Senator Barack Obama, fresh from capturing
the final delegate pledges for the Democratic presidential nomination,
Wednesday pledged tough carrot-and-stick diplomacy against Iran in order to defend Israeli and US interests.
Speaking to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), Obama said
there was "no greater threat" to Israel than Iran.
Obama said he wanted to correct misunderstandings that he would be soft on Iran, and he threatened consequences if Iran refuses to stop nuclear development, stop supporting
terrorism in the region and above all, stop threatening Israel.
Obama became the presumptive Democratic nominee Tuesday night, edging far
enough ahead of rival Senator Hillary Clinton to reach the majority of pledges
from elected and non-elected delegates.
Israeli Premier Ehud Olmert, who spoke at AIPAC Tuesday night, is expected to
pressure US President George W Bush in a meeting later Wednesday for stepped-up
American and international action against Iran and to prepare a possible
military strike against its nuclear facilities, the Yediot Ahronot daily
reported in Israel.
Obama told AIPAC he would "do everything in my power to prevent" the
Iranian threat.
He said a two-step approach was necessary to corral Iran and its expanding
threat to the region: intense diplomacy with Iran, and US demobilization out of Iraq, where he said the continued US presence served to feed Iran's and terrorist influence.
"We will pursue this diplomacy with no illusions about the Iranian
regime," Obama said.
If they cooperate, there will be rewards, he said.
If "Iran fails to follow course, it will be clear to people of Iran and the world that the Iranian regime is the author of its own" demise.
As reprisals, Obama cited "cutting off loan guarantees, to banning export
of refined petroleum to boycotting firms associated with the Iran Revolutionary
Guard."
Obama criticized US President George W Bush for "outsourcing"
diplomacy on Iran to Europe, and said as president, he would put Washington back at the forefront of negotiations.
"I will always keep the threat of military action on the table to defend
our security and our ally Israel," Obama said.
On the Palestinian conflict, Obama pledged support for a two-state solution
that would "preserve Israel's identity as a Jewish state" and keep Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel. Palestinians must recognize Israel as part of the solution, and should have a "contiguous and cohesive"
physical state, he said.
Obama also supported Israel's efforts to pursue peace talks with Syria, saying the US should not block those efforts. But he admonished Syria for its "support
for terror" and violence in Lebanon, saying it was time for "this
reckless behaviour to come to an end."
Clinton, who has not yet conceded the nomination to Obama, also spoke before
AIPAC, saying "we must show Palestinians that the path of reconciliation
is better than terrorism."
She said she was "deeply concerned about the growing threat in Gaza," where Hamas has built an arsenal using "sophisticated weapons from Iran."
She also took a swipe at Obama for his avowed willingness to talk to Hamas,
saying: "We must be clear about how we feel about our next president
negotiating with Hamas. Until Hamas ... recognizes Israel, negotiating with Hamas"
would be a terrible mistake, dpa reported.
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