U.S. juggles Israel-Iran issue

By Charley Keyes
CNN
WASHINGTON (CNN) - The State Department carefully steered through new questions Monday on whether the United States would approve an Israeli attack aimed at disrupting Iran's nuclear program.

Vice President Joe Biden revved up the issue Sunday when he said the United States can't dictate to Israel. "Israel can determine for itself - it's a sovereign nation - what's in their interest and what they decide to do relative to Iran and anyone else," Biden said on ABC's "This Week."

State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said Monday: "Our goal here is to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. When I say 'our" it is just not the United States - it is the international community.

"Israel is a sovereign country. We are not going to dictate its actions. We also are committed to Israel's security and we share Israel's deep concerns about Iran's nuclear program."

Asked if this could be interpreted as the United States flashing a green light for Israel, the number-one recipient of U.S. aid, to attack Iran's nuclear sites, Kelly said, "I certainly would not want to give a green light to any kind of military action."