Posted on 02/13/2005 6:02:26 PM PST by wagglebee
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States must join Europe's effort to persuade Iran to abandon nuclear ambitions or face either Tehran as a nuclear power or the need to invade the country to prevent it, a leading Democratic lawmaker said on Sunday.
"We're at odds with our European friends, and it doesn't leave many options," Sen. Joe Biden, the ranking Democrat on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told "Fox News Sunday."
Biden said the effort of Britain, France and Germany, on behalf of the European Union, only had the chance to succeed if the nations were willing to invoke economic sanctions, including on Iranian oil sales.
The three countries have been trying to persuade Iran to scrap potentially weapons-related activities in return for economic incentives. German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer signaled a tougher tone on Sunday, warning Iran it would be referred to the U.N. Security Council for possible action if it restarted nuclear enrichment.
Iran denies it is pursuing nuclear bombs.
Biden said the Bush administration, which says it does not rule out any option to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, had to be willing to sign on to a "genuine nonaggression pact."
"This is a case where we're remaining to sit on the sidelines," Biden said. "The three European countries that are negotiating with the Iranians are saying, 'Look, we've got to get in the deal with them. We can't just sit on the sidelines."'
He criticized Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice for indicating recently that the United States might not sign on to a deal with Iran even if it forswore a missile capability and nuclear weapons in a verifiable way.
"Nothing they're going to be able to do is going to be involved with us unless we're willing to get into some kind of an agreement that results in a verifiable arms control agreement," Biden said.
And he noted that should the diplomatic effort fail, the issue can be referred to the United Nations, where sanctions could be imposed.
"If neither of those work, and I'm not at all sure they would, then you're left with one of two options: You accept them as a nuclear power, which I'm disinclined to do, or you invade, which we are not really particularly capable of doing right now," Biden said.
In Tehran, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Sunday the talks with European nations might produce a deal, describing the latest round that took place in Geneva on Friday, as "deeper and more professional."
Biden said the standoff with Iran was similar to the one with North Korea, where the United States has been reluctant to provide incentives for Pyongyang to dismantle its nuclear program.
"We have to be willing to use a few more carrots," Biden said, and the other negotiating partners, including China, Japan and South Korea, have "to make it clear that there's consequences" if North Korea does not cooperate.
"It cannot be done one way or the other," he said.
Message to Biden:
These Euro-socialists are not our "friends" and if we follow their example millions will wind up dead, you jack@ss.
If Biden said it please do the opposite!!
He just wants us to invade and steal Iran's secret hair transplant research.
Boy, that's some real deep analysis there, Joe.
So Biden says we ought to sign a "non aggression pact"---
oh, yeah, that will convince the Iranians to give up their nukes---
just like supplying N. Korea convinced the N. Koreans NOT to build nukes---
WHAT IN THE HECK HAVE THESE PEOPLE BEEN SMOKIN'?
Biden is such a silly fool. His asmired "Europeans" are looking to make money.
Note to Senator Biden: The Surgeon General has determined that Plagarism may result in hair loss, folicle injury, and male pattern baldness.
Hey JOE! Move to Germany, you freak!
Hey Biden, please start thinking about US interests, not European interests or Iranian interests.
Labour forges ties with US' Democrats
Biden, Hillary, (probably Bill), and a host of to Dem political consultants hooking up with their Euro friends to oppose U.S. policy. Nice, huh?
BTW, they call their alliance: "Political Globalization".
In other words, Dems' anti-war policies can't win here at home, so they need to drum up the Anti-Americanism abroad.
So, Sen Biden urges the US, huh?
Well, I say to the US..."for heaven's sakes...don't listen to Sen Biden cause he doesn't know what in the hell he is talking about."
SOUND FAMILIAR?????????????
It's doomed. Why should we associate ourselves with a hopelessly failed plan?
Since Biden fancies himself the Sec. of State extraordinaire, I am sure it was he that counciled Kerry/Edwards to propose giving Uranium to the Iranians to "test" their sincerity about NOT using it for nucular weapons---
Yeah, he is singing the same ole--lets all get together and hold hands and everything will be alright, song again--
Yeppers---and I would have loved to have been with Rummy when he heard that sound-bite!!!
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