US has no better friend than Israel, says Biden

Source: PressTV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=120617&sectionid=351020202

US Vice President Joe Biden, speaking at Tel Aviv University on Thursday, said that Washington has no better friend in the world than Israel.

Some years ago "I said if I was Jew, I would be a Zionist," Biden said, speaking o of his affinity for Israel since childhood.

"I was reminded by my father you need not be a Jew to be a Zionist," he remarked.

The US vice president added that Washington helps Israel out with around USD 3 billion worth of military aid every year.

Biden's comments come on his third day visit to Israel and once again raising the question of US ability to be a neutral mediator in Middle East peace talks.

Biden who is on a five-days visit to Israel also warned that Iran will face more sanctions and further isolation over its nuclear program.

He said the United States wants to rally the international community to impose tougher sanctions on Tehran.

The US and Israel claim that Iran is pursuing a nuclear military program through its enrichment activities. Tehran, however, denies the charges saying its nuclear program is peaceful and solely aimed at civilian application of the technology.

Biden concluded by emphasizing there should be no further delays in Israel-Palestinian talks, despite Tel-Aviv's new settlement plans on occupied Palestinian land.

US wants Israel military dominant in Mideast: Biden

Source: PressTV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=120350§ionid=351020202


In a landmark visit to Tel Aviv, US Vice President Joe Biden will remind Israeli officials that the hefty military aid they receive from Washington should ease their worries about Iran's nuclear work.

Biden, who is slated to arrive on Monday, is expected to warn his hosts against an attack on Iranian nuclear sites, particularly now that world powers are trying to pursue fresh sanctions against Tehran.

In a Monday interview with a leading Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, Biden assured Tel Aviv it will always have the backing of the US government in the event of a military confrontation with Iran.

“I can promise the Israeli people that we will confront, as allies, any security challenge it will face. A nuclear-armed Iran would constitute a threat not only to Israel — it would also constitute a threat to the United States."

Pointing to the huge US military aid granted to Tel Aviv each year, Biden said Washington has always sought to ensure that Israel remains the top military power in the Middle East.

This, according to Biden, should somehow put Tel Aviv's mind at ease with regards to Iran's nuclear program and eliminate the need for a military attack against the country.

“The Obama administration gives Israel annual military aid worth USD 3 billion,” said Biden. “We revived defense consultations between the two countries, doubled our efforts to ensure Israel preserves its qualitative military edge in the region, expanded our joint exercises and cooperation on missile-defense systems."

Biden hoped that Washington-led efforts to apply pressure on Iran, along with unilateral sanctions imposed by the US Treasury will be enough to subvert Iran's nuclear plans.

Israel, which is reported to have the region's sole atomic arsenal, has a long-standing tendency to take out suspected nuclear sites.

In 1981, Tel Aviv bombed Iraq's Osirak nuclear reactor and launched a similar attack on what it suspected to be an undercover nuclear program in Syria — a claim Damascus strongly rejects.

This has led observers to believe that the Israeli regime will act along the same vein with Iran's nuclear program.

Iran, unlike Israel, is a member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and has opened its enrichment facilities to UN inspection.

Following numerous unannounced visit by UN inspector to Iranian nuclear sites, the International Atomic Energy Agency continues to confirm non-diversion nuclear materials in Iran.

Regardless, however, the United States and Israel allege that Iran is pursuing a military nuclear program — a claim Iran views as "unfounded and baseless."

Tehran says its nuclear program is solely aimed at the civilian application of the technology.

Biden wants US warheads with worldwide reach

Source: PressTV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=118966&sectionid=3510203

US vice president Joe Biden says Washington should seek an "adaptive missile defense shield" and conventional warheads with global range.

Biden, who spoke at the National Defense University on Thursday, added that development of programs such as the planned anti-missile in Europe would allow the United States to decrease its nuclear weaponry.

"Capabilities like an adaptive missile defensive shield, conventional warheads with world-wide reach and others that are developing and being developed will enable us to reduce the role of nuclear weapons as other nuclear powers begin to draw down even further," the vice president said.

Biden was also making the case for the big jump in spending so that scientists can make certain the aging US nuclear stockpile remains ready for use, if needed, without test explosions.

The new administration budget allocates USD 7 billion for scientists and laboratories that maintain warhead readiness — an increase of about 13.5 percent and one of the largest in the next spending plan.

The 2011 budget also calls for spending an additional USD 5 billion on those projects over the next five years.

Biden comments come while US President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev agreed in July to cut their respective number of nuclear warheads to between 1,500 and 1,675 under a new treaty.