LIVE: House Vote on Rep. Jordan for New Speaker 2023-10-17 15:48

terror tunnels in Gaza over the years but the Hezbollah terror tunnels were dug over the course of several years inside those tunnels spray-painted on our way to Jerusalem they've been planning an attack for many many years the Israelis discovered them and stopped it but when I met with Prime Minister Netanyahu the most important topic we discussed the first time we discussed was Iran it was Iran's backing of Hamas and of Hezbollah and you can't make this up shortly after I returned to see President Biden releasing six billion dollars to the Iranians it's unconscionable the United States could be used in a war against our most important ally and that's Israel let's not forget in 1979 when Iran fell during the revolution the first Ayatollah came out and identified the United States as the great Satan and Israel as the little Satan that wasn't just discussed back in 1979 just do a search and see the most recent posts you will see the United States called out today by the Iranians as the great Satan and Israel as the little Satan we need to stand with Israel stop appeasing Iran this is a moment of moral clarity that is badly needed by our country we need this from President Biden to understand clearly who the true friends are and who the enemies are and Biden's ransom payment made the Iranians shows you where his true colors are and that's facilitating enabling Iran to continue to be the leading sponsor of terrorism in the world Ronald Reagan famously talked about peace through strength weakness is a provocation it's an incentive for the number one state sponsor of terrorism Iran and other autocratic countries like Russia and Ukraine like China and Asia to take action when they feel like America and its allies have let its guard down and unfortunately the message of the Biden administration has been one of appeasement of Iran looking back over the course of history Iranians of American blood on their hands dating back from at least 1979 during the Iranian Revolution and more recently in Iraq where they were the provider of explosively form penetrators which would penetrate the steel of our Humvees and other armored vehicles and kill American soldiers that's been well documented and more recently as you've heard they are the number one state sponsor of terrorism providing a hundred million dollars a year in assistance to Hamas and Hezbollah their proxies so it is absolutely critical having the deterrence having failed because of the Biden administration's willingness to make a deal with Iran on the nuclear issue and pay any price to release essentially Iranian oil sales around the world's defying the sanctions that have been put in place the Trump administration had a policy of maximum pressure on Iran which is what they understand but they also understand weakness as do our other friends our other enemies around the world President Putin is celebrating this attack of Hamas against Israel so is President Xi but they are watching to see what our response will be and it must be clear and unequivocal we stand with Israel and our allies and thank you Marshall and Marshall thank you for doing this so I just got off the phone about an hour ago to the Israeli ambassador he wanted to stress to me and I think all of us they're very worried about what Iran will do next so the idea you can bribe Iran to be normal doesn't work there's not enough money you can send these people to make them behave they have an agenda to destroy the Jewish state to purify Islam and come after us just I believe them when they say death to America they're not joking so isolate Iran weaken Iran destroy Hamas is the objective right why now why so vicious the Israeli ambassador told me and I agree they believe this attack was directed by Iran using Hamas to stop the effort to normalize between Saudi Arabia and Israel the biggest nightmare for the ayatollah is for the Arab world to march toward the light work with Israel to have a better life for everybody in the region that's why they did this they're trying to destroy the normalization of Saudi Arabia and Israel they're trying to get Israel in on the ground be vicious these are religious Nazis not only should we cut off all the money we should put on the table that if there's a second front open against Israel by Hezbollah that has a hundred thousand precision-guided rockets pointed at Israel if that happens there will not be a two-front war there be a three-front war there's either going to be one front or three fronts I'm begging the Biden administration to be clear just don't say don't spell out what happens if Hezbollah is used by Iran to try to expand this war and destroy Israel appreciate the aircraft carriers strike groups going into the region we have the capability but we need to have the will I believe the people behind me would rise to the occasion and I hope their people on the other side would rise the occasion if this war escalates and if Hezbollah opens up another front in a serious way to destroy and overwhelm the Israeli Iron Dome defenses that we would be going after the great Satan the great Satan is not the United States or Israel is Iran. Thank you Marsh for doing this we have a lot of people in Florida that were over in Israel on holiday they've got a lot of relatives and friends there I have one individual I talked to that his his sister-in-law's family three kids I think two six-year-olds three and the parents are all just murdered shot in the head we've got I talked to an individual at a kibbutz that I visited with my wife in 2019 she was fortunately was out of town but the people on her left they were everybody in every house on her street everybody was murdered the babies were beheaded teenage girls were raped and then burnt burnt alive so that's what we're dealing with so this is not just Hamas this is Iran what are we doing what is the Biden administration thinking that how can you ever do something with somebody that wants to destroy you and destroy your friends so we have to make sure this money does not go to Iran but but I'm in the camp with Lindsay we have got to send a message to Iran this has to stop unless you you you're mean if it doesn't stop you will be attacked I mean this is the only way this is gonna end and their goal is to destroy Israel destroy every Jew and destroy every American we have 30 Americans died we've got Americans held hostage this administration needs to show up and start worrying about the people spent more time worrying about Americans and the in Israel then does about having some relationship with Iran with in the Palestinians it's disgusting what this administration is doing well look the White House has to make a choice you cannot be pro-Israel and pro-Iran you have to make that decision there's no way that you can support both of these people I have a hunch that the moment the Biden administration unfroze the six billion dollars was the sentinel moment when the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard told Hamas let's go forward with this plan that we've had going on here Joe Biden is the most pro-Iranian president we've ever had think about it goes way beyond this six billion dollars we're talking about under this administration the Iranian reserves that went from six billion to sixty billion dollars so they have sixty billion dollars in reserve well how come well since the moment Joe Biden got in office he turned his head to the sanctions that we've had the Iranian ghost Armada has grown from 60 ships to 300 ships taken Iranian or Russian oil and selling that to China now the to the tune of a billion dollars a week so Joe Biden is allowing Iran to make a billion dollars a week now to fund terrorism let's think about Joe Biden's relationship with Iran for just a second here for them even the time he's campaigning he all but guaranteed that Iran would to be able to develop nuclear weapons and for all practical purposes they have them they've enriched uranium up to 60% they can put that uranium in series and quickly have an atomic bomb think about the consequences of that so Iran not only funds the terrorists they feed the terrorists they arm the terrorists they plan the terrorist attacks just like they plan this attack as well they coordinate all these terrorist attacks Joe Biden is in bed with Iran for all practical purposes he empowers them so he says he's pro-Israel but his actions say he's pro-Iran and you have to choose one or the other the White House is yet to come out with a clear vision but let me tell you what I think that the vision should be first and foremost our number one priority should be able to get American hostages and American citizens back home safely next Lindsay he's need to tell it tell Iran exactly what the plan is going forward here we need they need to own very clearly what the consequences are we need maximum sanctions on them they need to know if there's any hint of them developing nuclear warheads that we will in that up up front and very very quickly so we need to disembowel a relationship with our Iran and condemn them why won't this White House step up and condemn Iran yet have we heard anything yet from this White House condemning what Iran has done and then finally this this is the third the thirtieth point we need to make let's talk about Hamas just for a second in the same sense that the United States cannot tolerate nuclear warheads in Cuba Israel cannot live with Hamas in the Gaza Strip thank you thank you senator Blackburn for putting this together and also thank you for your leadership immediately upon the atrocities that we saw you spring into action and she led a letter to the president with many of us saying we must freeze refreeze the six billion dollars headed to Iran when we see what's happening in Israel y'all it is pure evil you can't look at it as a parent as an American just as a person and not be able to say that it's not only disheartening it's not only gut wrenching it is without a doubt evil and I believe as Americans we must look evil in the eye and take it down we must stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Israel as they eradicate Hamas terrorists these terrorists don't care they don't care how many men they kill how many women they rape how many children they kidnap if you haven't watched the video of the children the toddlers the babies being held by terrorists them using them as human shields go watch it if you haven't listened to the reporters tell about walking in to the place where these atrocities happened them giving their recount of what they saw what it felt like go watch it we cannot turn a blind eye to evil we must stand firm with Israel and I am hopeful that the Biden administration will do much more than just refreezing the six billion dollars that is headed to Iran we know what to do we've got to squeeze out any type of financial resources they're getting through that through also working with our g7 colleagues to make sure that we return to a posture of maximum maximum pressure bone-crushing sanctions drying up each and every dollar that is headed to their hands we know that Iran is the world's largest state sponsor of terrorists we know that we know they have told us that their goal is to wipe Israel off the face of this earth we need our leaders to stand firm and a calling them accountable and then knowing that Hamas not only wants to wipe out Israel but has said that they want to wipe out the Jewish people to all of the people here in America to those suffering and hurting in Israel we want you to know we stand with you and we stand ready to do everything possible to not only hold these keep people accountable but ensure your safety and prosperity moving forward thank you I thank my colleagues I thank senator Blackburn for getting us together on this this critical critical issue look the level of barbarism that we've seen here it is nothing short of evil over 1,400 children women men brutally murdered 30 Americans killed dozens missing or presumed hostage my office is working on dozens of cases of extraction or getting these hostages home Hamas terrorists was not have been able to execute such a heinous series of attacks without support from Iran we know that that's why President Biden's six billion dollar giveaway to the regime was absolutely so dangerous that gave rise to the very issue that we've been dealing with these last ten days it was a ransom payment to the world's number one state sponsor of terror and sadly the irony is that give back was announced on September 11th that just showed more Biden weakness when what we need around the world is more American strength we should be standing shoulder to shoulder with the state of Israel and we should give them everything that they need to destroy Hamas we stand with Israel and we must end this appeasement strategy by the Biden ministration toward Iran I'm glad the president finally saw some common sense and temporarily freezing the six billion dollars but let's remember this was a deal cut in secret by the Biden administration and if the Wall Street Journal reports are accurate Iran was double dealing with us talking to Hamas planning this attack at the same time they're negotiating getting the six billion dollars from us that just shows you the level of contempt that Iran has for the Biden administration it is naive and stupid to think that if we give them enough money that Iran will play nice it's not going to happen the six billion dollars is part of an overall package of fifty billion dollars in sanction relief that the administration the Biden administration has given back to Iran this must end these brutal attacks on our closest ally in the Middle East demonstrate that this must end we must stop this foolishness of thinking that we can be bring Iran around we must make sure that this stops and remember what the Biden administration said is oh look this six billion dollars this is for humanitarian aid it's for food how dumb do they think we are right if you have $60 you spend on groceries and I give you $60 say hey go spend this on groceries you know spend that $60 on anything you want money can be spent anywhere and in fact the Iranians I have to look many have said they're going to spend the money any way they want and has already been noted here they're largest sponsor of state terrorism the largest state sponsor of terrorism it is crazy to give them money so they can support Hamas and whether or not they actually plan this attack with Moss or not they have been supporting Hamas and they are responsible for this attack and so I joined my colleagues in saying that this must end we must stop supporting Iran and we must send a very strong message that we stand with Israel I want us to thank senator Blackburn for her efforts to be able to make this happen I'm also on board with some of the other bills like by Senator Scott and Senator Cotton to stop this as well but let me tell you temporarily freezing six billion dollars when we have seen the atrocities in Israel does not cut it all of this money needs to be stopped and stopped permanently and that's why I appreciate the effort of Senator Blackburn and my colleagues to make sure that happens we must end this appeasement strategy toward Iran we must stand with Israel. Thank you. Questions? Senator, I have a question about recognizing Senator Graham's adoption. He's confirmed to have a third child as well potentially. If that were true and the U.S. found itself involved, wouldn't this be a time to press Senator Cooperville to lift his holds on all of the senior military officials? Aren't those related to national security? The Democrats know they could call those up one at a time and do them they could have been doing them for months. What we need to do right now is make certain that Israel knows we stand with them. Yes, go ahead. Iran's defense minister has threatened a preemptive strike for this organization by Israel. How serious do you think that the U.S. Biden administration should take those threats when considering supporting Israel? What specifically do you think the Biden administration should do? Should Iran get involved? Should come again? You're asking if Iran? Yes, the defense minister has threatened a preemptive strike. Will Iran get involved again? What do you think the Biden administration should do? Should that happen? How serious do you think it should be? I think you have to confront the evils of Iran and Hamas and remember Iran is enabling Hamas and Hezbollah with strength. And they have to understand that there will be consequences to this kind of behavior. And I think the United States, obviously as they think about and you heard earlier Senator Graham and others talk about having a clear plan but if they were to try and escalate or in some way further what's already been done, then I think they have to understand there will be a response that needs to be a swift one. And it shouldn't be just the United States. It should be all of our allies, not only in the region but around the world. Well, I think you have to, I don't want you to take any option off the table. I think you have to be prepared to respond to what is a clear provocation and not only terrible loss of life for Israel but also, as has already been pointed out it doesn't stop at Israel. I mean, Iran, we are the next target. And I think people need to understand this has national security implications, not just for Israel and that region, but for the United States. You talked about the destabilizing forces of the Islamic Republic in the region and their support for terrorism. Over a year ago, after a woman was killed in Iran by the morality police, the people of Iran took it to the streets and they called for regime change in Iran. And lots of people have been killed since then. More than 20,000 people have been put in jail. What they've witnessed so far is a Biden administration that turned its back on them and Iran envoy started downgrading the calls for regime change to reform. And Congress showed some sympathy. Do you think now that the Iranian authorities are attacking U.S. allies in Congress, there will be more support for Iranian people's aspirations and their call for a regime change? We have continued to talk with individuals in Tennessee that are of Iranian descent and hear from them about how young people in Iran want to see a regime change and want to see that freedom. I think when you look at the brutality of this attack on Israel, people recognize that Hamas has been designated since 1997 as a terrorist organization. In the United States, they understand that they are a proxy of Iran and now they realize that Iran is the globe's largest sponsor of terrorism. And they're wanting to see something done. Yes? I just want to clarify, earlier there was a conversation about striking Iran. Do you guys agree with Senator Graham that the United States should directly strike Iran? What is that red line? Because there's already rocket fire going back and forth. Senator Graham speaks his own mind on these issues and there isn't anybody who's a greater ally and friend of Israel than Senator Graham. I think that as you think through, the administration clearly needs to have a plan, think through the progression of various things that could or couldn't happen. I think that I will let Senator Graham speak for himself on that subject, but I just think we have to be prepared and our allies have to be prepared in the event the Iranians try to escalate this. And hopefully they'll think better of it. There's a lot of chest-pounding that's going on right now, which in the end, if they think long and hard about it, the consequences for them if they try to orchestrate rocket attacks from the north, from Hezbollah or other types of Syria, I just think they have to be prepared for what inevitably will be a response. And that response could be very consequential for them. And I don't know what form it takes, but I just think our military has to be prepared for that and understand that this is part of a broad effort. Iran's furnishing drones in Ukraine. Malign activity doesn't stop at the border of Gaza. This is a nation which clearly has in its sights not only Israel, but the United States. Thanks, everybody.