On Middle East, McCain Vows to Stay the Course

By Jim Lobe

"WASHINGTON, Jun 2 (IPS) - In a major address on Middle East policy Monday, Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican candidate for president, pledged to maintain the Bush administration's hard line against Iran and expressed strong scepticism about the ability of the current Palestinian leadership to reach a peace accord with Israel......

But, in addressing AIPAC, the most powerful group of the collection of organisations known as the "Israel Lobby", McCain appeared determined to show his agreement with those in Israel and the U.S. Jewish community who believe that a nuclear-armed Iran is unacceptable.

And, while he did not repeat the Bush administration's mantra that "all options", including a military attack, should remain "on the table" in dealing with the alleged threat, he suggested that he would resort to such measures when he focused on the post-Holocaust promise of "never again".

"(W)hen we join in saying 'never again,' that is not a wish, a request, or a plea to the enemies of Israel. It is a promise that the United States and Israel will honour, against any enemy who cares to test us," he declared to enthusiastic applause in the cavernous Washington Convention Centre.

Indeed, just about half of his four-page speech was taken up by Iran, which is also AIPAC's number one priority for the year......

Speaking immediately after McCain's address, former deputy assistant secretary for the Near East Elizabeth Cheney -- who is also Vice President Dick Cheney's daughter -- deplored Israel's failure "to do what was needed to be done to Hezbollah" in the 2006 war and the Bush administration's failure to enforce "red lines" against Iranian advances in the region. Washington, she declared, must clearly state that if Iranians "don't give up diplomatically (to U.N. demands that it freeze its nuclear programme), they will face military action."......

While McCain devoted most of his remarks to Iran, he also showed little confidence in the Annapolis process which, he said, awaits a "Palestinian leadership willing and able to deliver peace." He also rejected engagement of Hamas, insisting that "a peace process that places faith in terrorists can never end in peace."......

On Lebanon, McCain said peace would only be possible when there were "no independent militias, no Hezbollah fighters, no weapons and equipment flowing to Hezbollah." He said the U.S. should provide more economic assistance, as well as military aid, to its central government in order to compete with Syria and Iran there."