>>> THE UNITED STATES IS SENDING APPROXIMATELY 1,000 ADDITIONAL
TROOPS TO THE MIDDLE EAST.
THAT’S IN ADDITION TO THE
ROUGHLY 1,500 ADDITIONAL TROOPS
PRESIDENT TRUMP ANNOUNCED HE WAS
SENDING TO THE REGION BACK IN
LATE MAY.
LATE MAY. IN A STATEMENT ACTING DEFENSE
SECRETARY PATRICK SHANAHAN SAYS
THE DEPLOYMENT COMES FOLLOWING A
REQUEST FROM THE U.S. CENTRAL
COMMAND AND IS, QUOTE, FOR
DEFENSIVE PURPOSES TO ADDRESS
AIR, NAVAL AND GROUND BASE
THREATS IN THE REGION.
JOINING THE TABLE, THE CO-HOST
OF "MORNING JOE" "FIRST LOOK,"
YASMIN VOSSOUGHIAN.
YASMIN VOSSOUGHIAN. SHE HAS NEW REPORTING FOR
NBCNEWS.COM ON SECRETARY OF
STATE MIKE POMPEO MEETING WITH
U.N. COMMANDERS AMID THE GROWING
TENSIONS WITH IRAN.
ALSO FROM DOHAR, QATAR, BILL
NEELY.
NEELY. BILL, WHAT’S THE LATEST?
>> WELL, ON TOP OF THE U.S.
MAXIMUM PRESSURE CAMPAIGN ON
IRAN, WE MIGHT NOW HAVE MAXIMUM
RESISTANCE FROM IRAN.
RESISTANCE IS BUILD INTO IRAN’S
DNA BUT MORE THAN THAT, ALSO
MAXIMUM PRESSURE OF THEIR OWN
FROM IRAN WITH THAT ANNOUNCEMENT
YESTERDAY ON ITS RAMPING UP ITS
PRODUCTION OF LOW-GRADE URANIUM
AND THREATENING TO BREACH THE
NUCLEAR DEAL LIMIT.
IRAN’S PRESIDENT SAYING THIS
MORNING WE DON’T WANT TO WAGE
WAR BUT TAKING A SWIPE AT THE
U.S. SAYING THOSE FACING US ARE
A GROUP OF POLITICIANS WITH
LITTLE EXPERIENCE.
LITTLE EXPERIENCE. AND AS YOU SAY, FROM U.S.
CENTRAL COMMAND AND THE
PENTAGON, AN ANNOUNCEMENT OF
ANOTHER THOUSAND U.S. TROOPS TO
THE REGION.
THE REGION. THEY’LL BE USED FOR SURVEILLANCE
AND INTELLIGENCE GATHERING ON
IRAN AND ITS PROXIES.
ALSO USED TO PROTECT U.S. TROOPS
FROM WHAT THE PENTAGON CALLS A
CREDIBLE THREAT AND IT WILL BE
USED NOT JUST HERE IN THE GULF
BUT LIKELY IN IRAQ, POSSIBLY IN
SYRIA, TOO.
SYRIA, TOO. SO JUST WITHIN DAYS WE HAVE A
MILITARY BUILDUP, WE HAVE A TAX
ON TANKERS, WE HAVE A NUCLEAR
WARNING FROM IRAN AND REALLY THE
PROBLEM IS NO SIGN OF A WAY OUT.
NO TALKS LIKELY.
IRAN’S SUPREME LEADER HAS
ALREADY DISMISSED ANY TALKS WITH
PRESIDENT TRUMP.
PRESIDENT TRUMP. AND ALL WE SEE IS A GROWING
CONFRONTATION.
CONFRONTATION. AND CERTAINLY HERE IN THE GULF
FROM SHIPPING COMPANIES WHO ARE
WORRIED ABOUT MORE ATTACKS ON
TANKERS, SOME OF THEM EVEN
ASKING FOR MILITARY ESCORTS, ALL
THE WAY TO GOVERNMENTS IN MOSCOW
AND ACROSS EUROPE THERE IS REAL
CONCERN THAT THIS IS LEADING TO
POTENTIALLY A VERY DANGEROUS
CONFRONTATION.
CONFRONTATION. MIKA?
MIKA? >> AS THEY USED TO SAY ON THE
ROCKY AND BULLWINKLE CARTOON
SHOW, I DON’T KNOW IF THEY
PLAYED THAT IN ENGLAND BUT IN
THE UNITED STATES I GREW UP WITH
IT.
IT. ROCKET J. SQUIRREL WOULD SAY
"AND NOW FOR SOMETHING
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT."
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT." YOU’RE IN DOHA, I GOT TO ASK A
QUESTION, A COUPLE OF HOURS AGO,
THEY ARRESTED ONE OF THE TOP
OFFICIALS, FORMER TOP OFFICIALS
FOR BRIBERY CONNECTED IN
AWARDING THE 2022 WORLD CUP TO
QATAR.
QATAR. I’M WONDERING WHAT THE REACTION
IS IN THAT COUNTRY AND WHETHER
YOU AS A BIG FAN, WHETHER YOU
BELIEVE THERE IS ANY POSSIBILITY
THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE TALKING
ABOUT NOW THE WORLD CUP MADE BE
MOVED TO ENGLAND IN 2022.
>> IT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING
VERY DIFFERENT, THE FORMER
CAPTAIN AND STAR PLAYER OF THE
FRENCH NATIONAL TEAM WHO BECAME
A BIG FISH IN EUROPE FOOTBALL.
HE HAS BEEN ARRESTED FOR
QUESTIONING ABOUT THE AWARDING
TO THIS TINY GULF STATE OF THE
NEXT WORLD CUP.
IT WAS CONTROVERSIAL FROM THE
VERY MINUTE THAT IT WAS
ANNOUNCED.
ANNOUNCED. YOU’LL REMEMBER, JOE, THAT BOTH
RUSSIA AND QATAR WERE AWARDED
THE TWO WORLD CUPS AT THE SAME
TIME.
TIME. AND TO BE ABSOLUTELY HONEST AND
PUT IT FRANKLY, MANY PEOPLE SAID
THIS JUST STINKS AND IT STINKS
OF MONEY.
OF MONEY. QATAR IS NOT ONE OF THE GREAT
POWERS IN WORLD FOOTBALL.
IT’S TRUE THEY HAVE JUST, YOU
KNOW, WON AN ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIP.
THEY JUST BEAT I THINK IT WAS
PARAGUAY LAST NIGHT.
THE WORLD CUP HAD TO BE MOVED
FROM THE SUMMER TO THE WINTER.
THERE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN
ALLEGATIONS THAT ACTUALLY IT WON
IT SIMPLY THROUGH BIG BUCKS.
SO PLATINI IS BEING QUESTIONED.
A BIG BLOW FOR HIS REPUTATION,
WHETHER ITS
WHETHER ITS WHETHER IT’S TRUE OR NOT.
MANY ARE QUESTIONING WHETHER
QATAR SHOULD HOST A WORLD CUP.
THEY HAVE A GREAT INFRASTRUCTURE
WITH AIR CONDITIONED STADIUM.
IT WOULD BE A HUGE BLOW FOR NOT
JUST QATAR BUT THE MIDDLE EAST
IN GENERAL AND THE GROWTH OF
WORLD FOOTBALL.
WORLD FOOTBALL. BUT NEVERTHELESS, SOMETHING HERE
STINKS AND THAT’S WHY PLATINI IS
BEING INVESTIGATED RIGHT NOW.
>> SHOWING RANGE, BILL NEELEY.
>> THANKS, BILL.
YOU.
YOU. >> DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE
WORLD CUP BECAUSE I’VE BEEN
STUDYING IT.
STUDYING IT. >> SHE HAS RANGE, TOO.
>> IT WAS JUST TOTAL CHAOS.
THEY NEVER PLAYED.
>> IF AMAN WERE HERE, HE’D TALK
ABOUT THE WORLD CUP.
YESTERDAY I GOT A CALL SAYING
POMPEO WAS HEADED TO CENTCOM BUT
THERE WAS NOTHING PUBLIC SAYING
HE WAS HEADING TO CENTCOM.
I THIS I WHAT BILL SAID, THE
TIMING AND OPTICS OF THIS IS
VERY INTERESTING.
VERY INTERESTING. HE’S GOING TO MEET WITH GENERAL
McKENZIE TO TALK ABOUT
ADDITIONAL TROOPS THEY’LL BE
SENDING TO THE MIDDLE EAST.
AS MIKA MENTIONED, IN LATE MAY,
1,500 TROOPS WERE APPROVED TO BE
SENT TO THE MIDDLE EAST.
ON TOP OF THAT NOW A THOUSAND
PLUS TROOPS BEING ISN’T AS WELL.
THE OPT, OF THIS AND GRAND
SCHEME OF THIS IS WHAT 2,500
TROOPS IS BLIP ON THE RADAR.
IT’S NOT A LOT OF TROOPS TO BE
HEADING TO THE MIDDLE EAST.
HEARING FROM WHAT IRAN SAID
YESTERDAY, THEY DO NOT WANT
CONFRONTATION FROM THE UNITED
STATES, THEY DO NOT WANT TO GO
TO WAR WITH THE UNITED STATES,
BUT IF THEY ARE ATTACKED, THEY
HAVE SAID THEY WILL RESPOND.
>> SO WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF
SENDING THESE TROOPS?
IF IT JUST A BLIP, WHAT IS THE
OBJECTIVE HERE?
OBJECTIVE HERE? >> I THINK IT THE OPTICS OF IT
ALL.
ALL. THEY WANT IRAN TO BE SEE THEY’RE
SERIOUS ABOUT ALL OF THIS,
RIGHT?
RIGHT? AND IF IRAN IS RESPONSIBLE FOR
THE OIL TANKER ATTACKS, BUT IRAN
CONTINUES TO DENY, IRAN IS
SAYING IT’S GOING TO BE
EXPENSIVE IF YOU WANT TO GO TO
WAR ON US.
LOOK AT THE CRUDE OIL PRICES
THAT WENT UP FRIDAY AFTER THOSE
ATTACKS.
ATTACKS. >> YOU HAVE THE SECRETARY OF
STATE, NOT THE SECRETARY OF
DEFENSE.
DEFENSE. >> THE ACTING SECRETARY OF
DEFENSE STILL.
DEFENSE STILL. >> WHICH DONALD TRUMP IS GROWING
MORE SKEPTICAL OF BY THE DAY.
>> SO, CATTY,KATTY, THERE’S ALWA
BEEN A DISCONNECT BETWEEN THE
UNITED STATES AND OUR CLOSEST
ALLIES, WHETHER IT HAD TO DO
WITH IRAQ BUT ALSO THROUGH
DECADES WITH IRAN.
WE’VE ALWAYS TAKEN A MUCH HARDER
LINE, POSITION, AGAINST IRANIAN
ADVENTURE
ADVENTURE ADVENTURISM.
ADVENTURISM. IS THERE SKEPTICISM REGARDING
THE CLAIMS?
THE CLAIMS? >> THERE’S BEEN SOME SKEPTICISM
EXPRESSED -- MORE BY JAPANESE.
SHINZO ABE WAS IN IRAN WHEN IT
WAS ATTACKED AND HE WOULD LIKE
TO SEE MORE EVIDENCE.
THERE IS THE DESIRE TO SEE MORE
EVIDENCE.
EVIDENCE. THE AMERICANS SAY THEY HAVE THE
IRON-CLAD EVIDENCE.
IRON-CLAD EVIDENCE. THEY’VE RELEASED MORE IMAGES BUT
THOSE IMAGES DON’T SHOW THEM
PUTTING THE MINE ON THE SHIP.
IT SHOWS THEM TAKING IT AWAY
FROM THE SHIP.
AFTER TWO AND A HALF YEARS OF
DONALD TRUMP SAYING THINGS THAT
AREN’T ALWAYS TRUE, WHEN THE
AMERICAN ADMINISTRATION NOW SAYS
WE HAVE EVIDENCE THAT IT WAS
IRAN WHO DID THE ATTACKS, YOU’RE
STARTING TO GET THE REACTION,
WELL, SHOW US THE EVIDENCE.
NOW THAT THEY ACCEPT IT.
CLEARLY THIS IS NOT AN ASSAULT
FORCE, NOT A LAND INVASION
FORCE.
FORCE. IT SEEMS THESE ARE MORE
DEFENSIVE AND PROTECTIVE OF
AMERICAN INTERESTS.
AMERICAN INTERESTS. THE AMERICANS ARE AWARE IF THIS
TENSION RACHES UP AND WE GET
INTO SOME KIND OF CONFLICT BY
MISTAKE, WHICH IS WHAT I’M BEING
TOLD IS THE MOST LIKELY
POSSIBILITY AT THIS POINT, THEN
UP NEED TO HAVE YOUR DIPLOMATS,
YOUR A WORKERS, YOUR PERSONNEL
PROTECTED AND THAT’S WHAT THESE
TWO AND A HALF THOUSAND TROOPS
ARE GOING TO DO.
>> I’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM CABINET
MEMBERS THAT WERE IN THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION BUT LEFT.
I’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM MATTIS,
FROM ANYBODY AND TALKING ABOUT
THE EROSION IN OUR CREDIBILITY
ON THE WORLD STAGE, WHICH COULD
COULD NOT BE.
WE HAVE A POLICY THAT IS
COMPLETELY AT ODDS WITH OUR OWN
POLICY WITH RESPECT TO NUCLEAR
WEAPONS.
WEAPONS. >> THEY’RE SAYING WE WERE THERE
FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND CAME UP
WITH AN AGREEMENT SO HOW ARE WE
SUPPOSED TO TRUST THEM NOW?
>> THE LACK OF A SECRETARY OF
DEFENSE IS AT THE MOMENT
WORRYING ALLIES.
WORRYING ALLIES. DIPLOMATS FELT THAT GENERAL
MATTIS, WHO WAS NO SOFTY WHEN IT
CAME TO IRAN, ACTED AS A BULWARK
AGAINST BOLTON ON THE ISSUE OF
MILITARY FORCE AGAINST IRAN AND
BECAUSE THERE IS ONLY AN ACTING
THERE SITTING IN THE SITUATION
ROOM, THAT DOESN’T HAVE THE SAME
WEIGHT AS THE PENTAGON SAYING TO
THE NSA, LET’S PUSH BACK AGAINST
THIS AND LOOK AT AL TERN IT HAVE
SCENARIOS.
SCENARIOS. >> WE’VE BEEN HEARING FOR YEARS
PEOPLE SAYING BECAUSE OF DONALD
TRUMP’S -- LET’S JUST SAY HIS --
WELL, HIS UNTRUTHS, HIS
DELIBERATE UNTRUTHS AS THE
SOVIETS USED TO SAY AT SOME
POINT THAT WOULD AFFECT THE
UNITED STATES BECAUSE IF THEY
COULDN’T TRUST TRUMP WITH THE
SMALL THING, THEY COULDN’T TRUST
HIM WITH THE BIG THING.
>> NO ONE IS GOING TO BELIEVE
THIS ADMINISTRATION WITHOUT
SEEING IRONCLAD EVIDENCE.
LOOKING AT THE BIG PICTURE,
SOMEBODY TELLS ME HOW THIS ENDS.
THE ADMINISTRATION HAS HAD THIS
POLICY BASICALLY FROM DAY ONE OF
MAXIMUM PRESSURE ON IRAN,
CANCELLING THE NUCLEAR
AGREEMENT, PUNISHING SANCTIONS
THAT HAVE CRIPPLED THE IRANIAN
ECONOMY.
ECONOMY. NOW YOU SEE THE IRANIANS RATHER
PREDICTABLY STRIKING BACK.
LET’S ASSUME THEY ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE ATTACKS.
THEY HAVE THREATENED TO RESUME
PRODUCING THE PRODUCTION OF
NUCLEAR MATERIALS BEYOND WHAT
THE AGREEMENT ALLOWS, WHICH IS
ALARMING EUROPEANS WHO ARE
PARTIES TO THE DEAL AND OTHERS,
ALARMING EVERYBODY.
ALARMING EVERYBODY. SO IF THE IDEA WAS TO SQUEEZE
THE IRANIANS TILL THEY HURT AND
THEY LASH OUT, THEN THAT’S BEEN
SUCCESSFUL BUT NOW WHAT?
WHAT IS A DIPLOMATIC OFFERING?
BECAUSE A POLICY THAT’S JUST
BASED ON THE EXPECTATION OF
TOTAL AND COMPLETE CAPITULATION
DOES NOT SEEM TO ME LIKELY TO
WORK WITH IRAN.
IT HASN’T EVERYONE WORKED AND I
DON’T THINK IT’S GOING TO WORK
NOW.
NOW. SO WHERE DO YOU END UP IF YOU
DON’T END UP IN SOME SORT OF
CONFLICT, EITHER ACCIDENTAL OR
DELIBERATE.
DELIBERATE. I’M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW
THIS ENDS.
THIS ENDS. >> SO BOB COSTA, WHERE DOES THIS
END?
END? IF YOU FOLLOW DRUMM AND HISONALD
HIS CAMPAIGN RHETORIC, WHERE
DOES THIS END?
DOESN’T THIS END WITH THE UNITED
STATES BACKING DOWN?
>> IF THE FOLLOW THE PRESIDENT’S
OIL POLICY, CAN FIND A COMMON
THREAD WHEN IT COMES TO OIL.
LOOK AT VENEZUELA, THE
ADMINISTRATION GOT AGGRESSIVE
DOWN THERE, WAS HEAVILY INVOLVED
IN THE STANDOFF IN VENEZUELA.
NOW A SHIPPING LANE FOR THE OIL
IN THE MIDDLE EAST, THE GULF OF
OMAN, A PRESENCE TO WARN OFF
PEOPLE IN VENEZUELA OR THE
IRANIANS, BUT THIS IS A REAL
TEST FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP.
AS MUCH AS HIS ADVISERS TELL
REPORTERS HE HAS
NONINTERVENTIONIST INSTINCTS, HE
HAS REAL PRESSURE FROM THE
BUSINESS COMMUNITY TO TAKE
PRESSURE AND HAUBSIN SIDE HIS
ADMINISTRATION TO TAKE MILITARY
ACTION.
ACTION. HE SITS IN THE CHAIR.
BUT NOW HE HAS A TEST AND IT’S
UP TO THE PRESIDENT TO DECIDE.
>> YASMIN VOSSOUGHIAN, WE’LL SEE
YOU TOMORROW.
YOU TOMORROW. YOU DO A GREAT JOB.
>> COMING UP, PRESIDENT TRUMP
PROMISED TO HIRE THE BEST PEOPLE
BUT TWO YEARS IN HIS PRESIDENCY,
THE REVOLVING DOOR IS STILL
TURNING.
TURNING. HIS ADMINISTRATION AND THE WEST
WING STAFFS ARE WHO HAVE TRIED