Here’s How Ted Cruz Wants to Make Iran Pay for Downing a U.S. Drone

Alex Nitzberg | June 25, 2019 1:20 PM

Last week, the Islamic Republic of Iran shot down a U.S. drone, and Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) wants to make Iran pay for it -- quite literally.

His plan: Seize frozen Iranian cash as a reimbursement for the cost of the drone. The conservative Senator got the retribution ball rolling yesterday by filing an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would explore the issues involved in implementing such a plan.

Yesterday I filed an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that begins process forcing #Iran to pay for the U.S. drone they shot down, using frozen Iranian funds. #FY20NDAA #NDAA --> pic.twitter.com/AuUYl6ZonZ
— Senator Ted Cruz (@SenTedCruz) June 25, 2019

The amendment calls for the president to provide Congress information, including the value of the downed drone, an estimate of frozen Iranian money under American jurisdiction, an explanation of any legal hindrances to seizing Iranian money and giving said money to the Department of Defense, and an explanation any “statutory changes that would be necessary to remove” those hindrances.

In its reporting on this story, The Washington Free Beacon noted that the cost for the drone “could be anywhere from $120 million to $220 million, according to sources familiar with the matter.” While the Iranian regime claims the drone was flying in its airspace, the U.S. calls that contention utterly false and asserts that the drone was moving through international airspace.

Iran leadership doesn’t understand the words “nice” or “compassion,” they never have. Sadly, the thing they do understand is Strength and Power, and the USA is by far the most powerful Military Force in the world, with 1.5 Trillion Dollars invested over the last two years alone..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 25, 2019