[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 5 (Thursday, January 9, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Page S99]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                  IRAN

  Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, over the past year, the Iranian regime 
has been increasingly aggressive, attacking oil tankers in the Persian 
Gulf, shooting down a U.S. drone, seizing a British tanker, attacking a 
Saudi oil facility, attacking U.S. military bases in Iraq, and storming 
the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.
  The U.S. response to Iran's increasing provocations had been too 
measured, to the point that we risked Iran's leaders mistaking 
restraint on the part of America for weakness and encouraging further 
escalation.
  Another attack that risked many American lives was in the works when 
President Trump ordered U.S. forces to take out the terrorist 
mastermind of the Iranian regime.
  Now, think about it. Sometimes you have to stand up to a bully to get 
him to back off or else we might be inviting further aggression.
  I yield the floor.

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