On the recordSeptember 10, 2015
I have been a Member of this body for nearly four decades. During that time, I have had the honor of participating in numerous debates that shaped the course of our future, but I can think of none more important than the one in which we are now engaged. The Iranian regime is one of our most dangerous foes. It has declared the United States to be the ``Great Satan.'' It has repeatedly claimed its intent to ``wipe Israel off the map.'' It has perpetrated violence against American servicemen and civilians alike. It has sewn conflict across the most volatile region of the world. And it has repressed its people by some of the most ghastly methods imaginable. Indeed, we should remember throughout this debate that our quarrel is not with the Iranian people. The Iranian people are our friends. We should remember throughout our plight and their desire for a cooperative relationship with the United States and the rest of the world. Instead, it is the dictatorial and fanatical regime that seeks to build and even use nuclear weapons, to destabilize the entire region, and to kill Americans and Israelis. Given the threat posed by this rogue regime, preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability is absolutely critical. It is a goal shared across party lines as well as among many of our friends and allies abroad. All of us here prefer to prevent Iran from acquiring this capability by diplomatic means if possible rather than by armed conflict.…
