[Peace-discuss] 'Realist' blurts out

[C. G. Estabrook]

[Biden -- probably far less astute than the Republican VP nominee -- here offers 
one of those wince-making statements that says what everybody knows but no one 
is supposed to say.  (Of course the other possibility is that the Israelis 
simply outed him -- cf. Andrew Young years ago.) A week ago Obama, a far 
smoother shyster, gave an appropriately fire-breathing speech against Iran (to a 
small circle of Democrats), attacking the administration Realists -- desperate 
for a West Bank deal before they leave office -- from the right. In fact they 
all (Biden, Obama, Rice, Gates) share a policy, which Biden summarizes in the 
last line.  Excluded are the "Defense of the Realm" Neocons, who want to get 
their war on with Iran. But the Realists know that laying off of Iran is the 
price of attacking Pakistan, where the real resistance to US control of the ME 
is coming from. --CGE]


	Biden quoted as saying that Israel will have
	to reconcile itself to a nuclear Iran
	By Haaretz Service

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.

Army Radio said Israeli officials expressed "amazement" over the remarks 
attributed to him.

"Israel will have to reconcile itself with the nuclearization of Iran," Army 
Radio quoted Biden as telling the unnamed officials.

"It's doubtful if the economic sanctions will be effective, and I am against 
opening an additional military and diplomatic front."

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.

	###