Brian Williams marvels at how 'beautiful' the deadly missiles that struck Syria are

(Image credit: Screenshot/MSNBC)

published 7 April 2017

After the U.S. launched 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at a Syrian military airfield Thursday night, killing six people, MSNBC's Brian Williams was thinking of a song by Leonard Cohen. "We see these beautiful pictures at night from the decks of these two U.S. Navy vessels in the eastern Mediterranean," Williams said Thursday on his show, The 11th Hour. "I am tempted to quote the great Leonard Cohen: 'I am guided by the beauty of our weapons.'"

Williams — who did not address the fact that these strikes were a response to a chemical attack Tuesday that killed dozens in the Idlib province, including children — continued to marvel at the deadly Tomahawk cruise missiles, calling them beautiful three times in the span of just 30 seconds. "And they are beautiful pictures of fearsome armaments making what is for them a brief flight over this airfield." Williams said. "What did they hit?"