Obama and Biden Set U.S. Foreign Policy Course

In a speech last week in Munich, Germany, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden spelled out the Obama Administration's plan for American foreign policy in the coming four years. Although the speech heralded a major shift away from Bush Administration concepts and policies, nothing here was very surprising

Biden promised greater consultation with Europe, a new relationship with Russia, and a need to communicate with Iran. He also asked for help in finishing the war in Afghanistan and housing prisoners left in Guantanamo.

Two important quotes:

"We believe that international alliances and organizations do not diminish America's power. We believe they help us advance our collective security, economic interests and our values. So we'll engage. We'll listen. We'll consult."

And...

"We will continue to develop missile defenses to counter a growing Iranian capability, provided the technology is proven and it is cost effective. We will do so in consultation with you our NATO allies and with Russia."

The speech was presented at the Munich Security Conference where a day earlier, Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani used the same podium to blast the United States. Christian Brose of ForeignPolicy.com was there for the speech and posted this review:

"Larijani launched into a 20-minute rant about America's many historical sins against Iran, enumerating them as he went, beginning in 1958 with the backing of the Shah (#1) and continuing on up to the recent war in Gaza (#10 as I recall). Presumably this was just the abridged, modern history. Surely the Declaration of Independence was an affront to Persian dignity and an attempt to destabilize the Zand dynasty. With National Security Advisor James Jones sitting stoically in the front row, Larijani went on and on like this..."

The potential U.S. opening to Iran, discussed here last week, seems more and more like a long shot.