BIDEN Issues Statement Following McCain Speech at AIPAC

Statement

BIDEN Issues Statement Following McCain Speech at AIPAC

Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-DE) issued the following statement in response to Senator McCain's speech at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) annual meeting earlier today.

"Today, Senator McCain made clear that he would continue the policies of George Bush - policies that have made the entire Middle East more dangerous and left the United States and our allies, including Israel, less secure.

"Under George Bush's watch, Iran, not freedom, has been on the march. Iran is closer to the bomb; its influence in Iraq is expanding; and its terrorist proxy Hezbollah is ascendant in Lebanon and its ally Hamas controls Gaza.

"Senator McCain has been clear. He's ruled out talking to Iran, but he's offered no credible alternative to end its dangerous nuclear program, its support for Iraqi militias, and its patronage of Hezbollah and Hamas. Instead, he talks about creating ‘real-world pressures' on Iran. He offered little in the way of original ideas for dealing with the dangers Iran poses. One of the few proposals he did suggest - divestment from companies doing business in Iran - is actually an idea authored by Senator Obama. (S. 1430 - the Iran Sanctions Enabling Act)

"Senator McCain states the obvious: Iran and its proxies are a real danger to the United States and to Israel. That's not the issue; the issue is what to do about it. The choices on Iran are straightforward: you either engage, you maintain the status quo, or you go to war. If Senator McCain has ruled out talking, we're stuck with an ineffectual policy or military strikes that could quickly spiral out of control.

"Senator McCain also talked about the danger Hamas presents in Gaza, but he failed to mention that it controls Gaza - from where it launches rockets at Israel every day - because of elections that the Bush Administration insisted upon, despite Israel's misgivings.

"On Iraq, Senator McCain criticized Senator Obama's plan to end the disastrous Bush war in Iraq responsibly. Yet, he offered not a single idea of what he would do differently. Instead, he would leave 140,000 American troops stuck in Iraq with no end in sight. When it comes to Iraq, Senator McCain and President Bush are joined at the hip."

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