Biden: US will not stand in Israel's way on Iranian issue

[Yusuf]

The US will not stand in Israel's way if Israel believes military action is needed to eliminate Iran's nuclear threat, Vice President Joe Biden said on Sunday, during an interview with ABC's 'This Week.'


US Vice President Joe Biden poses with US soldiers at Camp Victory on the outskirts of Baghdad, Saturday.

Biden opined that the US "cannot dictate to another sovereign nation what they can and cannot do."

Speaking to interviewer George Stephanopolous during a three-day visit to Iraq, the US vice president said that Israel can determine for itself "what's in their interest and what they decide to do relative to Iran and anyone else."

When questioned if Israel could make that decision "whether [the US] agrees or not," Biden answered in the affirmative, noting, "Any sovereign nation is entitled to do that."

He went on to say that the interests of the US are also the interests of Israel and "the whole world."

"If the Netanyahu government decides to take a course of action different than the one being pursued now, that is their sovereign right to do that. That is not our choice," he added.



When pushed to comment on whether or not the US would grant "over-fly rights … in Iraq," Biden responded, "I'm not going to speculate, George, on those issues, other than to say Israel has a right to determine what's in its interests, and we have a right and we will determine what's in our interests."

The Israeli government had no immediate comment on Biden's remarks, but said a statement might come later.

On the issue of recent North Korean test-fires, which have coincided with US Memorial Day commemorations and Fourth of July celebrations, Biden backed his country's current policy, saying, "We have succeeded in uniting the most important and critical countries to North Korea on a common path of further isolating North Korea."

He also spoke of US President Barack Obama's plan to withdraw US troops from Iraq, stressing that the main aim was to "leave behind a stable and secure country."

He reiterated that by 2011, all US troops will be out of Iraq, by which point Iraqis will be "fully capable of maintaining their own security."

Speaking to CBS News political analyst John Dickerson on 'Face the Nation,' on Sunday meanwhile, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen evaluated that both a US strike on Iran, and the Islamic republic attaining nuclear weapons would be "very destabilizing."

He said called both situations "really, really bad outcomes," and urged appropriate actions to prevent either eventuality.

Mullen said that the US has a "very narrow window" of options which would be appropriate to deal with the Iranian nuclear threat.

Biden: US won't stand in Israel's way on Iran | Iran news | Jerusalem Post

[Yusuf]

Is this a go ahead from the US for the Israelis to go ahead?

[Tarek Morgen]

Is this a go ahead from the US for the Israelis to go ahead?

No, its Biden talking without thinking. As usual.

[JAD_333]

No, its Biden talking without thinking. As usual.

Not hardly. The headline at the top of the article is blantently misleading.

It states Biden said, "US will not stand in Israel's way on Iranian issue."

That's not what Biden said. He simply reiterated long-standing US policy that all nations have the right to act in their own national interests.

He couldn't have said otherwise because that is exactly what the US has been doing since its founding.

Every experienced reporter on international issues ought to know full well that boiler plate assertions of a nation's rights is not necessarily a green flag to do anything.

One thing is sure; if Israel intends to attack Iran and the US considers an attack seriously detrimental to its own national interests, the US will pull out all the stops to try to prevent it. But the final decision still lies with Israel, as do the consequences of defying its allies which may include an end to all military assistance and even a break in ties...

The reporter's interpretation of Biden's comments was an obvious overreach.

[Parihaka]

When questioned if Israel could make that decision "whether [the US] agrees or not," Biden answered in the affirmative, noting, "Any sovereign nation is entitled to do that."

He went on to say that the interests of the US are also the interests of Israel and "the whole world."

"If the Netanyahu government decides to take a course of action different than the one being pursued now, that is their sovereign right to do that. That is not our choice," he added.

In fact stating that an Israeli attack is directly against the interests of the US. Reporters eh?

[Yusuf]

Biden was evasive about an answer to the over flight permission to Israel over Iraq. He could have said a categorical no if he wanted to.
Maybe it's all part of the game to maintain pressure on Iran more than anything else.

[Bigfella]

Biden was evasive about an answer to the over flight permission to Israel over Iraq. He could have said a categorical no if he wanted to.
Maybe it's all part of the game to maintain pressure on Iran more than anything else.

Yusuf,

At the very least it is poor form to presume to speak on behalf of another nation (Iraq) in relation to to control of its airspace. Whatever pressure America might be able to place on Iraq or wjatever ability the US has to decide whi overflys, it looks bad to have the US make public declarations as to what is permitted in that airspace.

Sounds to me like Biden was just trying hard not to say anything too dumb until someone more important than him actually makes a decision.

[Deltacamelately]

Operation Osiraq presented nightmarish logistic problems to the Israelis, with all their fighters just managing to land with very little or no fuel left. Remember that they flew south running through the Jordanian line only to be seen by the Saudi King. Now, in the present day geo-political realities and the fact that they are unlikely to field MARs, unlikely to fly undetected, unlikely to evade SAM batteries, unlikely to gain the surprise element and unlikely to get US military help in such a hypothetical operation, what are the odds?

[Oscar]

Operation Osiraq presented nightmarish logistic problems to the Israelis, with all their fighters just managing to land with very little or no fuel left. Remember that they flew south running through the Jordanian line only to be seen by the Saudi King. Now, in the present day geo-political realities and the fact that they are unlikely to field MARs, unlikely to fly undetected, unlikely to evade SAM batteries, unlikely to gain the surprise element and unlikely to get US military help in such a hypothetical operation, what are the odds?

Osiraq, no matter how much hype was attached to this raid, didn't stop Saddam from pursuing a nuclear program. Likewise even successful strikes on Iranian facilities won't stop them either. It will make it even more urgent for the Iranians to have the bomb. Besides I doubt they concentrated their research in one open air site, like Saddam did.

[Merlin]

I find Biden's replies in line with the foreign relations principles that Obama has been advocating.

In essence the replies send a message to Netanyahu that Israel has to bear the full consequence of its risky action, and that the US would protect its own interest as well as looking after the long term interest of the the US, the Middle East and the world.