Biden Denies Saying that Israel Would Have To Reconcile Itself to a Nuclear Iran

Could this be true?

U.S. vice presidential candidate Senator Joe Biden’s press secretary vehemently denied on Monday a report that the Democratic candidate had said that Israel would have to reconcile itself to a nuclear Iran.

According to an unsourced report by Army Radio, the senator made the remarks to senior Israeli officials behind closed doors, adding that he opposed “opening an additional military and diplomatic front.”

Biden, chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has long been considered strongly pro-Israel. His nomination as U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama’s running mate had been expected to shore up the Democrats’ strength with U.S. Jewish voters.

“It’s doubtful if the economic sanctions will be effective, and I am against opening an additional military and diplomatic front,” Army Radio quoted him as saying.

The Army Radio they refer to is the Israeli Army Radio which is run by the IDF.  On the one hand, Biden does have a long history of being a strong supporter of Israel.  On the other hand, what interest would the IDF have in lying about a statement like this and throwing a heretofore staunch ally under the bus?  It’s not in IDF’s best interests to lie. 

I think it fairly likely that Biden said what he said, although he might not remember it because it was part of a two hour stream of consciousness diatribe.  Understandably, the Israeli official at the meeting were mightily alarmed and leaked the story.  If the Israeli’s are nothing else, they are slavishly dedicated to advancing and protecting their nation’s interests.  They have to be that way in a situation where they are under constant assault.  I can’t see them leaking a story like this about a historically pro-Israel U.S. Senator unless there was some truth in it.