Biden still favors partitioned Iraq

WASHINGTON, July 31 (UPI) -- U.S. Sen. Joseph Biden, in an interview Tuesday, said recent good military news from Iraq has not changed his support for partitioning the country.

The Delaware Democrat, who is also a candidate for president, told NBC's Today Show there is no sign of political progress in the Iraqi government.

Biden has been advocating the creation of three autonomous regions in Iraq for more than a year. Interviewer Meredith Vieira asked him if he feels like gloating now that the plan appears to be gaining some backing in the Bush administration.

"Look, I don't care how they get there," he said. "But the bottom line is there's no possibility of establishing a strong central government based in Baghdad, based on a coalition of Sunni, Shi'a and Kurds. And what's starting to happen is they're giving more emphasis to the local regions."

Biden also said he believes he still has a chance to win the Democratic nomination next year, even though he is running far behind his Senate colleagues, Hillary Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois. He said that polls also show most Democrats are still open about who to vote for.