President Barack Obama aggressively defended against partisan attacks on his record of support for Israel Sunday, while also seeking to calm fears among some in the Jewish community that his administration is unwilling to use military might to confront Iran over its nuclear program.
“There should not be a shred of doubt by now: when the chips are down, I have Israel’s back,” Obama said in a morning speech to the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee policy conference in Washington.
“Over the last three years, as President of the United States, I have kept my commitments to the state of Israel. At every crucial juncture – at every fork in the road – we have been there for Israel. Every single time.”
And while Obama spoke of room for diplomacy on Iran, he also took a step towards those who have been urging him to be more explicit about the possibility of using the U.S. military to try to demolish the country’s nuclear program.
“When it comes to preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, I will take no options off the table, and I mean what I say,” Obama said in his half-hour speech. “That includes all elements of American power: A political effort aimed at isolating Iran; a diplomatic effort to sustain our coalition and ensure that the Iranian program is monitored; an economic effort that imposes crippling sanctions; and, yes, a military effort to be prepared for any contingency."
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