Biden: No More Concessions on Iran
EmailVice President Joe Biden has been pushing privately for a hard line on Iran, and in my exclusive “This Week” interview he hinted at a harder Administration line to come.
For now, he told me, President Obama’s offer to meet with Iran over its nuclear program remains “on the table.”
While insisting that President Obama is right not to rescind his offer to negotiate with Iran and the other “P-5” nations ( U.S., Britain, France, China and Russia ) plus Germany, Biden rejected Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s attempts to condition any negotiations on more US concessions.
“The ball’s in their court,” Biden said. “If they choose to meet with the P-5 under the conditions the P-5 has laid out, it means they begin to change course. And it means that the protestors probably had some impact on the behavior of an administration that they don’t like at all.”
Biden also raised the pressure on Iran by appearing to give a green light to a future military strike against Iran.
When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was here this spring, he said that he had agreed to give President Obama’s engagement policy until the end of the year to bear some fruit. After that deadline passed, Israel would feel free to take on the “existential threat” posed by Iran with military force if necessary.
Three times, I asked Biden if the Obama Administration would stand in the way of an Israeli military strike. Three times, he repeated that Israel was free to do what it needed to do. “If the Netanyahu government decides to take a course of action different than the one being pursued now, that is their sovereign right to do that. That is not our choice.”
We sat down for our exclusive and extended conversation after Biden’s surprise two-day visit to Iraq in his new role as President Obama’s personal envoy. He said that “securing victory” is his goal, and stressed that the U.S. intends to withdraw all troops by the 2011 deadline set by the status of forces agreement with Iraq.
Here’s what else we covered:
-The vice president also hit back at his predecessor, former Vice President Dick Cheney, who told the Washington Times this week that he fears the Iraq withdrawal will “waste” U.S. sacrifices. ”You know, it’s kind of ironic. It’s their timetable we are implementing. Cheney and Bush agreed with the Iraqis before we were elected that we’d have combat troops out of the cities by June 30th,” Biden told me. “I mean, for this he can’t have it both ways. He negotiated that timetable. We have met the commitment the timetable the last administration negotiated with Iraqis. And we’re totally confident that is the right thing to do. So I find it kind of ironic that he’s criticizing his own agreement that he negotiated.”
-In the wake of the highest unemployment rate in 26 years, Biden admitted the Obama Administration “misread the economy” but said it’s premature to judge whether second government stimulus package is needed. “The truth is, we and everyone else misread the economy,” he said.” There was a misreading of just how bad an economy we inherited.”
-The vice president argued success in Afghanistan won’t be measured by any military outcome. “Ultimately, the success or failure in Iraq will not rest not on a military outcome, but on a both economic and political outcome internally, getting better governance in place and economic development in that country,” he said.
Read the full transcript of my exclusive interview HERE and click on the “This Week” page throughout the day for video highlights.
–George Stephanopoulos
Rick Santorum Sweeps 3 States 
Pentagon to Open Additional Jobs to Women
Shut up Joe. We don’t need another front to this miserably stupid “war”.
Posted by: jan | July 5, 2009, 7:07 am 7:07 am
Excellent interviews and reasoning from VP Biden thus far. We’ve got the best foreign policy expert there now, they know him and respect Biden. When I heard Obama placed Biden in charge of the Iraq drawdown, I knew it would be in the best hands. Biden’s known for his brilliance in foreign policy, but his light shines brightest in this region. He may not be able to get them to talk and agree in the end, but Joe Biden is our best chance. Good luck Mr. Vice President, and return home safe.
Posted by: Nora | July 5, 2009, 7:20 am 7:20 am
I love Joe Biden! Joe, you have my permission, and that of millions of Americans, to push back on Cheney any which way you so desire. And thank you for doing it with such panache. You’re a better man than I would be when it comes to anything that has to do with Cheney. Cheney should shut up, and remain that way if he knows what’s best.
Posted by: Rudy | July 5, 2009, 7:27 am 7:27 am
Biden: “success in Afghanistan won’t be measured by any military outcome. Ultimately, the success or failure in Iraq will not rest not on a military outcome, but on a both economic and political outcome internally, getting better governance in place and economic development in that country,”
Beautifully said. Thank you Joe Biden.
Posted by: Back Beat | July 5, 2009, 7:33 am 7:33 am
I don’t think anyone could have read the status of the economy correctly. The mess the Obama-Biden Administration inherited was a horror show in itself. But it only became worse as more companies were impacted. I for one am not going to whine…the situation we are seeing today took years to develop. What impresses me is that Obama and Biden are actually taking steps at various levels to heal this country. The only flap I heard the last umpteen years is “tax cuts” and let me tell you, those tax cuts helped get us to this mess. Bush signed off on tax cut after tax cut over eight years. Bush passed off the worse economic disaster in U.S. history to Obama-Biden. The new administration has nothing to apologize for, but Bush-Cheney and a very few wealthy people sure do.
Posted by: Stewart | July 5, 2009, 7:43 am 7:43 am
It would be great to have a VP visit a mid east country on a casual basis.But that won’t be the situation for at least a couple of years.This is another mess for for the Obama admin. to clean up.
We all remember the situation since August of 2008 untill now.Thank God that the slogan of the current administration was “Yes We Can” instead of “Tax Breaks For The Wealthy”.
Posted by: Mike H | July 5, 2009, 8:06 am 8:06 am
Having served twice there…. VP Biden is “RIGHT” on the money. Here we are in the Iraq War’s 6th year, after so many U.S. lives lost, and very close to $1-Trillon of U.S. taxpayer dollars funding the war… yet, as we saw last week as U.S. troops pulled out of the cities, Iraqis are still killing each other.
The problems in Iraq are political and economic…. until the IRAQIs learn to fix these internal problems, no matter how many troops we keep on the ground, for however long, they will not stop suicide bombing each other.
Posted by: X-Republican Because of Bush | July 5, 2009, 8:07 am 8:07 am
The economic outlook is worse then most of the government types realized because they have largely been too busy believing their own propaganda of the last 30 years: that you can build a strong economy without making anything. This is our first recession as a post-industrial, service industry society and its more severe than any other post WWII recession.
Posted by: Joel Miller | July 5, 2009, 8:40 am 8:40 am
“The truth is, we and everyone else misread the economy,” he said.” There was a misreading of just how bad an economy we inherited.”
This is the most irresponsible statement I’ve ever heard. The fact is, nothing that Obamabiden has done has helped the economy. It has hurt it! This childish pointing of fingers at the last administration doesn’t work anymore.
Posted by: Mark | July 5, 2009, 9:32 am 9:32 am
Interesting, when the report tells me “Vice President Joe Biden has been pushing privately for a hard line on Iran” (which hasn’t come) and then the next sentence says “For now, he told me, President Obama’s offer to meet with Iran over its nuclear program remains “on the table.””. So for all Joe’s experience, it doesn’t appear the Obama administration is listening to him. Instead he’d rather ignore the people rioting and dying in Iran, and work with the current dictatorship. Good job!!
And about the MISREAD of the economy” How does that work, when the Dems wrote all the spending bills for the two years prior? Even Obama voted for them. And then they gave us the “Stimulus Package?” with 40% pork, and the ‘shovel ready projects’ or the one that was designed to begin spending in 2010 in time for the mid-term elections. Yeah, they misread. Of course they blame Bush for all this, cause you know, he was President before Obama, and he signed the bills the Dems wrote.
Posted by: Baddawg00 | July 5, 2009, 9:34 am 9:34 am
A nasty habit that the Bush administration had… Not making text of bills available till an hour before or even after passage of the bill. (You didn’t think we’d remember?)
The fact that dems went ahead and voted for it is to their shame. I personally would not have done it. But that said, I would consider the spending binge the repubs went on as 75% repub fault and 25% dem fault.
Posted by: jan | July 5, 2009, 10:13 am 10:13 am
I watched Sunday’s Round Table episode and all I could sit there and think is HOW BLIND ARE OUR LEADERS!! They apparently are sitting up on Capitol Hill when they should be traveling the country side and SEEING with their own eyes how the people of this once great nation are being effected. They are talking about unemployment being out in September of this year and talk like it has NO EFFECT or WILL HAVE NO EFFECT on the people. There are going to be people who will STILL BE OUT OF WORK because jobs are not that plentiful. What are they suspose to do then? Some are single and don’t have a spouse’s income to depend on. My family is already finding out what its going to be like. My husband suffered a stroke and isn’t receiving his unemployment at present. And if he eligible for disability it will be at least a year before he sees anything from it.
Doesn’t it scare anyone besides me that the ones who can help us are wearing rose colored glasses and dont really see what’s really happening to us? What needs to happen before they will take off their glasses and look and see?
I have never been one to call myself bias towards other races, but I feel that beginning to change. When we’re doing without and standing behind people who are here illegally paying for their goods with a State Food Card and then rolls a wad of money out of their pocket to pay for what the Card doesn’t cover…It just makes a fire in me BURN and a hate develop for the way things are going. That’s not how I want to be. And for all the agencies that advertise they help, well if you don’t meet their guidelines, your out of luck. They all are wearing rose colored glasses as far as I’m concerned.
I personally think when everyone is at the end of their rope, suicide rates will climb out of desperation.
Posted by: n2motherhood | July 5, 2009, 10:19 am 10:19 am
A nasty habit that the Bush administration had… Not making text of bills available till an hour before or even after passage of the bill. (You didn’t think we’d remember?) Posted by: jan
Then maybe you might remember the last two years of bushes term dems wrote the bills and may i say its when the country started on a down turn of the economy and a loss of jobs.
Posted by: school_bus_yellow | July 5, 2009, 10:24 am 10:24 am
Joe Biden is the most incompetent fool of a VP to come along in quite a long time – and that doesn’t stop Democrats from loving him.
Notice that whenever Democrats screw up, they say they inherited it?
This is why Democrats make the worst kind of politicians – they never take responsibility for their own actions.
Posted by: One_American | July 5, 2009, 10:37 am 10:37 am
Repubs had the majority in Congress over the last two years of Bush’s term.
Yep, the unemployment level scares me a lot. If people can’t come up with money to put a roof over their heads and food on the table legally, I think they’ll eventually turn to illegal means out of desperation.
Posted by: jan | July 5, 2009, 10:42 am 10:42 am
Put a sock in Joe.
Posted by: Bob | July 5, 2009, 11:21 am 11:21 am
do we give obam do overs on the economy because he is niave and reckless along with the idiotic congress or do we vote the morons out in 2010 and impeach incompetence in 2011. P.S to all liberals this isn’t all bush’s fault we had nancy harry barny chris and the rest of the liberal congress since 2006 and they are responsible for their actions as well obama is a noob
Posted by: john | July 5, 2009, 12:31 pm 12:31 pm
Israeli attack and the consequences:
Yes, Israel may attack Iran. But would USA join in and support Israel as we did for Sadam Hossein? What would be the consequence of this attack?
First of all it will unify the Iranian people in one voice against Israel and USA, count on it.
Second, the attack will not stop there; it will drag the entire region into an anti-American union against USA-England and Israel.
The attack will create a very powerful force of dedicated people with one purpose to remove Israel and USA from the region. The attack will be seen as a coordinated attack by USA using Israel as a surrogate.
The attack of Sadam Hossein on Iran consolidated Iranian and their government into a united force after1979 revolution. USA must think through the long term implication of a foolish attack on Iran before removing the leash from Israel. We have been in war in both Iraq and Afghanistan for about 7 years; count on a regional war for half-century. USA has been paying the price for our 1953 attack on the Iranian nation.
Posted by: Saint Michael Traveler | July 5, 2009, 12:51 pm 12:51 pm
Posted by: Saint Michael Traveler
Israeli attack and the consequences:
Yes, Israel may attack Iran. But would USA join in and support Israel as we did for Sadam Hossein? What would be the consequence of this attack?….
Well I see assumptions on your part as to what would happen, but I’m interested in what you think another option for Israel and the US would be.
Going on what the Iranians have stated very clearly many times, it would appear their current other option is to wait for the Iranian dictators to develop nuclear weapons and watch them attack first. IMO I don’t see that as an option.
Posted by: Baddawg00 | July 5, 2009, 1:23 pm 1:23 pm
Hey Joe, nobody buys the lies you and Obama are saying. Nothing you nor Obama say mean anything anymore. You lied to us about your intentions with the economy. You are lying to us about health care and I believe you are lying now. Just shut up and ride out your term. You and King Marxist are out after this term. We were told nothing could be as bad as Bush, but the one thing you and ‘Bama did was prove that was tragically wrong. I cant wait for both of you socialists to be out of office. It can’t happen soon enough. It never should have happened in the first place, but the public swooned over the useless cult of personality Obama is.
Posted by: TexBork009 | July 5, 2009, 1:33 pm 1:33 pm
So; as long as this regime stops their “nuclear ambition” all is good? They can go on and kill innocent people!? Is this the policy? I hope; I am not understanding this correctly. ???
Yes, we have talked with dictators in the past, but we didn’t talk with Hitler, Rightfully. There is no talk with this regime, nuclear talk or any other talk, just like there was no talk with Hitler. United State and any nation which stands for democracy should defend what is right, support the Iranian people, and respect the sacrifices that have being made by the people of Iran. They are being slaughtered by this regime. Who can trust and should trust bunch of KILLERS and liars, an unauthorized, illegitimate government, that been operating with guns and fear for past 30+ years.
Posted by: Eshy | July 5, 2009, 1:49 pm 1:49 pm
After the people have been crushed this idiot speaks.
Posted by: Ramonna | July 5, 2009, 3:23 pm 3:23 pm
Obama and Biden and Pelosi etc have all been in office for many years. Thus their claim that we “inherited this mess” is pure nonsense. They were in the Congress !!!! How conveniently they forget that the Democrats have run things since 2006 and Pelosi refused to impeach Bush. Biden is a bumbling idiot and Obama is an unqualified, naiive and inexperienced radical who is creative havoc and frenzy on purpose so he can remake our Capitalist system. Rumour has it that Obamas team is trying to push for softer sanctions against Iran- not more harsh ones. I believe the rumous before I believe anyone in this incompetent administration.Obama was rooting for the dictator in Honduras…not for the people..That should tell even you Obama cheerleaders something about his philosophies.
Posted by: jimbo | July 5, 2009, 3:53 pm 3:53 pm
Hawks, what would you have the U.S. do? Attack Iran? That shoot-from-the-hip bully repution is precisely what our nation needs to OUTGROW. Attacks would only unite the Iranian people against the fragile opposition we support, and inflame others in the moderate Arab world against us, when the current Administration is trying to start an era of NEW relations with that region. A measured, coordinated response to Iran with Israel AND the moderate Arab states involved is coming to fruition, and U.S. troops are finally withdrawing from Iraq (great for our troops, great for our PR). Pakistan is much more aggresively fighting in Afganistan than ever before, taking at least some heat off the U.S. military. Sorry diplomacy doesn’t give you a visceral thrill, but the rewards are much greater than knee-jerk bombing.
Posted by: signseeker17 | July 5, 2009, 3:57 pm 3:57 pm
Can you imagine SARAH PALIN doing Biden’s job?!!!! Or have access to nuclear codes if President? Think about that next time you criticize our current White House.
Posted by: signseeker17 | July 5, 2009, 4:06 pm 4:06 pm
Joe Biden is the new Cheney. I wonder if Barack Obama is taking advice from this imbecile. He ought to keep his mouth shut about Iran because his comments almost beg for a rebuttal and a “See I told you so!” from Amedinejad that we are seeking war with Iran via Israel as a proxy. Loose lips sink ships. They certainly arent going to want to have peace talks after comments like these and the unrest in their country. I do agree with this fact: How are we going to win in Iraq if we withdraw and Iran invades it? How are we going to win in Afghanistan if they are allowed to supply 90% of the worlds heroin growing poppies. How are we going to win the war on drugs and provide better healthcare if cigarettes are legal and kill millions and marijuana is illegal and kills no one and provides for 50% of the mexican drug cartels profits? The ignorance is astounding. Think of the economic progress in this country that could be achieved if all the aforementioned were somehow changed?
Posted by: guesswhaturwrong | July 5, 2009, 4:34 pm 4:34 pm
Baddawg00: You had stated “…I’m interested in what you think another option for Israel and the US would be.?
Thank you for asking the question. Would you please read:
Obama’s Foreign Policy Challenge: Middle East
The following is part of the response:
“The steps required to allay our fear that Iran in the future may develop Nuclear Bomb are:
1. Nuclear Fuel Cycle Iranian Consortium:USA should join the consortium among others Japan, Germany, France and England to actively monitor the Iranian fuel cycle activity too. IAEA has consistently asserted that the agency could not find any indications that Iran is diverting the fuel cycle for nuclear bomb development. Iran has asserted that their activities are limited to development of fuel for nuclear reactor.
2. Nuclear Shield
An international nuclear shield for all nations in the Middle East, including Iran;
3. A nuclear- bomb-free Middle East.
This action will remove any pressure from Iran to develop nuclear bomb in the future for deterrence against nuclear bomb Israeli state.
Unfortunately the attentions of the past two US Presidents (Clinton and Bush) were on nuclear fuel cycle of Iran. They both ignored that Israel had nuclear bombs. The Middle East should be the starting point toward President Obama’s dream of a world free of all nuclear bombs.”
Posted by: Saint Michael Traveler | July 5, 2009, 5:10 pm 5:10 pm
What a relief to have sensible people like Obama and Biden in charge…
Posted by: libertyjustice33 | July 5, 2009, 5:32 pm 5:32 pm
No More Concessions on Iran? What was the last concession may I ask?
Is Biden’s foot stuck in his mouth AGAIN?
Israel, this schizophrenic Paranoid state should be medicated and sedated before they start yet another bloodshed in Middle East like they did in Iraq, Lebanon and Gaza.
This time they are biting on something they will never be able to swallow and they will drag us down to hell with them as well. Biden should think twice before giving “green lights” to maniacs.
Posted by: Farnaz | July 5, 2009, 5:34 pm 5:34 pm
Clinton administrtion gain in mfg jobe: 450,000.
Bush administration gain in mfg jobs: -3.5 million (that’s NEGATIVE three and a half million jobs, folks).
Posted by: joe | July 5, 2009, 6:41 pm 6:41 pm
The steps required to allay our fear that Iran in the future may develop Nuclear Bomb are
Posted by: Saint Michael Traveler
None of what you mentioned would be possible with the current regime of thugs, since they are only interested in the destruction of Israel. So until there is a regime change, there really isn’t much to talk about with those liars and murderers running Iran ATM. My question was though, which you didn’t answer, was in reference to your question, what to do WHEN Israel attacks Iran, what options you have to what our response should be? So far it’s still seems to be assisting Israel.
Posted by: Baddawg00 | July 5, 2009, 9:06 pm 9:06 pm
JAN you may want to actually go and read a little history it was actually the democrats that had the majority the last to years of the bush administration. And it just so happens that this is the exact time the economy went sour coincidence I wonder?. As for how long the bills were up before a vote obama has dont REAL good with that. We have representatives on BOTH sides that dont even read what they vote for or in obamas case sign. They should be charged with deriliction of duty for that alone.
Posted by: Skalgar | July 5, 2009, 9:59 pm 9:59 pm
Jan you need to study history a little it was actually the dems who were in charge for the last 2 years of the bush administration. and your right why worry about iran getting nukes its not like they support or give weapons to terrorists or anything. I hope you remeber this when there is a muchroom cloud over one of our major cities. Maybe then you will understand.
Posted by: Skalgar | July 5, 2009, 10:03 pm 10:03 pm
nothing about the military coup in honduras?…….
Posted by: cal!m@ | July 5, 2009, 11:22 pm 11:22 pm
I also wanted to mention one other point to save a little time Saint Michael Traveler about your conclusions regarding if the USA joins Israel if they attack Iran and the Iranian people unifying in one voice against Israel and the USA. I’m not so sure about that now. Maybe a year ago, but with all the descent going on in Iran over the elections, this may actually have support from the people of Iran. I know the history of Iran and Israel contradicts this, but this in 2009 and the people may just be that tired of being oppressed that they would realize this could mean their freedom.
Also your other comment “Second, the attack will not stop there; it will drag the entire region into an anti-American union against USA-England and Israel.” is not what I’ve heard. The rest of the region thinks of Iran as a bunch of thugs as well ,and I’m sure they would show some muted public outrage, but in private would support the action taken. The region is just as worried about Iran getting nuclear weapons as the rest of the world is.
Posted by: Baddawg00 | July 5, 2009, 11:43 pm 11:43 pm
Reading between the lines, what Biden really said was, “If we decide to go after Iran, we will have Israel strike the first blow.”
Posted by: allmymarbles | July 6, 2009, 1:23 am 1:23 am
Here’s a post for all the posters. Stop and ask yourself just how educated you actually are…or is that too scary? Jee i sure like this guy cause he’s sitting in a chair and reading a teleprompted answer to a scripted question while wearing a nice suit and gosh he sounds smart and friendly. I can relate to him. Thats nice…but who are you? And how smart are you really???
Posted by: ha! | July 6, 2009, 3:59 am 3:59 am
This Obama, Biden pair not only makes my sick, but the future of this Great Nation is in the gutters! All that one reads now is that “It was worse than we guest, or, I wasn’t told, I didn’t know, just now” What they need to say is I’m lost, blind and brain dead!!
Posted by: beentheir 3 times | July 6, 2009, 1:35 pm 1:35 pm
Another nonsensical war. Great. At least Israel has no reputation to uphold. I think our reputation is pretty much in the toilet to with all this bravado talk. Nice going Joe.
Posted by: Huh | July 6, 2009, 3:06 pm 3:06 pm
Baddawg00 | Jul 5, 2009 9:06:56 PM said:”what options you have to what our response should be?”
The Palestinian issue, over 40 years of baffling by Israel throwing one excuse after another to derail any prospect, is independent of any other world concern for the US administration. Secretary of State Clinton should not allow Israel to dictate the foreign policy of the United States. USA can’t afford war after war to support failed attempts to stabilize the region. Palestinians have paid a high price for failed attempts to consider the human side of the Palestinians struggle for peaceful life.
Iranian internal problem really is not the issue. Israel has nuclear bombs, Iran does not. Israel has been the center of the Middle Eastern problems for all non-Israelis. The problem of Iranian nuclear fuel cycle is just a diversion from the real problems in the Middle East, the problem is a humanistic resolution of Palestinian dilemma.
Posted by: Saint Michael Traveler | July 7, 2009, 1:16 pm 1:16 pm
Are you blind???? You want to blame Bush??? Who was in congress all those years-all dems and libs! Look at economy before Bush came….crashed, thank you Billy. Go ahead, print more money for the loosers, steal from “rich”. You want free healthcare too?- hello, who will pay for it??? There’s no free! USSR crashed, so Welcome to USsA!
Posted by: Al | July 9, 2009, 6:56 am 6:56 am
Maybe President Obama should think about sending Irans’ President a couple of dozen beautiful, long stemmed roses….. That might work.
Posted by: stan | July 10, 2009, 1:34 pm 1:34 pm