US Vice President Joe Biden said the US is prepared to strike Iran if nuclear negotiations fail. Supporters of Israel are not convinced.
Vice President Joe Biden defended the nuclear negotiations with Iran, highlighting that they are part of a larger strategy to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, including by military force.
“Those who say the deal ‘paves Iran’s path to a bomb’, respectfully, they don’t get it,” Biden said in clear reference to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, at the Washington Institute’s annual gala.
Biden admitted that Iran was mere months away from actually acquiring a nuclear weapon.
He claimed that the Obama administration would push back on certain items that Iran has declared red lines. These include: access to Iranian military sites to ensure they are not pursuing nuclear weapons; a gradual removal of UN sanctions contingent on verification that Iran is in accordance with the agreement; and a snapback mechanism to reinstitute all sanctions in the event Iran violates the nuclear deal. Any deal would also ensure that breakout time to a nuclear weapon remains at least one year for at least the next decade.
PM Netanyahu meets with President Obama in the Oval office. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
The vice president further noted that the US military has already been order to prepare for a potential attack on Iran. “No such policy existed before president Obama uttered it, that all instruments of American power to prevent — not contain — a nuclear armed Iran would be used. He made sure that our military had the capacity and the ability to execute the mission if required,” he said.
Biden confronted the popular view among the pro-Israel community that President Obama has been one of the least supportive US presidents towards Israel:
“Let’s get something straight,” Biden said. “No president has done more for the security of Israel than Barack Obama. That’s not going to change.”
The majority of Israel supporters view Obama as no friend of Israel and are highly skeptical of pro-Israel statements coming from the Obama administration at this time. The US President has deliberately put much daylight between the United States and Israel.
Israel supporters hope to see significant change in the Obama administration’s attitude – and more importantly, policy – towards the Jewish State.
By United with Israel staff