear program, that Israel will just have to live with a nuclear Iran. Let’s not forget Iran’s leader has threatened to wipe Israel off the face of the map.
Security officials expressed concern Monday over statements reportedly made by US Democratic vice presidential candidate Joseph Biden regarding Iran’s nuclear program
Army Radio reported that the Delaware senator was heard saying in closed conversations with Jerusalem officials three years ago that he was firmly opposed to an attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
Biden, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, reportedly claimed that Israel would likely have to come to terms with a nuclear Iran. He reportedly expressed doubt over the effectiveness of economic sanctions imposed on the Islamic Republic and said he was against the opening of an additional military and diplomatic front, saying that the US had more pressing problems, such as North Korea and Iraq.
The Jerusalem Post says it can’t confirm the report, but Haaretz is reporting the same thing:
Democratic vice-presidential candidate Joe Biden was quoted Monday as telling senior Israeli officials behind closed doors that the Jewish state will have to reconcile itself to a nuclear Iran.
In the unsourced report, Army Radio also quoted Biden as saying that he opposed “opening a additional military and diplomatic front.”
Biden, chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has long been considered strongly pro-Israel. His nomination as Barack Obama’s running mate had been expected to shore up the Democrats’ strength with U.S. Jewish voters.
The Israeli government has got to be reeling from what Joe Biden has told these senior Israeli officials, which is that Obama will leave you out to dry. This is completely opposite of Joe Biden’s previous position on Israel. Just a year ago, Joe Biden proudly declared himself a Zionist:
During the interview conducted by the Jewish ‘Shalom TV’ Biden said, “I am a Zionist. You don’t have to be a Jew to be a Zionist.” He also revealed that his son is married to a Jewish woman, of the Berger family from Delaware, and that he had participated in a Passover Seder at their house.
Biden’s enthusiastic commitment to Israel seems to have changed very quickly now that Obama is in charge. At the Saddlback Forum, we saw Obama struggle to give an unintelligible answer to Rick Warren about what to do about evil in the world. Now we’re learning what Obama’s answer really is: when faced with the evil residing in Tehran, Obama will not defeat it; he will surrender to it.
Added: Ok I messed this up. These quotes are from Biden before he became Obama’s VP, so they reflect Biden’s views and not Obama’s. Sorry for the screw up, folks.
