>> NBC NEWS IS OUT TODAY WITH AN EXCLUSIVE NEW REPORTING.
>>> THE STRIKE KILLING SOLEIMANI
WAS A MAJOR ESCALATION IN THE
CAMPAIGN AGAINST IRAN.
THAT CAN RELIED ON CRIPPLING
ECONOMIC SANCTIONS.
ECONOMIC SANCTIONS. HOW DO WE GET FROM ECONOMIC
PRESSURE TO MILITARY MIGHT?
>> TENSIONS WITH IRAN HAVE REACH
AID FEVER PITCH.
THE LAST WEEK HAS SEEN A SERIES
OF ESCALATED EVENTS THAT HAVE
BROUGHT US TO WHERE WE ARE
TODAY.
TODAY. SO, LET’S CHECK THE TIME LINE
AND MARK THE MAJOR MOMENTS
STARTING WITH FRIDAY DECEMBER
27th WHEN A U.S. CONTRACTOR IS
KILLED AND OTHER SERVICE MEMBERS
ARE WOUNDED DURING A ROCKET
ATTACK ON A MILITARY BASE IN
NORTHERN IRAQ.
NORTHERN IRAQ. THEN TWO DAYS LATER ON DECEMBER
29th, THE U.S. CARRIES OUT AIR
STRIKES AND IRAN BACKED MILITIAS
IN SYRIA WITH U.S. OFFICIALS
BLAMED FOR ATTACKS, INCLUDING
THE ONE ON DECEMBER 27th.
AT LEAST 25 MILITIA FIGHTERS ARE
KILLED IN THE STRIKES.
THEN ON DECEMBER 31st, THOUSANDS
OF PRO-IRAN PROTESTERS STORMED
THE U.S. EMBASSY IN BAGHDAD TO
DEMONSTRATE AGAINST THE AIR
STRIKE.
STRIKE. THEY TRIED BURNING DOWN ENTRY
GATES REACHING THE RECEPTION
AREA.
AREA. TRUMP BLAMES IRAN FOR THE BREAK
IN AND SAYS THEY WILL PLAY A BIG
PRICE.
PRICE. >> THIS WILL NEVER EVER BE A
BENGHAZI.
BENGHAZI. >> THE NEXT DAY MARINES WORKED
TOGETHER TO SECURE THE AREA.
THERE ARE NO REPORTS OF
CASUALTIES, BUT DEFENSE
SECRETARY MARK ESPER ORDERED
OVER 700 TROOPS TO DEPLOY TO THE
AREA WITH MANY MORE ON STAND BY.
THAT BRINGS US TO THE BIGGEST
EVENT OF THE WEEK, ON THURSDAY
NIGHT U.S. TIME, QASEM SOLEIMANI
IS KILLED BY A U.S. AIR STRIKE
AT BAGHDAD INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT.
AIRPORT. SOLEIMANI LED THE QUDS FORCE
UNDER IRAN REVOLUTIONARY GUARD
WHICH IS WIDELY BELIEVED TO
SUPPORT TERRORIST GROUPS.
OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS,
INCLUDING THE DECEMBER 27th
ROCKET ATTACK.
ROCKET ATTACK. THEN THIS MORNING AYATOLLAH ALI
KHAMENEI SAYS THERE WILL BE
HARSH RETALIATIONS.
HARSH RETALIATIONS. AND WE LEARN THAT APPROXIMATELY
3,000 ADDITIONAL TROOPS ARE
BEING DEPLOYED TO THE MIDDLE
EAST.
EAST. >> PRESIDENT TRUMP’S DECISION TO
REMOVE QASEM SOLEIMANI FROM THE
BATTLEFIELD SAVED AMERICAN
LIVES.
LIVES. HE WAS ACTUALLY PLOTTING IN THE
REGION TO TAKE ACTION, THE BIG
ACTION AS HE DESCRIBED IT THAT
WOULD HAVE PUT DOZENS IF NOT
HUNDREDS OF AMERICAN LIVES AT
RISK.
RISK. >> IRAQI’S CELEBRATE THE DEATH
IN BAGHDAD WHILE DEMONSTRATIONS
IN TEHRAN.
IN TEHRAN. >> THIS ACTION MAY WELL HAVE
BROUGHT OUR NATION CLOSER TO
ANOTHER ENDLESS WAR.
>> AND AS FOR THE WHITE HOUSE,
HERE’S WHAT THE PRESIDENT HAD TO
SAY IN HIS FIRST PUBLIC
APPEARANCE AFTER THE AIR STRIKE.
>> WE TOOK ACTION LAST NIGHT TO
STOP A WAR.
WE DID NOT TAKE ACTION TO START