Vice President Joe Biden delivered a forceful defense of the Obama administration’s nuclear agreement with Iran on Thursday, telling some of Atlanta’s most influential Jewish leaders that the deal would help bring a more secure Israel.
Joe Biden. AP Photo
Biden told the hundreds crowded into the Ahavath Achim synagogue in Buckhead that the pact would help prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, positioning himself in the process as the candidate who would continue President Barack Obama’s legacy were he to run for president.
“I could take a whole evening to speak to this, but this is a good deal,” he said during an address on foreign policy. “And if we walk away from the deal, as some of our critics propose, we’d gain none of the benefits.”
He said sanctions would soon collapse, and Iran would be a “few short months away” from getting the material needed to build a nuclear weapon.
The vice president made no mention of the question that’s followed him for months, as speculation grows over whether he would challenge Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton for the party’s nomination.
Georgia’s Democratic establishment is firmly behind Clinton, but many rank-and-file Democrats are urging him to jump into the race because they fear the scandal-scarred former First Lady can’t win in November.
Biden used the speech to highlight his foreign policy chops, outlining what would be his doctrine for military intervention. Such an attack, he said, would have to protect vital American interests and lead to sustainable results.
He rejected the calls from some Republican presidential candidates to deploy American ground forces to thwart the Islamic State’s spread through Iraq and Syria, saying that locals must “stand up” for themselves to bring a lasting peace. And he called for massive new investments in U.S. infrastructure and workforce training.
“If we do those two things, I guarantee you, we will be the most dominant force in the 21st century,” he said.
The trip comes after a swing through Florida, fertile fundraising ground for presidential contenders, where he ignored shouted questions about his future and delivered campaign-style speeches.
Pressure on Biden to make a decision is mounting. The first Democratic presidential debate is set for Oct. 13 in Nevada, and qualifying deadlines for many early-voting states are shortly after that.
The Obama administration’s nuclear deal is a divisive subject within the Jewish community, and many Jewish and Israeli leaders loudly oppose the deal.
Large majorities in Congress are likely to oppose the deal, but the Obama administration has locked up enough support from U.S. senators to ensure the pact will take effect because they cannot override his veto.
Biden sought to soothe concerns over the administration’s policy on Israel, calling the administration’s support for the Jewish nation “absolutely unshakable.”
“This president has done more to advance Israeli security than anyone in American history,” he said.
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