Depending on whom you ask, Vice President Biden called the crown prince of the United Arab Emerites either to apologize for or to clarify remarks made last week at Harvard University.
#Flash: @VP Joe Biden Called UAE Prince on Sunday to clarify remarks he made at Harvard, “I didnt mean that” http://t.co/QQqby8w6qD
— ilhan tanir (@WashingtonPoint) October 5, 2014
Ridiculous all around. The optics alone are awful… Biden calls #UAE prince to clarify remarks on #Syria http://t.co/WCrdQlGJcp
— Milena Rodban (@MilenaRodban) October 5, 2014
Vice President Joe Biden on Sunday called the crown prince of the United Arab Emirates to clarify that he did not mean to imply in his remarks last week that the Gulf ally was supporting al-Qaida fighters in Syria.
Biden spoke with Prince Mohamed bin Zayed, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi and a key Emirati leader, the White House said.
It was the second time in two days that Biden had to call a key partner in President Barack Obama’s coalition to walk back comments he made on Thursday, when he said that U.S. allies — including Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the UAE — had funded and armed extremist groups linked to al-Qaida.
Earlier Sunday, an exasperated UAE requested “a formal clarification” from Biden on comments that America’s allies in the Middle East sent weapons and cash to extremists fighting in Syria.
The White House said Biden clarified his remarks and recognized the UAE’s strong steps to counter extremists and participation in U.S.-led airstrikes.
On Saturday, Biden already called to apologize to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the White House said.
“The vice president apologized for any implication that Turkey or other allies and partners in the region had intentionally supplied or facilitated the growth of ISIL or other violent extremists in Syria,” the White House said, using an acronym for the Islamic State group.
Let me clarify this for the UAE. Biden is an idiot. News from The Associated Press http://t.co/UlLYJ09kea
— George Carl (@georgecarl1955) October 5, 2014
Not good. @VP Biden makes statement on #ISIL & Key Ally wants him to Clarify in Public. http://t.co/HiD9q0IlSH #TCOT #ISIS
— Peter Thiele – Handsome Man (@PeterThiele) October 5, 2014
The telephone apology tour continues…
"@vp Biden calls #UAE prince to clarify remarks on #Syria" http://t.co/M2q6udCdoa— Matt Lee (@APDiploWriter) October 5, 2014
Biden has to call Turkish PM and UAE Prince to "clarify and apologize for remarks". PLEASE OBLAMEA…DO NOT RESIGN!!!
— Robert Ward (@CoachRobertWard) October 5, 2014
https://twitter.com/redsteeze/status/518868195403653120
Foot in mouth disease==>#Biden call UAE Prince to clarify remarks on Syria. #politics http://t.co/ZNxFgfQ6qK
— Eddie (@fazetti51) October 5, 2014
Biden "The one man wrecking ball in foreign relations". Has to call UAE prince to apologize for remarks he made. http://t.co/VIBOrDBRK7
— Text Trump to 88022 (@LJSpagnoli) October 5, 2014
#Biden new VM message " You have reached Vice President Joseph #Biden, I would like to apologize for implying that you supported #ISIS …"
— Zemrag (@Zemrag7) October 5, 2014
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