Joe Biden, the US Democratic Party’s vice-presidential candidate, condemned Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah on Thursday night, but mixed up Hezbollah with Syria.

Speaking in a debate with his opponent, Republican candidate Sarah Palin, he referred to the US’s Middle East policy by saying, “When we kicked - along with France - we kicked Hezbollah out of Lebanon,” a statement assumed to confuse Hezbollah with Syria.

Biden said that both he and Democrat presidential candidate Barack Obama had said, “‘Move NATO forces in there. Fill the vacuum, because if you don't know - if you don't, Hezbollah will control it.’”

He went on to say, “Now what's happened? Hezbollah is a legitimate part of the government in the country immediately to the north of Israel.”

He also expressed concerns about Iran and groups in Lebanon that he associated with the Iranian government. “The only thing on the march is Iran,” he said. “It's closer to a bomb. Its proxies now have a major stake in Lebanon.”

After saying that elections in the West Bank had been a mistake because they had led to the election of Hamas,  Biden promised that Democrat policy in the region would be one of “thoughtful, real, live diplomacy that understands that you must back Israel in letting them negotiate, support their negotiation, and stand with them.”

-  NOW Staff