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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Who are you and what did you do w/Joe Biden??? |
| 2005-01-29 |
| Via Bros. Judd: Sen. Biden, Iran Minister Clash Over Nukes Joe didn't put him to sleep???? Sen. Joseph Biden (news, bio, voting record) and Iran's foreign minister clashed Friday over Tehran's nuclear ambitions, with Biden hinting at the possibility of armed conflict unless fears of an Iranian weapons program were put to rest. The rare and frank public exchange between a senior American politician and a ranking member of the Iranian government came at a dinner during the World Economic Forum (news - web sites) held in this Alpine resort town. There are no official contacts between Washington and Tehran, which President Bush (news - web sites) has labeled part of the "axis of evil," and which stands accused by the U.S. administration of trying to make nuclear weapons — something Iran denies. Biden, D-Del., favors dialogue with Iran and as a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Comittee has occasionally met with officials from the Islamic Republic. He is at odds with administration hard-liners who favor isolating Iran for its supposed nuclear weapons plans and alleged backing of terrorists. Biden's warning to Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi was tempered, with the U.S. senator also urging his own government to rethink its positions. Ohh, there he is. "You have to grow up and my administration has to grow up, with all due respect, and find out if there is any common ground," he said." We are on the course of unintended consequences." Biden expressed hope that the Bush administration in its second term would reconsider its position and try to engage Iran, saying that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (news - web sites) was receptive to his "initiatives to reach out to the Iranians for discussions" in her earlier capacity as national security advisor. "I hope we're all smarter about this, smarter than we've been," he said. Alluding to the refusal by Bush to rule out an armed response to Iran's nuclear plans, he said: "I hope our leadership is brighter because if it's not, it's a very dull picture for the region, and for humanity." I'd say glowing, but that's just me. Biden spoke after Kharrazi had said his country's insistence on the right to uranium enrichment was not up for debate at present talks with Germany, France and Britain designed to banish fears over Iran's nuclear plans. Iran has suspended all enrichment activities during the negotiations but has refused to mothball the program, which can be used to produce fuel for reactors or the core of nuclear warheads. "Iran cannot be ignored," (we did it to Kimmee) said Kharrazi. Repeating that his country had no intentions of producing nuclear arms, he said that nonetheless, "Iran's rights cannot be denied." Biden said he favored a commitment from the U.S. administration "that we are not interested in regime change" in Iran in exchange for concessions by Tehran that would banish suspicions about its nuclear programon its nuclear program. He said that both liberal and conservative U.S. government politicians believed "that it is not in our interest ... for you to acquire nuclear capability for nuclear weapons and intermediate or long range missile technology." |
| Posted by:anonymous2u |
| #6 Good one, Frank. When I read sock's comment about "Biden is smart enough" that's what immediately came to mind..."say it ain't so, joe!" And then there's the hair plugs rumour, too. The mullahs must be silently cracking up every time he speaks. Don't tell me they don't read gossip on the internet like everyone else. |
| Posted by: 2xstandard 2005-01-29 12:37:34 PM |
| #5 Slow Joe Biden's looking toward '08 when he figures the plagiarized bio speech (Neil Kinnock's) will be forgotten |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-01-29 11:11:44 AM |
| #4 Joe Blow Hard Biden in a clash? Looks like a classic wet noodle duel. Precisely, what did Joe Blow accomplish other than headlines grabbing? Joe's threat: Don't make us come over there and give you what you want. |
| Posted by: Duke Nukem 2005-01-29 9:15:04 AM |
| #3 Biden said he favored a commitment from the U.S. administration "that we are not interested in regime change in Iran in exchange for concessions "by Tehran that would banish suspicions about its nuclear programing. This is just political pandering. Did ya listen to GW's speech, Joe? Funny how you are saying just the opposite of what Georgie did. I think this is political suicide for the Dem's. Their followers at least still delude themselves they aren't backing despots at the expense of human rights. Despite all the hoopla surrounding it, what GW really said, very clearly, was that we are going to discontinue the policy of rewarding despots in exchange for favors. Now "tough talking" Joe talks the "tough talk" of rewards for favors - the exact opposite. He's just staking his own political stance. No senior politician, such as Biden, has such a public exchange as this without intending to for it to be publicized for all to see. |
| Posted by: 2b 2005-01-29 8:29:06 AM |
| #2 Joe Biden is smart enough, centrist enough and, old enough to know politics end at the coastline. He is telling them what is up, get with the program, or else "shit happens." On top of that he knows anything the Whitehouse does. He doesn't get the mushroom treatment like some on his committee do. He can be dead serious with these black turbans. He also is usually no fool and the black turbans know that. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom 2005-01-29 7:25:35 AM |
| #1 It's all there -- the ridiculous "reporting" (Iran's "alleged support of terrorists") and dim-bulb arrogant Biden silliness on parade. Great strategy, Joe -- guarantee your enemy's safety as a first step in making a hard bargain. And what "concessions" could possibly "banish suspicions" of Iran's nuke ambitions? If you're a brain-dead techno-centric arms-control theocrat like Biden, of course, then a mish-mash of inspections and technical changes are enough. If you understand how humans, economies, technologies, and intelligence systems work, however, you know that regime change is the only solution in cases like Iraq, Iran, and N. Korea. |
| Posted by: Verlaine in Iraq 2005-01-29 4:44:16 AM |