McCain Obama Faceoff - Both Agree A Nuclear Threat Would Pose A Grave Danger To Israel

The need to protect Israel from the vitriolic threats of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad formed the crux of a central argument between US presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain in their first debate Friday night.

The candidates disagreed over most issues covered, the war in Iraq, Pakistan and the financial crisis, but agreed a nuclear Iran would pose a grave danger to the State of Israel. McCain calledIran’s race for  nuclear weapons an "existential threat to the State of Israel" and other countries in the region, and declared "we cannot allow a second Holocaust," McCain declared.

Obama opted for diplomacy to quell the Iranian threat but said, "we cannot tolerate a nuclear Iran. It would be a game-changer. Not only would it threaten Israel, a country that is our stalwart ally, but it would also create an environment in which you could set up an arms race in the Middle East." The Republican candidate explained that negotiations vis a vis Iran would mean that “we’re going to sit down at the table without any precondition across the table to legitimize and give a propaganda platform to a person calling for the extermination of the State of Israel…..”Obama responded explaining that while he supported engaging in low level diplomatic talks but also “exploring contacts” with the Islamic Republic..

Obama added that “we also have to engage in tough, direct diplomacy with Iran,”adding that as Prtesident he would meet with anyone at his time and place of choosing if he felt it would keep America safe by doing so.Jim Lehrer news anchor for Public Broadcasting Service moderated the face off between 72 year old McCain and 47 year old Obama. 09/27/08