Biden: Iran regime doomed?
Vice President Joe Biden went a bit off-message today, virtually predicting the collapse of the Iranian regime during an interview with Andrea Mitchell at MSNBC news.
Leaders of the theocratic regime in Tehran "are sowing the seeds of their own destruction," Biden said--he used that phrase twice--"in terms of their ability to hold on to power." He also opined that "the people of Iran ... they're thinking about regime change."
The vice president seemed to be saying that the violent crackdown by Supreme Leader Ali Khamanei is boomeranging badly, spurring on the "Green Movement"--as the opposition is known--and further delegitmizing Iran's current leaders.
Fair 'nuf. But Biden's comments mark a departure from the Obama administration's generally cautious approach to the political turmoil inside Iran. President Barack Obama has been careful not to completely embrace the Iranian opposition (which could tarnish their image as a home-grown movement). And the words "regime change" have not escaped any White House official's lips. Indeed, senior U.S. officials say an offer to negotiate with Tehran over its nuclear program is still on the table whenever Iran wants to pick it up.
Was Biden signalling a policy shift? Voicing his own opinion? Engaging in wishful thinking? Unclear.
The full interview can be found here. (Biden covered a lot of other ground. The Iran but begins at the 15:27 mark).
Every savvy president needs an easily-recognizable "loose cannon" in the administration. You need to float things that are or may be off-message. Biden fills an essential role.
Unrelated, re. Iran's alleged nuclear ambitions -- does no one recall the dangerous game Saddam played? He needed to comply with the UN resolutions without appearing to do so. Needed to look like he had WMDs without actually having them. In his case this strategy put a rope around his neck, but it sure seems like Iran is playing the same game.
Posted by: Ralph H. | February 03, 2010 at 04:54 PM
Oh, I hope that our righties don't find out that Iran's liberation movement is known as the "Green" movement; they instinctively work to defeat anything that has the word "Green" in its description.
Posted by: ibsteve2u | February 03, 2010 at 12:29 PM
Biden is very useful to the administration; he can say anything and people will put it down to his mouth being larger than his brain rather than official policy, and yet understand that it's what people on the inside are thinking.
Posted by: jamougha | February 03, 2010 at 12:16 PM