MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) - The United States is "absolutely not" giving Israel a green light to attack Iran, U.S. President Barack Obama told CNN Tuesday.
"We have said directly to the Israelis that it is important to try and resolve this in an international setting in a way that does not create major conflict in the Middle East," Obama said, referring to Iran's nuclear ambitions.
U.S. Vice President Joe Biden appeared to leave the door open on Sunday for Israel to attack Iran if it saw fit.
"Israel can determine for itself - it's a sovereign nation - what's in their interest and what they decide to do relative to Iran and anyone else," Biden said on ABC's "This Week."
–CNN White House Correspondent Ed Henry contributed to this report.
From CNN Politics
© 2011 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Contact us | Work for us | Help
"........resolve this in an international setting in a way that does not create major conflict in the Middle East." ........... typical obama-ism.... he is clueless....there IS ALREADY a major conflict in the Middle East! Obama is incapable of even telling the difference between the bad guys and the good guys.
Hey, score one for Biden - finally. He's right, after all. Why do we think we are the police of the world? Why do we think we have the right to tell which nation can fight which nation?
Israel is a sovereign nation, and should make its own choices. If that had been our policy for the last forty years, there might not even be an al-quaeda, and I think there would be two more buildings we could see on the NY skyline.
Conflict between BHO and JB, on Israel attackin' Iran? Interesting. This we gotta see. Attackin' Iran could shyrocket the mid-east crisis into a ball of fire , difficult to put out. The repercussions of Iranian elite guards targettin' areas of US and Israeli interests will be disastrously uncontrollable.
IRAN IS NOT A THREAT TO ANYONE BUT THEMSELVES.
Do you seriously believe the Iranian gov would start a war they can not finish (at least not victoriously)
They have learned OUR politics well while Bush was in office = talk, talk, talk....no action.
They know good and well they do not have the capability to win a war with the U.S. -period
All of this hype is not only created by this JOKE of Iran's gov, but it was also created by the previous administration and all of it's followers.
Now say I'm wrong and put your foot in your mouths ?
I'm waiting..
Obama and Joe need to get on the same page. This lack of communication that takes place between the two quite regulary, will only hurt this nation even more. geez .
Way to go President Obama! America is not willing to sacrafice anymore of our military for other countries disputes amoung themselves. No more war! Anywhere!!!!
I think Biden got it exactly right, we can't tell any sovereign nation what to do and what not to do..., what the media and people read into this is wide open.
If Israel attacks Iran, it will get a response that it will not like. Unless the U.S. would like to see a major war started in the area, the U.S. government would be wise to advise Israel against any such foolish maneuvre. Simply declaring "Israel is a sovereign nation" is idiotic when their sovereignty is only supported by billions upon billions upons billions of dollars of U.S. financial and miliary aid. What are you thinking, Mr. Biden?? Get a grip!
First, Israel does not need to ask Obama's permission to defend itself.
Second, Obama' s policy of appeasment and apology isn't working.
Third, Obama is pro-Arab in any fight against Israel.
Israel should ignore Obama, they are on their own. The US under an Obama adminstration is anti-Israel.
How about a red light to illegal settlements on stolen land paid for with U.S. tax dollars.
Once again Biden shoots off his big mouth and Obama has to do damage control.
Neither Iran nor North Korea have any intention of stopping their nuclear weapons programs voluntarily. And if either one get the bomb, odds are that it will show up here. So what are we going to do??
But, ba, ba,ba isn't that what Joe said the other day? Guess Joe, the smartest man in American according to him is going back to the woodshed behind the WH when Obama returns.
DOH! Silly Joe...
if isreal attacks iran...then they should face the consiquences...
How quickly will this story be buried in the avalanche of Palin, Sanford and Michael Jackson stories?
CNN had better be quick about promoting those other three, lest people begin to question what really is happening in the world today.
Its time for Biden to retire, he opens his mouth before thinking about the consequences of his words. And those of you who support his rhetoric with respect to Israel should certainly be ashamed. Why are we a bunch blood thirsty violence hungry people, but when it knocks on our neighborhood doors or our own..then we become frantic and scared. These are human lives, human lives that GOD created irrespective of color, ethncity or nationality and no one person or leader of a nation has any authority to kill GOD's people no matter how you slice it up. The Eurpean Jews living in Israel have no historic right to live in Palestinian land. They are from Europe and their blood was shed in Europe, therefore their homeland should be in Europe, not in the Middle East. The fact that you adopt a religion doesnt make the land that comes with it you historically yours. Think about that people..really really think about that.
No, an overt bombing run would not be a good thing. Right now, we need to see the leaks and faulty work that has been done on this program. The Iranians need to show the world that they are intent on peaceful nuclear power by opening their entire program. Without that, I say we hire spies and other operatives through 3rd and 4th parties to "spice up" the Iranian nuclear program.
I am certainly glad to hear the matter has been cleared up. God forbid anyone would delve too deeply into Biden's comment looking for what isn't there. I realize that here in America we have a way to go yet, but no doubt, Netanyhu, et.al., have gotten past the juvenille stage of politics and actually have the ability to reason as mature adults.
Fortunately, intelligent & pragmatic foreign policy has returned to the White House. It is not our place to police the world, but rather work respectfully with other nations towards mutual interests of peace & stability.
Godspeed, Mr. President.
Obama even apologizes for his Vice President but Biden is right – Israel can and will make its own decision.
Boy, we sure dodged a bullet by not electing Gov. Palin as vice president.
Of course we are not telling Israel to go ahead. On the other hand, we cannot tell Israel or any other country how to conduct their affairs.
That has happened too often in the past and we do not have that
right.
We can all hope for diplomacy and peaceful solutions, but we
cannot control that.
can't they ever get on the same page?
Mr. President need to rethink this notion that he can be at peace with Iran. Everyone has enemies and so does America. These people will not be your friend and peace is not in their vocabulary. Israel is a blessed nation and if we go against them, we will lose on the end. The Palenstians and Israelites have been conflicting since before Christ, and nothing is going to change that. It is bible and historical that Iran will always be an enemy of Israel. They want that land and they cannot have it, God says so, end of story. Mr. President if you are a true Christian you would know this.
Obama is right. Trigger happy politicians have caused more problem in this world than anyone else
at least biden got one thing right.......i don't think israel is waiting for the chosen one to give a green light for its own self defense.....unless of course by green you mean "clean coal, clean energy", along with all the nonexistent green jobs he hasn't created but may have saved......while his worshipfulness is planning his next earth moving speech and making nice with iran and its mullahs, israel hopefully is planning a takeout of iran's nuclear facilities.......before iran gets the big one and becomes just like North Korea......really impossible to deal with once they are nuclear armed but in this case menacing the world's oil supply........and while he's getting palsy walsy with iran, perhaps he could inquire about some of the missing freedom seeking iranian protesters.......maybe the iranian secret police would let obama and the red cross visit the imprisoned and see what REAL TORTURE is.........but i digress...have a nice day
It doesn't really matter if the US is or not, because the attack would happen either way. The US does NOT control Israel or Iran, no matter how much it likes to think otherwise.
Personally, I think its about time someone stood up for Israel because Iran's behavior has been despiscable for years.
Looks like BO BO and Goofball aren't reading from the same page.
I wish the Jews had resettled in Ecuador after World War II or anywhere else except the Middle East. That would have made our world much safer. However, Israel is a modern democracy and it is in our best interest to ally ourselves with all other modern democracies against the totalitarian states like Russia, China, and the entire Middle East (except Turkey).
The problem with Israel is that it is not a secular democracy. Theology adds an element of craziness to Israeli government. It also augments the power of the fundamentalist citizens of Israel.
I am no fan of the Biden but, he is correct, Israel is a Sovereign nation and if they think they should take out Iranian nuclear power then they should do so without hesitation.
The only problem here is that we have a president that is in agreement with Palestine, Iran, Egypt, and others. the obama despises the Israelis and will assist in their demise, no matter what the cost. He must be stopped.
i dont hear any one asking,what happens if talks do not
stop iran from getting a nuc?
israel is in direct danger,a small country with
concentrated population centers, perfect for one or two
nuc's and the whole country is history.(the cannery in the coal mine)
buying enough time for the rest of the world to get ready
and confrant iran.a little to late for israel...
its easy to sit in the white house six thousand miles away
and dictate to israelis like obama dose.
more over obama has to be ready to assume responsibility for the lives of millions of israeli citizens.
israel dose not need permission from any one, including obama
to defend itself.
More like a yellow light...
Everyday Obama is digging himself a deeper and deeper hole. The man is clearly not a good President.
Tell me, why does Obama and the left preach so hard about the U.S. not meddling in the affairs of other countries (To the extent, Obama apologizes for America), while he has no problem "meddling" in the affairs of Israel and Honduras? Why woudn't he align with Israel to preemtively defend itself and Honduras to take action to support it's own democratic constitution against a corrupt and dictatorial president. The U.S. has the right to do this....sound like it's all a matter of "convenience" for Obama and whether it aligns with HIS agenda.
The big difference between Obama and God is that God doesn't think he's Obama.
Did anyone tell Joe that?? Time for Joe to go back into hiding and do nothing. Every time they let him out he sticks his foot in his mouth. At least he's entertaining if nothing else.
Give them the Green Light! Everyone wants the Iranian program stopped, Saudis, Iraqis, Egyptians, Jordan, Isreal, US, Britian, France, Germany and Russia. Just get the coalition together and strike these sites once and for all. Send the signal to the next nation that tries to do this....Frankly, a majority of the Iranian people would like the nuke sites to be destroyed. Nuke + Oil + Terrorism ties = a scary and powerful oppressive Iranian government.
Its not up to Obama. The Israelis can make their own decision.Why do they want a non-experienced individual aiding n their decision making process. If we lived near someone that said they wanted to wipe us off the face of the earth I don't think we would ask Israel for permission to take care of the problem..
Joe, Joe, Joe. Can't you see that Obama is slipping you under the bus by sending you to Iraq. You need to stop making so many broad statements of your understanding of policies when we all know there is no stable policy in this administration. The only continuing policy in the Obama administration is appeasement to his supporters and to the rest of the world.
BHO better give the green light for Israel to attack Iran since he does not have the cahonies to do so.
BHO is so conflicked and weak on the International front. Guess he is too busy turning the US into a Facist State (Fascists believe that nations and/or races are in perpetual conflict whereby only the strong can survive by being healthy, vital, and by asserting themselves in conflict against the weak.)
One has to look no further than the take over of the car industry, banking, and now medical instutitions.
You Dems better wake up before it is really too late. Are you ready for BHO's next stimulus package? We are not only 10-11 Trillion dollars in debt that can never be paid off.
You got what you voted for!
Good Lord! Am I to understand that America is actually going to stand up to poor, tiny, surrounded Israel? Doesn't Obama understand that if he does that AIPAC will sic their paid dogs in congress on him and nothing he wants to accomplish will get done.
I like Biden's laissez faire approach. Let Isreael take care of our dirty work. Makes good sense.
Biden needs to control his mouth. Obama needs to put a leash on Biden – or better yet a muzzle.
So, we have decided to nullify the past decades of support for our only true ally in the Middle East. I certainly hope that a major conflict is not forthcoming, but we have shown NO SUPPORT for the protection of this once fine ally. Why is this?
Joe Biden is proving to be a detriment to the President...
Israel is not any different than any other country when they are being threatened it is there God given right to act in the best interest to there citizens. The United States better support there decisions and help them with any security measures necessary for there potection, as well as those of our citizens and stop trying to buy protection with agreements that will not be honored....
Oh, look at the photo. Isn't that the infamous 'evil eye' Obama is trying to hid behind his half-sneer?
Looks to me like obama would rather see Israel destroyed. He doesn't seem to like our allies at all, but adores our enemies.
It's in everyone's best interest that Israel does not attack Iran pre-emptively. But they can not sit idolly by while the Iranians plot to destroy them. This is what's called stuck between a rock and a hard place.
we have condoned the palestine attacks
B.O. You can't rule the World, even if you want to.
Doofus Biden strikes again!!
What!?? But Joe said he was included in all of Obama's major policy!!!
Hmmmmm...
As usual, the President makes much sense.
Israel is a sovereign nation–propped up by billions of dollars every year of American handouts. Obama would be doing us and the world a favour by putting a halt to that idiotic waste of money.