>> AND THEN IT SAYS THE
>> AND THEN IT SAYS THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY IS UPSET
>> AND THEN IT SAYS THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY IS UPSET THAT THE DRONE WAS A IRANIAN
INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY IS UPSET THAT THE DRONE WAS A IRANIAN ORIGIN.
THAT THE DRONE WAS A IRANIAN ORIGIN. THE DEFENSE SECRETARY LLOYD
ORIGIN. THE DEFENSE SECRETARY LLOYD AUSTIN SAYS QUOTE, AT THE
THE DEFENSE SECRETARY LLOYD AUSTIN SAYS QUOTE, AT THE DIRECTION OF PRESIDENT BIDEN, I
AUSTIN SAYS QUOTE, AT THE DIRECTION OF PRESIDENT BIDEN, I AUTHORIZE U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND
DIRECTION OF PRESIDENT BIDEN, I AUTHORIZE U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND FORCES TO CONDUCT POSITION
AUTHORIZE U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND FORCES TO CONDUCT POSITION AIRSTRIKE IN EASTERN SYRIA
FORCES TO CONDUCT POSITION AIRSTRIKE IN EASTERN SYRIA AGAINST FACILITIES USED BY
AIRSTRIKE IN EASTERN SYRIA AGAINST FACILITIES USED BY GROUPS AFFILIATED WITH IRAN
AGAINST FACILITIES USED BY GROUPS AFFILIATED WITH IRAN ISLAMIC REVOLUTIONARY GUARD.
GROUPS AFFILIATED WITH IRAN ISLAMIC REVOLUTIONARY GUARD. THE SYRIAN OBSERVATORY FOR
ISLAMIC REVOLUTIONARY GUARD. THE SYRIAN OBSERVATORY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS SAYS AT LEAST
THE SYRIAN OBSERVATORY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS SAYS AT LEAST EIGHT BACK MILITIA MEN WERE
HUMAN RIGHTS SAYS AT LEAST EIGHT BACK MILITIA MEN WERE KILLED IN THE STRIKE BUT NBC
EIGHT BACK MILITIA MEN WERE KILLED IN THE STRIKE BUT NBC NEWS HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DARE
KILLED IN THE STRIKE BUT NBC NEWS HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DARE VERIFY THOSE CLAIMS.
NEWS HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO DARE VERIFY THOSE CLAIMS. LET'S BRING IN NBC NATIONAL
VERIFY THOSE CLAIMS. LET'S BRING IN NBC NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST CLINT TO
LET'S BRING IN NBC NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST CLINT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING
SECURITY ANALYST CLINT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING MORE HERE.
UNDERSTAND WHAT IS HAPPENING MORE HERE. CLINT, WHAT MORE IS THE
MORE HERE. CLINT, WHAT MORE IS THE PENTAGON SAYING ABOUT THE DRONE
CLINT, WHAT MORE IS THE PENTAGON SAYING ABOUT THE DRONE ATTACK AND THE STRIKE THAT
PENTAGON SAYING ABOUT THE DRONE ATTACK AND THE STRIKE THAT FOLLOWED AND WHAT ARE WE
ATTACK AND THE STRIKE THAT FOLLOWED AND WHAT ARE WE HEARING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO
FOLLOWED AND WHAT ARE WE HEARING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THOSE WHO ARE INJURED?
HEARING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THOSE WHO ARE INJURED? >> IT SEEMS PRETTY CLEAR THAT
U.S. FORCES KNEW WHO THE THOSE WHO ARE INJURED? >> IT SEEMS PRETTY CLEAR THAT
U.S. FORCES KNEW WHO THE
PERPETRATORS.
WERE THEY HAVE BEEN THERE IN
THAT REGION FOR A LONG TIME
NOW.
WE HAVE SEEN U.S. TROOPS THERE
FOR MANY YEARS AND IN LARGE
PART IT WAS TO GO AFTER THE
ISLAMIC STATE.
YOU MIGHT REMEMBER WAS THAT
PART OF THE EFFORT THERE TO THE
EASTERN PART OF SYRIA BUT SINCE
THEN, THEIR MISSION HAS BEEN
INCREASINGLY MOVED TO TRY TO
CONTAIN THE MONITOR WITH THE
IRANIAN REVOLUTIONARY GUARD OR
WAS DOING INSIDE SYRIA.
THEY ARE SEEN AS ACROSS THE
ARMS OF THE IRANIAN GOVERNMENT.
THOSE ARE THE THREATS AS WELL
THE COUNTRY LIKE ISRAEL.
THOSE U.S. FORCES ARE IN MANY
WAYS THAT THEY'RE IN PLACE TO
BOTH GO AFTER ICES AND TO
CONTAIN THE IRANIAN INFLUENCE
THAT HAVE BEEN THERE FOR QUITE
SOME TIME.
IT REALLY SOUNDS LIKE THOSE
THAT ARE WOUNDED DURING OUR
MOVED INTO U.S. BASE THAT HAS
BEEN OPERATING IN IRAQ.
THERE IS SOME CONNECTIVE TISSUE
THEY'RE STILL LEFT OVER FROM
THE U.S. PRESIDENT AND THEY ARE
BEING TREATED THERE.
I'M IMAGINING THEY WILL
PROBABLY BE OUT OF HERE QUITE
SOON.
>> YOU MENTIONED THE PENTAGON
BLAMING THE IRGC AROUND
REVOLUTIONARY GUARD.
WE ALSO KNOW ABOUT THAT GROUP
IN THE OPERATIONS THEY HAVE
BEEN CARRYING OUT IN SYRIA.
>> THAT'S RIGHT, THE IRGC IS A
LONG TIME PROXY IRANIAN
GOVERNMENT.
IT'S A TERRORIST ARM OF THE
IRANIAN GOVERNMENT.
IT OPERATES THROUGHOUT THE
REGION AND PART OF THE THREAT
OF THE UNITED STATES YOU MIGHT
REMEMBER IN THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION U.S. FORCES
KILLED THE LEADER IN IRAQ.
THE LEADER OF THE IRGC.
THE IRGC TODAY OPERATES
THROUGHOUT SYRIA.
THEY BACK LOTS OF DIFFERENT
REBEL FORCES THERE.
THEY USE THEIR INFLUENCE THERE
TO GO AFTER U.S. TARGETS.
TURKEY HAS BEEN IN PARTNERSHIP
WITH THE IRGC.
ISRAEL HAS LAUNCHED MISSILE
STRIKES AGAINST THE IRGC IN
SYRIA.
THEY ARE SEEN AS REALLY ALMOST
LIKE A SPECIAL FORCE OF ELEMENT
IN THE RUN.
THEY WORK BY AND THROUGH THE
MANY DIFFERENT ELEMENTS THAT
ARE IN SYRIA AND THEY ARE QUITE
PROLIFIC.
I THINK THE KEY PART OF THIS,
IT'S A WAY TO DISRUPT THE IRGC.
IF YOU LOOK AT A MAP IT GOES
FROM IRAN TO IRAQ ALL THE WAY
IN TO SYRIA.
PART OF THAT IS TO TRY TO KEEP
THE PEACE MONITORING WHAT THEY
ARE DOING.
FAKE >> A LOT OF PEOPLE HERE
ARE WAKING UP TO THE HEADLINES
AND ASKING WHY DOES THE U.S.
STILL MAKE INTERFACE IN
NORTHEAST SYRIA.
CAN YOU GIVE US A QUICK ANSWER
THERE?
>> REALLY IF NOT THREE PARTS.
ONE IS TO COUNTER THAT WE HAVE
BEEN PURSUING OVER THE LAST
DECADE WHILE MUCH OF THE
HEADLINE TO SHIP FROM RUSSIA TO
UKRAINE IN THAT CONFLICT.
THERE IS STILL A TERRORIST
ELEMENT OF I KIND OF A NICEST
UP RATES IN AND THROUGH THAT
REGION.
KNOWN BETTER NOW.
THAT HAS BECOME AN EXTENSION OF
WHAT WAS ONCE KNOWN AS AL-QAEDA
AND IRAQ.
THE IRGC IS A THREAT FROM THE
U.S. PERSPECTIVE AND FROM THE
ISRAELI PERSPECTIVE AS WELL.
IT'S ANOTHER WAY TO REALLY
MAINTAIN THE SORT OF PRESENCE
THERE SO THE IRGC IS NOT
BUILDING UP A LOT OF CAPABILITY