Ted Cruz

Right.

Look, we weren't doing it for Iran's neighbors.

We weren't doing it for Saudi Arabia or UAE or Qatar.

We weren't doing it for Europe and we weren't doing it for Israel.

I know all of the Jew haters online like to say it's for Israel, it's for Israel, it's for Israel.

The Ayatollah chanted death to America.

He also chanted death to Israel.

But there's a reason the Ayatollah called Israel the little Satan and America the great Satan.

I believe if the Ayatollah had a nuclear weapon, he might have detonated it in Tel Aviv and killed vast numbers of Israelis.

But I actually think it is more likely if he could.

He would detonate a nuclear weapon in New York City or Los Angeles and kill as many Americans as possible.

That is, look, when he calls us the great Satan and understand this is not hypothetical.

I want to underscore my view.

I am, as a general matter, very reluctant to use military force.

I think the Iraq war was a mistake.

I have been vocal for a long time that the Iraq war was a mistake.

Why do I think it was a mistake?

Because Saddam Hussein was not waging war against the United States.

He was not killing vast numbers of Americans.

He was not pledging to kill vast numbers of Americans.