WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama suggested Tuesday that Iran's nuclear program was not an immediate threat, but said new talks would "quickly" establish if Tehran wanted to end the crisis.
Obama stole some of the political limelight from Republican presidential hopefuls, holding his first White House news conference in five months as voters went to the polls in nationwide Super Tuesday nominating contests.
A day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he could not wait "much longer" for diplomacy on Iran to work, Obama also slammed Republicans for "big talk" and "bluster" and failing to consider the costs of war.
"This notion that somehow we have a choice to make in the next week or two weeks or month or two months is not borne out by the facts," Obama said, arguing a "window" for diplomacy could forestall and Iranian bomb.
Obama has also warned however that he will not tolerate Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon, would not attempt a containment policy and is prepared to strike at the appropriate time.
He spoke after world powers responded to Iran's new willingness to discuss the nuclear issue with an offer of talks, which Obama said would "quickly" show whether the Islamic republic was serious about avoiding war.
Obama, seeking a second term in November, argued that Iran was now feeling the "bite" of tightening sanctions though cautioned he did not expect a breakthrough in a first set of negotiations.
He also slammed Republican candidates for their hawkish statements demanding military action on Iran, after leading Republican candidate Mitt Romney earlier said "thugs and tyrants" only understood American readiness to use power.
"This is not a game, and there's nothing casual about it," Obama said.
"When I see the casualness with which some of these folks talk about war, I'm reminded of the costs involved in war," he said, talking of visiting wounded soldiers and writing condolence letters to families of fallen warriors.
"Sometimes we bear that cost, but we think it through. We don't play politics with it," he said, noting he and not his Republican foes bore the heavy responsibilities of US commander-in-chief.
"When we haven't thought it through, and it gets wrapped up in politics, we make mistakes."
Obama described the crackdown in Syria which has killed thousands of civilians as "heartbreaking" and "outrageous" and predicted that President Bashar al-Assad would eventually fall, like other regional tyrants.
But he warned that unlike Libya, where the United States and allies prevented a massacre, there was no case for outside intervention.
"For us to take military action, unilaterally, as some have suggested, or to think that somehow there's some simple solution, I think is a mistake," Obama said, pointing out that the Libyan operation attracted a UN Security Council mandate and cooperation from regional governments.
"This is a much more complicated situation."
Obama noted that he was holding his press conference on Super Tuesday, and beamed when asked what he would like to say to Romney, replying, "Good luck tonight," keeping his powder dry for a likely future clash later.
Romney, the Republican favorite, hopes to use key contests in Ohio and Tennessee which were among 10 states voting on Tuesday to position himself as presumptive nominee for November's presidential election.
But Obama did wade into controversy over conservative talk show icon Rush Limbaugh -- a hate figure for some -- who called a student a "slut" for arguing her college health plan should provide birth control.
"I don't know what's in Rush Limbaugh's heart, so I'm not going to comment on the sincerity of his apology," Obama said.
"All decent folks can agree that the remarks that were made don't have any place in the public discourse."
Recent surveys have shown Obama's personal job approval rating at around 50 percent, a crucial historical threshold for presidents seeking reelection, after three White House years marred by economic gloom.
COMMENTS (9)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
Yes, Iran has ambition to go nuclear, for "civilian purpose", but there's no evidence that it's building nuclear weapons. Yet Netanyahu and some of the Republican hopefuls have been beating the drums of war lately. Netanyahu claims Israel should attack Iran now, before it has its nukes, saying Iran poses a threat on israel. He's wants to attack a country based on a hypothetical threat.
@David Salmon: Dear David, I forgot something. You mentioned that Iran said they would destroy Israel. I would appreciate it if you would advise me where the article is that said this.
Dear David, Presuming that Iran does not have nukes, which is questionable, and it does get them; so what? So far, Iran has been the country with the highest ethics. To my knowledge, and unlike the U.S., Israel, U.K., France, and others, it has not bombed another country into the stone age, and killed several million people. If I am wrong on this I would appreciate your advise.
Obama has also warned however that he will not tolerate Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon, would not attempt a containment policy and is prepared to strike at the appropriate time. . That's as close to a policy statement as you can get - that means that the first time Iran tests a nuke will be the last time Iran test a nuke. The lesson that one should learn from the Iraq War is that playing games with the UN nuclear inspectors only enhances the paranoia of the USA. If Iran truly doesn't want nukes then they should fully cooperate - if not there is going to be a war and there will be no money left for rebuilding Iran.
Dear Heart and Tony C: Iran says it does not intend to build a nuclear bomb, and Obama says we perceive no "immediate" effort to do so. However, Iran is enriching uranium to a level that permits quick production of a bomb, it is is building and testing intercontinental missiles, and it says it intends to destroy Israel. If it really does not intend to build a bomb, why not let the UN IAEA agency verify that? It has rejected every opportunity to date. Are you OK with Iran and every other country in the Middle East developing nuclear weapons? I suppose so.
President Obama is really saying that Iran does not have nuclear weapons and is therefore not a threat. This would indicate, on the face of it, that all the propaganda we have been hearing from the U.S./Israel combo about Iran has been so much hogwash.
Open Msg to US: You made us to think and believe, what you want from us to think and believe. Previously, you were saying that Iran is the biggest threat and immediate action is mandatory. Now, you say that Iran's nukes not an immediate threat. You left us with no option, but to believe, what you says. Thank you for this enlightenment.
What comes next??? waiting...
Best President! Obama is the man! US had been acting as a hatchet man of Israel for far too long with enormous cost to the taxpayers. Israeli lobby in US is very powerful but Obama did not cave in. Israel had been using hapless US taxpayers to expand it's settlements by sucking in billions in aid.