It also creates another issue, at least some of the power structure needs to support the revolution or governing after said revolution is complete is going to be unlikely, instead anarchy and a new dictatorship feels more reasonable. I’m hopefully just jumping at shadows, but the fact is that as we have seen in the past, the fear of an external enemy can make people behave irrationally and work against their self interests.

And, sure, it’s pretty much true that other nations will do as they feel they must based on their own assessment of external threats. But that’s so true and so obvious, why bother saying it?

How many folks out there are hoping for the best when it comes to some sort of velvet revolution in Iran…where grass roots protest brings substantial democratic reform, and the power of the dictatorial old guard is diminished?

The first chapter in the handbook of middle eastern despots involves inflaming the patriotic nationalist sentiments of the populace as a tonic for civil unrest. So it’s very troubling to me that we have a loose-cannon VP making that job easy for the bad guys.

I understand the appeal of characters who speak the truth and let the chips fall where they may. But such folks will always flunk out of diplomacy school. They belong on talk radio and writing blogs.

Biden talking out of turn gives the Iranian regime the opportunity to steer the attention to Israel’s right to attack Iran, when for the past month it’s been about the legitimacy of their elections.

Whether or not they’ll get traction on the issue at home remains to be seen, but Biden providing them that opportunity is bush-league (pun intended).

I’d say it is always a bit phony whenever you don’t say what you know to be true. If you want to say that he should not have given an honest statement based on appearances, that is a different discussion. I don’t think Iran does nuance from what I have seen.

Biden as bumbling gaffe machine is absurd to my ears. This is the narrative being pushed and I just think it’s an attempt to marginalize someone who does have serious foreign policy credentials.

When he was a senator he spoke for pretty much just himself so he could say pretty much what he pleased and it’d be forgiven, forgotten or never heard (see GOP senators bitching about a tougher response to Iran), however Biden’s current position necessitates care with his words as he now speaks for us all.

If he can’t manage that he needs to shut his trap.

Jim agree with what you said in your second and third sentences. I have no knowledge of the first.

Exiled. I am not sure I know why you think stating a fact is partisan. Perhaps there is the dilemma. If you read what he said, I think it is undeniably true. If Bush had made true statements, I would have had no quarrel with him. We know he didn’t. It also is quite different when you are talking about another country rather than your own. I do realize that his statements of fact are sometimes indelicate to say the least but perhaps they are crazy like a fox. Obama speaking like the mature adult and Biden like a blogger-no holds barred and telling it like it is.

Mike-Totally agree with the “bring it on” criticism but I don’t see how Biden’s statement can in any way be construed as that. He answered a question truthfully. Probably in the same way almost every single one of us would have done – if we answered truthfully.

Perhaps —-major perhaps—-the point is to lay it out in black and white so that they know both sides–We really want to constructively solve our problems with Iran(that is our favored course)…but we aren’t the only dog in the fight and we don’t have the other one on a leash.