Newsweek’s Michael Hirsh has an interesting item today on Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) becoming an “attack dog” and a “major consigliore” to Barack Obama, which apparently includes “relentlessly attacking and counterattacking the Republicans on the campaign trail, especially on national-security issues.”
In an interview, Biden said that he and other leading Democrats are “absolutely, thoroughly, totally” making a conscious effort to ensure that Obama doesn’t become the next Kerry. The failure of Kerry and the Dems of ’04 to seize control of the national-security agenda and counterattack Bush was a mistake “that was emblazoned in my mind,” Biden says.
Hence this week’s onslaught of Democratic ripostes to Bush’s seeming suggestion, in a speech to the Israeli Knesset, that Obama was guilty of “appeasement” for indicating he would negotiate with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and other U.S. adversaries. Biden called Bush’s remarks a “long-distance Swift Boat attack” and said that the president seemed unaware that his secretary of Defense, Bob Gates, had “the day before” called for engagement with Iran and that Bush had previously “struck a deal with Libya’s [Muammar] Kaddafi and wrote polite letters to North Korea’s Kim Jong Il.”
Biden’s efforts have, not surprisingly, prompted speculation about the Delaware senator joining Obama’s team, possibly as Secretary of State, or maybe even VP. Biden, currently the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, probably helped his chances last week, when he forcefully responded to Bush’s “appeasement” talk, telling reporters what the president did was “bullsh*t” and “malarkey.”
Indeed, when it comes to challenging Republicans on foreign policy, Biden is unusually good at it. Two of my very favorite moments from ’07 were Biden hitting Giuliani here and here. Months later, I still love them, and wouldn’t mind seeing similar remarks directed at McCain’s ticket in the fall.
To help drive the point home, Biden took on Joe Lieberman this morning.
Lieberman, of course, wrote a scathing attack on Democrats for the WSJ this week, effectively accusing Dems of being un-American freedom haters, because, among other reasons, Dems support ending the war in Iraq and starting some kind of diplomacy with Iran. Today, Biden steps up in the same forum to set the record straight.
Because of the policies Mr. Bush has pursued and Mr. McCain would continue, the entire Middle East is more dangerous. The United States and our allies, including Israel, are less secure.
The election in November is a vital opportunity for America to start anew. That will require more than a great soldier. It will require a wise leader. Here, the controversy over engaging Iran is especially instructive.
Last week, John McCain was very clear. He ruled out talking to Iran. He said that Barack Obama was “naïve and inexperienced” for advocating engagement; “What is it he wants to talk about?” he asked.
Well, for a start, Iran’s nuclear program, its support for Shiite militias in Iraq, and its patronage of Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza.
Beyond bluster, how would Mr. McCain actually deal with these dangers? You either talk, you maintain the status quo, or you go to war. If Mr. McCain has ruled out talking, we’re stuck with an ineffectual policy or military strikes that could quickly spiral out of control.
Sen. Obama is right that the U.S. should be willing to engage Iran on its nuclear program without “preconditions” – i.e. without insisting that Iran first freeze the program, which is the very subject of any negotiations. He has been clear that he would not become personally involved until the necessary preparations had been made and unless he was convinced his engagement would advance our interests.
President Nixon didn’t demand that China end military support to the Vietnamese killing Americans before meeting with Mao. President Reagan didn’t insist that the Soviets freeze their nuclear arsenal before sitting down with Mikhail Gorbachev. Even George W. Bush – whose initial disengagement allowed dangers to proliferate – didn’t demand that Libya relinquish its nuclear program, that North Korea give up its plutonium, or even that Iran stop aiding those attacking our soldiers in Iraq before authorizing talks.
The net effect of demanding preconditions that Iran rejects is this: We get no results and Iran gets closer to the bomb. […]
The Bush-McCain saber rattling is the most self-defeating policy imaginable. It achieves nothing. But it forces Iranians who despise the regime to rally behind their leaders. And it spurs instability in the Middle East, which adds to the price of oil, with the proceeds going right from American wallets into Tehran’s pockets.
The worst nightmare for a regime that thrives on tension with America is an America ready, willing and able to engage. Since when has talking removed the word “no” from our vocabulary?
It’s amazing how little faith George Bush, Joe Lieberman and John McCain have in themselves – and in America.
Keep up the good work, Joe, and keep giving Obama good advice.