David E. Sanger

Right.

And thousands, if not tens of thousands, who were killed.

And at that time, the president declared that he was going to come aid the protesters.

And that began the huge military buildup all around Iran that we've discussed before.

Two aircraft carriers, hundreds of bombers, fighter jets, refuelers.

Just a huge buildup.

But even as the buildup began, the president decided to go ahead with a diplomatic conversation with Iran, one that was limited almost entirely to the future of the nuclear program.

We can't tell yet whether that was a serious effort or just for show.

But three administration officials who briefed us on this effort on Saturday made the case that in two or three separate meetings in Geneva, they were pressing the Iranians on whether they would be willing to give up all of their enrichment capability, the ability to produce nuclear fuel.

At one point, U.S.

officials told us they even offered to supply uranium for free to the Iranians for forever so that the U.S.

stayed in control of how it was enriched and to make sure that it couldn't be used for a weapon.

And they maintain that the Iranians turned that down and that when they reported that back to President Trump, that was sort of the breaking point.

Well, the Iranians were clearly ready to retaliate.

And it was only a few hours before we began hearing reports of missile attacks and drone attacks.

aimed at the U.S.

base in Bahrain.

We've been hit.

We've been hit.

Aimed at Dubai.