Reacting to the U.S. killing of Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander and terrorist Qasem Soleimani, on Friday, NBC’s Today show warned of “the entire region on edge” and feared that the death of the “iconic military leader” created a “more dangerous world.”
“Breaking overnight, deadly attack. The U.S. kills Iran’s top general in a dramatic air strike at Baghdad’s airport, under direct orders from President Trump,” co-host Hoda Kotb proclaimed at the top of the broadcast. After fretting that the Middle East was “on edge,” she continued: “Iran vowing retaliation amid fears the two nations are on the brink of an all-out war. Oil prices already skyrocketing.”
Minutes later, chief foreign affairs correspondent Andrea Mitchell eulogized Soleimani as “an iconic military leader” who “led forces in Iraq, Syria, and throughout the Middle East.” She then acknowledged: “American officials believe he was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American soldiers during the Iraq war, branding him a terrorist.”
During an interview that followed with retired Navy Admiral and NBC News military analyst James Stavridis, fill-in co-host and Nightly News anchor Lester Holt worried that the death of a terrorist with so much American blood on his hands somehow made the world less safe: “Is it a new day for Americans overseas right now? Is this a more dangerous world we’re waking up to?”
Stavridis agreed: “Unfortunately it is, Lester.” While admitting that Soleimani was “evil,” the Admiral went on to remember the brutal Iranian official as “a brilliant man, he was the Cardinal Richelieu, he was the Machiavelli...”
The analyst added: “...we are better for his chess piece coming off the chess board. But that’s tactics, strategy – our strategy is going to put a lot of Americans at risk globally.”
Holt wrapped up the interview by referring to “troubling times right now” in the wake of Soleimani’s death.
Here are excerpts of the January 3 coverage:
7:00 AM ET
HODA KOTB: Breaking overnight, deadly attack. The U.S. kills Iran’s top general in a dramatic air strike at Baghdad’s airport, under direct orders from President Trump. This morning, the entire region on edge. Iran vowing retaliation amid fears the two nations are on the brink of an all-out war. Oil prices already skyrocketing. While here at home, Democrats call the military action reckless. We’ll have the very latest on the strike, the fallout, and what’s next.
(...)
7:03 AM ET
ANDREA MITCHELL: Today, what experts are calling a watershed moment in the 40-year cold war between the U.S. and Iran’s regime, with many U.S. officials in both parties glad that a leading Iranian military figure is gone, but critics calling it a reckless act that could lead to a dangerous reprisals.
(...)
7:04 AM ET
MITCHELL: Soleimani, an iconic military leader, led forces in Iraq, Syria, and throughout the Middle East. American officials believe he was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American soldiers during the Iraq war, branding him a terrorist.
(...)
7:10 AM ET
LESTER HOLT: We want to bring in retired four-star retired U.S. Navy Admiral James Stavridis, He served as the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO and is now an NBC News analyst. Admiral, we’re glad you joined us. Have we – is it a new day for Americans overseas right now? Is this a more dangerous world we’re waking up to?
JAMES STAVRIDIS: Unfortunately it is, Lester, and just to add a gad point to my good friend Richard’s analysis of Soleimani, we ought to begin by saying he is an evil man and a brilliant man, he was the Cardinal Richelieu, he was the Machiavelli, we are better for his chess piece coming off the chess board. But that’s tactics, strategy – our strategy is going to put a lot of Americans at risk globally.
And if I were an Iranian planner right now, I’d look at three things. Number one, U.S. Navy ships operating in the Persian Gulf. I think they will be under a lot of scrutiny by Iran. I think number two, our worldwide forces, so everything from western Afghanistan through the Middle East, to Europe, to Asia, all of those will be potential targets. And finally, Lester, we ought to be very concerned about a cyber attack. It is a classic Iranian tool. They’re very capable, probably one of the top five nations in the world in this offensive cyber ability.
(...)
7:12 AM ET
HOLT: And that gets to my question, what is the strategy, the administration’s strategy as you see it right now?
STAVRIDIS: Unfortunately, I don’t see an overarching strategy.
(...)
STAVRIDIS: How do you construct a strategic narrative to convince the world that we are thinking strategically? That’s not what I’m seeing so far. It’s going to be a busy and challenging day for the President as he hopefully tries to put all of that together for us.
HOLT: Yeah, troubling times right now.
(...)
