Ted Budd: “over the weekend, our Nation lost three servicemembers in a drone attack in Jordan. Responsibility for this attack rests…”

“over the weekend, our Nation lost three servicemembers in a drone attack in Jordan. Responsibility for this attack rests with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Sadly, what happened over the weekend, it is not a surprise. It has been happening for months. Iran and their proxies have launched more than 165 attacks against U.S. troops across the Middle East and countless more against commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea. There has been a consistent drumbeat of Iranian-backed proxy attacks since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. A few things are clear about this situation. First, Iran and its proxies, they do not currently fear the United States. Second, Iran is intent on harming the United States, our servicemembers, and our interests. Third, Iran is aiming to push the United States out of the Middle East in a bid for complete regional power. We can't let this takeover happen. Iranian dominance in the Middle East would jeopardize the free flow of international trade; it would endanger important energy resources as well as damage America's counterterrorism efforts. And in the shadow of October 7, if we were to abandon our Middle East allies, it would be open season on Israel and the Jewish people. I have heard the views of many in this Chamber, ranging from those who favor an immediate military offensive inside Iran to those who want the United States to leave the region altogether.…”