Cotton: Iran Nuke Threat May Be Worse Than Russia

Sen. Tom Cotton didn't disagree with incoming Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford that Russia is America's greatest threat, but did say Sunday that Iran's intent to harm American cannot be doubted.

"I think Russia is serious threat," Cotton said on "Face the Nation."  One reason, he said is the legacy nuclear weapons left over from the Soviet Union. But whether they have that intent is an open question.

"With Iran, they clearly have intent," he said. "Just two days ago their president was chanting 'Death to America' and burning the American flag with people in Tehran."

Like other Republicans, Cotton said the United States should be willing to walk away from the negotiating table rather than continue to grant Iran more concessions.

The problem, he said, is that Iran doesn't take President Barack Obama at his word that he would actually use the military option if Iran decides to begin nuclear weapons.

The United States keeps giving more concessions, sending a bad lesson to the Iranians, Cotton said.

House Speaker John Boehner, appearing on the same program, reiterated the Republican position that "No deal is better than a bad deal."

"From everything that's leaked from these negotiations, the administration's backed away from almost all of the guidelines that they set out for themselves," Boehner said. "If in fact there's no agreement, the sanctions will get back in place. At some point Iranian regime have to change their behavior."


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