Congressman Dold's Floor Speech on Iran

This morning I took to the House floor to deliver a speech urging my colleagues in Congress to continue focusing on Iran’s nuclear weapons program, and to affirmatively make clear that a policy of “containment” has no place at the table – such a policy would place the United States and our allies at the mercy of a madman and it would unleash unparalleled consequences.  The United States has a special responsibility to lead the world in stopping this Iranian regime’s drive to a nuclear weapon, and I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure that the United States leads with the necessary urgency on Iran.

Below, you can see the text and video of my floor speech today on Iran.

"Mr. Speaker -

In stopping a nuclear armed Iran, 2012 will be as critical a year as ever - that is a fact.  

But if we in this chamber speak as one, with a bipartisan, unambiguous voice, we can drive the conversation all around the world.  And that does mean something - because the United States must lead the world; it is an abdication of our responsibility and leadership if we leave the Iranian threat to anyone else. 

This Iranian regime is already the leading state sponsor of terrorism in the world; they are responsible for killing American soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan; they fuel Assad's slaughter in Syria; and they were behind the recently-foiled terror plot right here on American soil in Washington DC. Now imagine what they would do under a nuclear umbrella of their own making.  

And this is why we - this Congress and this administration - must anticipate what comes next.  We must clearly establish that containment has no place at the table - such a policy places us at the mercy of a madman and it would unleash unparalleled consequences like this world has never scene. 

This is what's at stake.”