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Last update - 00:00 08/10/2008
Obama threatens dire consequences if Iran doesn't change its ways
By Haaretz Service and News Agencies
Tags: Israel News, Barack Obama 

U.S. Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama told an audience at the second U.S. presidential debate on Tuesday that he would deliver a tough and direct message to Iran that if they did not change their behavior there would be dire consequences.

Obama's opponent, Republican John McCain, reiterated that he would never allow a second Holocaust to take place, referring to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's threats to "wipe Israel off the map." The Republican candidate also repeated his criticism of Obama's willingness to hold direct negotiations with the Islamic republic, without preconditions.

The debate, which was town-hall style, included questions from an audience of 80 selected voters, identified as undecided. The candidates were also asked questions sent via the Internet, and selected by moderator Tom Brokaw, during the 90 minute debate held at Belmont University in Nashville Tennessee.
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Retired U.S. Navy officer and audience member, Terry Shirey, addressed both candidates saying, "I know both of you have expressed support for Israel. If despite your best diplomatic efforts, Iran attacks Israel, would you be willing to commit U.S. troops to support Israel or wait for approval from the United Nations Security Council?"

Both McCain and Obama said they would come to Israel's aid against an attack from Iran during the debate, with McCain saying he would not wait for UN approval to intervene militarily, and Obama saying that the U.S. cannot take the military option off the table or allow the Islamic Republic to acquire a nuclear weapon.

After repeatedly thanking Shirey for his service, McCain was first to respond saying "we obviously would not wait for the United Nations Security Council. I think the realities are that both Russia and China would probably pose significant obstacles."

McCain also said he believed the U.S. needed to join with their allies in a "league of democracies" to stop Iranian behavior, hopefully causing them to abandon their quest for nuclear weapons.

"At the end of the day, my friend," McCain told the Shirey, "I have to tell you again, and you know what it's like to serve, and you know what it's like to sacrifice, but we can never allow a second Holocaust to take place."

Obama thanked Shirey for his service, too and said that the U.S. could not allow Iran to get a nuclear weapon for it would be a "game-changer" in the Middle East.

Calling Israel the U.S.'s strongest ally in the region and one of their strongest allies in the world, Obama said nuclear weapons in the hand of the Iranians would create the possibility of nuclear weapons falling into the hands of terrorists.

McCain and Obama also clashed on the Iraq war, but shied away from the rancor and character attacks of the days leading up to the face-off.

Neither candidate offered new proposals on the war, which McCain supports and Obama has opposed from its inception. Likewise they did not put forward new proposals to shore up America's crumbling financial system, a significant drag on the four-term Arizona senator's candidacy given his membership in the incumbent party of deeply unpopular President George W. Bush.

McCain said Obama would bring U.S. troops home from Iraq in defeat. Obama said the war was draining the U.S. Treasure of $10 billion a month, money that was needed to put a floor under the country's failing financial system.

McCain said America's troubled economy would require the government to scale back benefits now enjoyed by older Americans, and both men agreed that U.S. government entitlement programs - social security retirement payments and medical insurance for the elderly - had to be reformed.

McCain did, however, quip at one point that trying to pin down Obama's tax plan was like trying to nail Jell-O (gelatin) to the wall.

Obama shot back, "Sen. McCain, I think the Straight-talk Express lost a wheel on that one," referring the name McCain has applied to his campaign bus and jet.
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  1.   Just talk 05:58  |  farrokh 08/10/08
  2.   My Wife Says Obama Won 06:05  |  Yosemite 08/10/08
  3.   To all Israel haters 06:11  |  Maurice 08/10/08
  4.   But what about the other matter? 06:23  |  Morris Valentine 08/10/08
  5.   Say What? 06:45  |  Denise 08/10/08
  6.   YOU ALMOST THERE OBAMA, KEEP FOCUS 06:53  |  indrajaya 08/10/08
  7.   Mumble jumble! 07:06  |  Niva dos Santos 08/10/08
  8.   That was an easy question! They should have asked them ... 07:35  |  JustMe 08/10/08
  9.   Time for sanctions is over : It?s time to act! 07:41  |  Jean Van Daem 08/10/08
  10.   For Maurice # 3 08:14  |  Clickfool 08/10/08
  11.   #3: "You should all eat your hearts out!" 08:21  |  doomed Irani 08/10/08
  12.   Twice I voted against one of them. Now I have no alternative. 08:22  |  S 08/10/08
  13.   BS. Obama is supported wholeheartedly by Iran. Obama don`t know 08:30  |  John 08/10/08
  14.   Obama for President...of Kenya!!! 08:30  |  David 08/10/08
  15.   For Jean van Daem # 6 08:44  |  Clickfool 08/10/08
  16.   It isn`t Iran attacking Israel that might happen at any moment 08:54  |  Pablo B 08/10/08
  17.   "dire consequences" 09:14  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 08/10/08
  18.   Don`t attack Iran, destroy messianic ideologists 09:52  |  Nora 08/10/08
  19.   Just election talk 10:01  |  spyguy 08/10/08
  20.   Cipora - Just Like McCain said 10:07  |  Mark of Lewiston 08/10/08
  21.   significant obstacles? 10:20  |  Observer 08/10/08
  22.   Talk is cheap 10:29  |  zoe 08/10/08
  23.   To Nora@10 10:32  |  Not messianic 08/10/08
  24.   Confused about Obama 10:36  |  American Voter 08/10/08
  25.   Obama victory, "dire consequences" and anti-Russian rhetoric..... 10:42  |  Swiss (Dino) 08/10/08
  26.   Where was Obama? 10:47  |  Zvi 08/10/08
  27.   #8. Pablo.B. You could be right..on the other 10:55  |  Stephen. 08/10/08
  28.   JustMe & Pablo B - Too Far 10:59  |  Mark of Lewiston 08/10/08
  29.   GOD BLESS HIM FOR THAT 11:08  |  indrajaya 08/10/08
  30.   Excellent Cipora # 9 !! 11:10  |  S 08/10/08
  31.   Obama sends strong message to Iran `we`re broke!` 11:24  |  Michael 08/10/08
  32.   Nora 10. Sarah Palin`s a messianic ideologist. 12:29  |  Michael 08/10/08
  33.   How many terorist friends .... 13:06  |  Gary 08/10/08
  34.   Obama and the Dark Forces 13:18  |  Brod 08/10/08
  35.   Pandering to the Israel Firsters. 13:45  |  Labhras 08/10/08
  36.   Radar screen 13:57  |  Baz Mann 08/10/08
  37.   Cipora Julianna Kohn - G`MAR HATIMA TOVA 14:02  |  17 08/10/08
  38.   #10, Nora...great point! 14:14  |  DR 08/10/08
  39.   Media believes only 1 candidate is worthy of coverage 14:17  |  Jonas Menchik 08/10/08
  40.   #6 Jean Van Daem. Do you read American newspapers? 14:18  |  Maureen Ann 08/10/08
  41.   To Nr 3 14:48  |  Dani 08/10/08
  42.   Great Article!! 14:58  |  A-A 08/10/08
  43.   If you libs believe that,I have swamp land for sale in Florida . 15:03  |  David 08/10/08
  44.   consequences 15:23  |  Shmuelshachor 08/10/08
  45.   @9 Cipora J. Kohn and @12 17 15:39  |  Mark B. 08/10/08
  46.   Nothing But The Truth Harretz 15:47  |  Cool B 08/10/08
  47.   ASK LEHMAN BROTHER AND OTHER "GIANTS" FIRST ABOUT THIS 15:57  |  indrajaya 08/10/08
  48.   Obama-the 21st centurt Jimmy Carter 16:05  |  Arie 08/10/08
  49.   Campaign Posturing 16:19  |  Mark Lincoln 08/10/08
  50.   In case you forgot, this is election time. 16:30  |  ManintheMiddle 08/10/08
  51.   Mark B. #37 16:34  |  S 08/10/08
  52.   Cipora dear - Gmar Hatima Tova! 16:36  |  S 08/10/08
  53.   Nora 16:59  |  Persian Kitty 08/10/08
  54.   happy new year 17:20  |  asad ul islam 08/10/08
  55.   To CJK (#17): Some enlightenment 17:37  |  Morris Valentine 08/10/08
  56.   # 55, ASAD UL ISLAM 18:06  |  indrajaya 08/10/08
  57.   #55 Shana tova to you 18:08  |  CM 08/10/08
  58.   to Nr 47 18:11  |  Dani 08/10/08
  59.   # 56 Morris Valentine Los Angeles and Bay area = not the same 18:19  |  Swiss (Dino) 08/10/08
  60.   Obama and dire consequences 18:45  |  peter 08/10/08
  61.   It`s not Obama`s voice - it`s AIPAC`s voice 19:16  |  Joshua 08/10/08
  62.   # 11 Doomed Iranian--- Don`t make the mistake 19:42  |  Bobby 08/10/08
  63.   Obama has the wrong state... 19:47  |  Dutch 08/10/08
  64.   to Dutch - a possibility 20:23  |  Joshua 08/10/08
  65.   Mark B. #46 20:43  |  Bill H. 08/10/08
  66.   Persian Kitty 20:46  |  Bill H. 08/10/08
  67.   To Swiss (Dino) (#60) 20:56  |  Morris Valentine 08/10/08
  68.   Candidates Send Wrong Signals to Israel 20:59  |  new_york_loner 08/10/08
  69.   TO NO 3 21:01  |  DANNY. 08/10/08
  70.   Dutch #64 21:15  |  Axel 08/10/08