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Last update - 20:54 01/09/2008
Obama camp denies report Biden said Israel will have to reconcile to nuclear Iran
By Haaretz Service
Tags: Biden, Obama, Jews

U.S. vice presidential candidate Senator Joe Biden's press secretary vehemently denied on Monday a report that the Democratic candidate had said that Israel would have to reconcile itself to a nuclear Iran.

According to an unsourced report by Army Radio, the senator made the remarks to senior Israeli officials behind closed doors, adding that he opposed "opening an additional military and diplomatic front."

Biden, chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has long been considered strongly pro-Israel. His nomination as U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama's running mate had been expected to shore up the Democrats' strength with U.S. Jewish voters.
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"It's doubtful if the economic sanctions will be effective, and I am against opening an additional military and diplomatic front," Army Radio quoted him as saying.

In response, Senator Biden's press secretary David Wade released a statement saying "This is a lie peddled by partisan opponents of Senators Obama and Biden and we will not tolerate anyone questioning Senator Biden?s 35-year record of standing up for the security of Israel."

"Joe Biden's first trip as a Senator was to Israel, he has worked with every Israeli leader from Golda Meir to Prime Minister Olmert, and he takes a back seat to no one when it comes to protecting the relationship between Israel and the U.S. Senator Biden has consistently stated - publicly and privately - that a nuclear Iran would pose a grave threat to Israel and the United States and that we must prevent a nuclear Iran," the statement continued.

As recently as July 2008, in a Foreign Relations hearing, Senator Biden reiterated his long-held view on this subject and stated that "Iran's acquisition of a nuclear weapon would dramatically destabilize an already unstable region and probably fuel a nuclear arms race in the region. It is profoundly in our interest to prevent that from happening,? the statement said.

Last year, in a widely quoted interview with year the Jewish American Shalom TV, Biden said, "I am a Zionist. You don't have to be a Jew to be a Zionist," adding that "Israel is the single greatest strength that America has in the Middle East," and that its presence as a strategic ally meant that America need station far fewer troops and warships in the region.

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      1.   Policy of appeasement revealed 09:34  |  Gilles 01/09/08
      2.   Can anyone trust an Israeli? 09:36  |  Clickfool 01/09/08
      3.   Is he really a friend? Not sure 09:48  |  Liliane 01/09/08
      4.   A GOOD JUDGMENT FROM A SENIOR CONGRESSMAN 09:53  |  indrajaya 01/09/08
      5.   A GOOD ONE FROM BIDEN 09:59  |  indrajaya 01/09/08
      6.   Israel will do the job alone....again 10:03  |  Phil 01/09/08
      7.   Pragmatism and realism back in the White House....??? 10:14  |  Swiss (Dino) 01/09/08
      8.   The Guardian Of Islam Cannot Reconcile Istelf w/ the Shia Bomb 10:16  |  Joseph.E 01/09/08
      9.   What - another AIPAC failure ! 10:18  |  Chanalau, Tova 01/09/08
      10.   Biden is correct. War with Iran both avoidable and unthinkable 10:29  |  Ivar 01/09/08
      11.   Words of wisdom 10:32  |  Natallie Durson 01/09/08
      12.   NUCLEAR STATES 10:36  |  JW 01/09/08
      13.   I agree with senator Biden 10:37  |  nicholas 01/09/08
      14.   #2 boris the clucking fool and perfidious albion 10:47  |  vhardman 01/09/08
      15.   Reconcile this 10:56  |  ATLAS 01/09/08
      16.   could U.S. reconcile itself to a NUCLEAR CUBA 10:57  |  Nathan Rosenberg 01/09/08
      17.   Death to America Demonstrations.Holding US embassy hostage 10:57  |  PETER SM 01/09/08
      18.   Biiden will quickly change tack. 10:58  |  Roo 01/09/08
      19.   #2 Clickfool 11:01  |  Nice Bloke 01/09/08
      20.   Clickfool # 2 11:02  |  JordanisPalestine 01/09/08
      21.   #1 Gilles of Montreal, Really? 11:02  |  Chris Linthwaite 01/09/08
      22.   Portent of things that may come 11:04  |  * BEN JABO 01/09/08
      23.   History repeats appeasement 11:06  |  ATLAS 01/09/08
      24.   Israel Will Have to Reconcile Itself 11:07  |  JordanisPalestine 01/09/08
      25.   You call this journalism? 11:09  |  Mike 01/09/08
      26.   Jew Haters: Don`t dream. Israel is strong 11:11  |  Vittorio 01/09/08
      27.   It was expected. He is Obama`s new mouth. The liar`s new mouth. 11:11  |  S 01/09/08
      28.   I would not be surprised, if many Jewish American Democrats.... 11:16  |  Swiss (Dino) 01/09/08
      29.   Biden 11:17  |  Ralph 01/09/08
      30.   The vultures jumped with joy. The well known vultures of course. 11:19  |  S 01/09/08
      31.   Bush will strike Iran before he steps down and the next president 11:19  |  redmike 01/09/08
      32.   Dino - I was suprised to see that Switzerland is now purchasing 11:21  |  redmike 01/09/08
      33.   # 2, CLICKFOOL 11:23  |  indrajaya 01/09/08
      34.   # 11 - Natalie Durson 11:25  |  JordanisPalestine 01/09/08
      35.   to Click the fool 11:30  |  Hilda 01/09/08
      36.   Natalie Durson 11:33  |  Connie 01/09/08
      37.   So What? 11:35  |  Yosemite 01/09/08
      38.   That`s why he was chosen--Now dear fellow Jews 11:38  |  freedom of choice 01/09/08
      39.   #11 Natallie. M.A.D theory not applicable here 11:42  |  Niv 01/09/08
      40.   chanalau,rah 11:46  |  Connie 01/09/08
      41.   He`s Right 11:46  |  Martin 01/09/08
      42.   VOTE FOR McCAIN!!! 11:48  |  Jason 01/09/08
      43.   14 Perfidious Albion 11:51  |  Mark of Lewiston 01/09/08
      44.   That`s why he was chosen--Now fellow Jews 11:54  |  think b4 voting 01/09/08
      45.   Unsourced "Reporting" 11:55  |  Mark of Lewiston 01/09/08
      46.   Only stupid say otherwise 12:15  |  Palestinian 01/09/08
      47.   Common Sense at last 12:17  |  Keith T. 01/09/08
      48.   Is Europe pragmatic about the long range Shihab missiles 12:21  |  PETER SM 01/09/08
      49.   Victor Paul Harris Hardman Goes Mad # 14 12:28  |  Clickfool 01/09/08
      50.   Actually, Biden has stated a "valid" point. 13:22  |  Stephen 01/09/08
      51.   It`s the truth 13:39  |  Alan 01/09/08
      52.   Keep cautious - until now it`s all hearsay 15:05  |  Ronald 01/09/08
      53.   Biden is an idiot 15:07  |  Go McCain 2008 01/09/08
      54.   Clickfool #2 15:19  |  Eric C 01/09/08
      55.   Obama Bin Biden 15:36  |  Slingshotboy 01/09/08
      56.   CLICKFOOL (#2) Sounds like the British to me 15:54  |  Gil 01/09/08
      57.   Answer to Chris Linthwaite 16:43  |  Gilles 01/09/08
      58.   # 32 redmike, I`m not surprised at all..... 18:28  |  Swiss (Dino) 01/09/08
      59.   Whether he did or not, he should have said it 00:31  |  Jay Bob 02/09/08
      60.   Well, know he knows he`s been stitched up by Israel 05:25  |  Johnboy 02/09/08
      61.   Biden- Iran 08:39  |  silverfox 03/09/08
      62.   Palestinian security 17:38  |  Bai Abdou mbye 03/09/08
      63.   Biden Just Got My Vote 16:36  |  Formerly Undecided 15/09/08
      64.   Would love to hear that more often 12:08  |  pooche 11/10/08
      65.   who is joe biden 09:11  |  seeking 17/10/08
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