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IowaPolitics.com: Biden urges Dems to unite on Iran policy 10/23/2007 By Chris Dorsey IowaPolitics.com LEON -- It is important for Democratic presidential candidates to agree on a basic set of principles on Iran, candidate Sen. Joe Biden said Monday morning at the Leon Public Library. Biden, D-Del., discussed Iran and Iraq and touted his foreign policy experience for much of the morning chat. He emphasized the importance of his colleagues seeking the Democratic nomination to have a common agreement on Iran because of its future impact on the country. "We are going to say things in the spirit of trying to get ahead in the nominating fight that are going to give (President) Bush excuses, excuses that we should not take a chance on," Biden said. The senator touched upon Vice President Dick Cheney's recent comments that the United States would keep Iran from gaining nuclear weapons. Biden said Democrats should be wary of giving the president an opening to attack Iran. "I have spent a lot of my time in the last five years trying to figure out how to deal this fella in the White House," Biden said. "[He has] really, in truth, I believe dangerous ideas about international relations, war and peace. You have the president of the United States saying if the war in Iraq continues there might be World War III. It is not particularly responsible. The president's words matter." Biden told the crowd of nearly 30 people the president led the United States into worst foreign policy mistake in history of the country. "I don't think we are anywhere near there (World War III)," Biden said. "It is just idle talk." The situation arose after a recent vote in the U.S. Senate to declare Iran's Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization. "You could probably make a case that the activity of some of these guys that they have engaged in activity that could be characterized as terrorists," Biden said. "And, you could even argue the Revolutionary Guard (has as well). The activities two of them are engaging in are clearly not helpful to us. They are supplying materials to be able to be used by Iraqis to kill Americans. That's true and it is wrong and it's terrible." However, Biden said the Senate labeling part of the Iranian army as a terrorist organization, but then saying it doesn't want the United States to take any action sends a mixed message to the president. "The big deal here is I am afraid that some of my Democratic colleagues in voting for this resolution gave this (president) an excuse to do the last thing we should be doing now -- attacking Iran," Biden said. Biden called on the president not to use military force because of the problems in Iraq. He also insisted the president garner the support of the international community "We are working with them now to continue sanctions to continue to squeeze the Iranians," Biden said. |
