Reply #58: OK thanks for the sound bite quote, now here is what he meant by the full quote...

[Blackhatjack]

The partial sound bite quote you cited "... To ensure that Iran never gets nuclear weapons, we need to keep all options on the table. ... Let me reiterate – all options."

Edwards was talking about his approach compared to the present Bush approach to heading off Iran obtaining nuclear weapons, in which Bush's approach has been limited to a show of military force and failure to talk to Iran directly and eventually using military force.

As Edwards explained in his Meet The Press appearance yesterday, and in his interview in The American Prospect, the 'all options on the table' approach includes diplomacy first, engagement with other regional countries in the Middle East, direct talks with Iran and Syria, partnering with Europe which has economic clout with Iran, crafting of economic incentives that appeal to the Iranian people, isolation of Ahmadinejad, ramped up economic sanctions if Ahmadinejad fails to respond, and above all no military attack on Iran which would rally the Iranian people to Ahmadinejad's side. He also explained, you never take the military option off the table in dealing with anyone, which Clinton and Carter both refused to do during their tenures as President.

Also he specifically stated a military attack on Iran would be a disaster, and he recommended that the US and Europe provide Iran with all the nuclear fuel they needed to make electricity on the condition that the US would handle the 'cycling' of the nuclear material so that it would never be turned into bomb making material.

Now there is no doubt that an Iranian government ruled by religious leaders having nuclear weapons would be a major threat to the existence of Israel, since they have not withdrawn their intent to wipe Israel off the map. There is no doubt Israel is a US ally. But much more important, Israel has nuclear weapons, and a nuclear conflict in the Middle East would be the most catastrophic situation to arise for the world at large in this generation.

You need to separate the facts from the 'spin' that Pat Buchanan ascribes to this sound bite quote, and read the American Prospect interview and listen to Edwards on Meet the Press for a fuller understanding of exactly what Edwards means when he refers to 'keeping all options on the table.'