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Transcript: Ret. Gen. Frank McKenzie on “Face the Nation,” Feb. 4, 2024
The following is a transcript of an interview with retired Gen. Frank McKenzie, former chief of U.S. Central Command, that aired on Feb. 4, 2024.
MARGARET BRENNAN: For some analysis on the situation in the Middle East, we turn now to the former head of U.S. Central Command, General Frank McKenzie. He was in charge of U.S. forces in the Middle East for three years under the Trump and Biden administrations. Welcome back.
GEN. FRANK MCKENZIE: Good to be here, Margaret.
MARGARET BRENNAN: General, how would you assess the impact of the strikes so far, which you just heard National Security Advisor Sullivan say is just the beginning?
GEN. MCKENZIE: I- I think that’s pretty accurate. I don’t think we know yet. I think it’s going to require more work. And I think we do need to have an understanding of what we want as an end state. For- for me as the operational commander, back when I was in command, it would be that they cease attacks on our bases and- and operating positions in Iraq and Syria. That’s a pretty clear end state. You know, the problem is, there’s a lot of talk about Ira- Iran actually not giving the order for this specific attack. And there’s some truth to that, because around 2020, Iran began to give blanket clearance to these groups to attack United States positions in Iraq and Syria. So they now operate under a- a sort of procedure where there’s no mother may I, they have the opportunity to generate these attacks without directly going back to Iran. And while Iran is certainly ultimately complicit because they provide the weapons, they provide the training, they provide the funding, in some cases they probably provide some targeting assistance, it’s hard sometimes to find that track back for a specific attack, because of the way Iran has ingeniously designed their command and control process.
MARGARET BRENNAN: That is important context on the question of whether they have control or not. You, before this devastating attack that killed three American service people, you were on the record in a Wall Street Journal editorial, saying the U.S.- you referenced the President saying the U.S. doesn’t want to escalate and you said, “Unfortunately, it is the U.S. that is being deterred, not Iran and its proxies. To reset deterrence, we must apply violence Tehran understands.” What would that look like?
GEN. MCKENZIE: Margaret, and I- I first of all, I still stand by those words. I think this particular campaign we’re on, we’ve done two things that I think undercut us. First of all, there’s a continual reference in our policy statements about not wanting to escalate. Look, I agree, escalation is dangerous. But if the greatest fear is escalation, we should leave. We can reduce the danger of escalation to zero if we leave. Clearly, we have higher priorities than preventing escalation. So we- we should recognize that. The second part is, we have explicitly taken Iran itself off the list of potential targets in this campaign. I am not advocating for striking Iran. I am advocating that they need to be in the space of possible targets, so that they- so that they’re held at risk. What happens when we say, well, we’re going to strike targets in Iraq and Syria, we’re not going to strike targets in Iran, at least kinetically, targets in Iran, that gives them aid and comfort. That’s not a good thing to do. And what we want to do is induce in their minds and their cognitive space, a concern about continuing on this path and what it might mean to them. Look, Iranian foreign policy is built on three things. It’s built on preservation of the theocratic regime, number one, above all others. Number two, the destruction of the state of Israel. Number three, the ejection of the United States from the region. Number one is a point of strength for them, but also a point of weakness. And I believe we are consciously neglecting it in this campaign.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Four years ago, they were forces under your command who killed Iran’s Quds Force Commander Qasem Suleimani, when he was in Iraq, from Iran. His successor doesn’t seem to be quite as influential and there are some pointing to the leader of Hezbollah now as choreographing the militias. Is this the outcome you expected when the Trump administration decided to take Suleimani off the battlefield?
GEN. MCKENZIE: Well, Margaret, it’s important to understand, we took Soleimani off the battlefield because he felt- we felt he was preparing an imminent attack on the- on our embassy and other locations in the Middle East. So certainly, there were long term considerations, but he was a clear and present immediate danger, and we took steps to- to- to remove him from the battlefield because of that. Now, what’s developed after that, you’re right, the- the IRGC Quds Force has not been able to get into Iraq and bring people together as Soleimani was, because his successor is a much weaker military leader than- than Soleimani. I- it’s unclear to me that- that Nasrullah, the leader of Lebanese Hezbollah, is filling that space. I think the most interesting thing about Lebanese Hezbollah and Nasrullah is the fact he has not chosen to engage in large scale conflict with Israel right now, because of what’s going on down in Gaza. And I think that’s- that’s important to look at. It’s like the dog that didn’t bark in the night. That can be important. He’s instead chosen to hold- hold back, to observe the situation. And I think that’s an important thing that we should continue to- we should continue to take a look at, because they’re the largest non-state military entity in the world, with thousands of weapons that could cause great pain to Israel. On the other hand, Israel has vast resources they could apply against Lebanese Hezbollah, should this war ensue. And I don’t think LH wants that war. Now they may be- they may be influencing events in Syria and Iraq. That’s just not known to me at this time. I think it’s more of a hodgepodge of efforts there. But I do believe ultimately, Iran is clearly behind it.
MARGARET BRENNAN: U.S. intelligence estimates Israeli forces have killed about 20 to 30% of Hamas fighters since October, that is far short of destroying Hamas. How would you judge the level of success of Israel’s campaign?
GEN. MCKENZIE: It’s very limited so far. You know, I think they set themselves a goal of removing the political echelon, and the military leadership echelon of- of Hamas, when they went in. They have not been successful to date at doing either. And these campaigns are nonlinear. So you don’t necessarily go from day to day, you could have a big breakthrough here. And things could change suddenly on the ground. But I think the larger issue, at least for me looking at it is, you have to have a theory for what it’s going to look like when it’s over. You know, what’s- what- what’s going to happen in Gaza, and we’ve had some people that have talked about it earlier on the show today. And I think it’s important to consider that. You need- you need a vision of an end state when you begin a military campaign, because everything you do then subtracts or adds to your ability to get to that point. And I would argue that needs to be something like a two state solution. You’re gonna need help from the Arab nations in the region to go in there and- and do something in- in Gaza. I think Israeli occupation would be the least desirable of all outcomes.
MARGARET BRENNAN: General McKenzie, thank you for your expertise. We’ll be back in a moment.
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The 2024 Country Music Awards nominations are out — and Beyoncé’s name is nowhere to be found on the list of nominees.
The pop icon made her foray into country music in March of this year with the release of “Cowboy Carter.” The 27-track album, featuring fan favorites “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages,” broke streaming records upon its release, becoming Spotify’s most-streamed album in a single day in 2024 and earning the title of most first-day streams of a country album by a female artist on Amazon Music.
According to the CMA website, the nominees and winners of the annual award show are determined by a group of 6,000 industry professional members who make up the Country Music Association.
Shaboozey, who is featured in two tracks on “Cowboy Carter,” posted on his X account after the nominations were announced, writing: “That goes without saying. Thank you @Beyonce for opening a door for us, starting a conversation, and giving us one of the most innovative country albums of all time!”
Shaboozey received nominations for this year’s Country Music Music Awards, including Single of the Year and New Artist of the Year.
Other artists who racked up nominations include Morgan Wallen, Cody Johnson, Chris Stapleton and Lainey Wilson.
Wallen led the pack with seven total nominations. “The Voice” alum made headlines in April after getting arrested for allegedly throwing a chair from a bar rooftop in Nashville. He received a sharp rebuke from the music industry in 2021 after a video surfaced of him shouting a racial slur.
This isn’t the first time Beyoncé has been snubbed in the eyes of her fans and closest supporters. In February, Beyoncé’s husband Jay-Z publicly called out the Grammys after her album “Renaissance” lost out on the album of the year award to Harry Styles’ “Harry’s House.”
“I don’t want to embarrass this young lady, but she has more Grammys than anyone and never won album of the year. So even by your own metrics, that doesn’t work,” Jay-Z said during his acceptance speech for the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award.
Beyoncé holds the record as the artist with the most Grammy wins, with 32 total.
The CMAs will air on Nov. 20 on ABC.
Who was nominated?
Here’s the full list of nominees from the CMA website.
Entertainer Of The Year
- Luke Combs
- Jelly Roll
- Chris Stapleton
- Morgan Wallen
- Lainey Wilson
Single Of The Year
- “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” – Shaboozey
Producers: Sean Cook, Nevin Sastry
Mix Engineer: Raul Lopez - “Dirt Cheap” – Cody Johnson
Producer: Trent Willmon
Mix Engineer: Jack Clarke - “I Had Some Help” – Post Malone (Feat. Morgan Wallen)
Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins
Mix Engineer: Ryan Gore - “Watermelon Moonshine” – Lainey Wilson
Producer: Jay Joyce
Mix Engineers: Jason Hall, Jay Joyce - “White Horse” – Chris Stapleton
Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton, Morgane Stapleton
Mix Engineer: Vance Powell
Album Of The Year
- Deeper Well – Kacey Musgraves
Producers: Ian Fitchuk, Kacey Musgraves, Daniel Tashian
Mix Engineers: Shawn Everett, Konrad Snyder - Fathers & Sons – Luke Combs
Producers: Luke Combs, Chip Matthews, Jonathan Singleton
Mix Engineer: Chip Matthews - Higher – Chris Stapleton
Producers: Dave Cobb, Chris Stapleton, Morgane Stapleton
Mix Engineer: Vance Powell - Leather – Cody Johnson
Producer: Trent Willmon
Mix Engineer: Jack Clarke - Whitsitt Chapel – Jelly Roll
Producers: Andrew Baylis, Brock Berryhill, Zach Crowell, Jesse Frasure, David Garcia, Kevin “Thrasher” Gruft, Austin Nivarel, David Ray Stevens
Mix Engineers: Jeff Braun, Jim Cooley
Song of the Year
- “Burn It Down”
Songwriters: Hillary Lindsey, Parker McCollum, Lori McKenna, Liz Rose - “Dirt Cheap”
Songwriter: Josh Phillips - “I Had Some Help”
Songwriters: Louis Bell, Ashley Gorley, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins, Austin Post, Ernest Keith Smith, Morgan Wallen, Chandler Paul Walters - “The Painter”
Songwriters: Benjy Davis, Kat Higgins, Ryan Larkins - “White Horse”
Songwriters: Chris Stapleton, Dan Wilson
Female Vocalist of the Year
- Kelsea Ballerini
- Ashley McBryde
- Megan Moroney
- Kacey Musgraves
- Lainey Wilson
Male Vocalist Of The Year
- Luke Combs
- Jelly Roll
- Cody Johnson
- Chris Stapleton
- Morgan Wallen
Vocal Group Of The Year
- Lady A
- Little Big Town
- Old Dominion
- The Red Clay Strays
- Zac Brown Band
Vocal Duo Of The Year
- Brooks & Dunn
- Brothers Osborne
- Dan + Shay
- Maddie & Tae
- The War And Treaty
Musical Event Of The Year
- “Cowboys Cry Too” – Kelsea Ballerini (with Noah Kahan)
Producers: Kelsea Ballerini, Alysa Vanderheym - “I Had Some Help” – Post Malone (Feat. Morgan Wallen)
Producers: Louis Bell, Charlie Handsome, Hoskins - “I Remember Everything” – Zach Bryan (ft. Kacey Musgraves)
Producer: Zach Bryan - “Man Made A Bar” – Morgan Wallen (feat. Eric Church)
Producer: Joey Moi - “you look like you love me” – Ella Langley (feat. Riley Green)
Producer: Will Bundy
Musician Of The Year
- Tom Bukovac – Guitar
- Jenee Fleenor – Fiddle
- Paul Franklin – Steel Guitar
- Rob McNelley – Guitar
- Charlie Worsham – Guitar
Music Video Of The Year
- “Dirt Cheap” – Cody Johnson
Director: Dustin Haney - “I Had Some Help” – Post Malone (Feat. Morgan Wallen)
Director: Chris Villa - “I’m Not Pretty” – Megan Moroney
Directors: Jeff Johnson, Megan Moroney - “The Painter” – Cody Johnson
Director: Dustin Haney - “Wildflowers and Wild Horses” – Lainey Wilson
Director: Patrick Tracy
New Artist Of The Year
- Megan Moroney
- Shaboozey
- Nate Smith
- Mitchell Tenpenny
- Zach Top
- Bailey Zimmerman
Just an hour outside Detroit, in the city of Port Huron, Michigan, one resident is making waves with an unusual act of community service. Dressed as a clown, she hits the streets with trash bags and a shopping cart she calls “Carter,” cleaning up the city while also trying to shift people’s perspectives. What she’s doing has caught the attention of her entire city. Hundreds of people have turned out to help her pick up the trash by participating in cleanup events that she holds on Saturdays.
Outside of the clown outfit, “Trash the Clown,” a stay-at-home mom of two kids who has been with her partner since high school, is just a normal neighbor. She noticed garbage piling up around her town and decided to do something about it.
Instead of blending in, she chose to stand out by dressing as a clown while collecting litter. When asked how she came up with the idea, the 33-year-old mom explained that her goal was to create a character that would make people feel uncomfortable at first, since clowns tend to be divisive.
By changing how people feel about clowns, she believed she could also shift their perspectives on other things. Her mission goes beyond just addressing litter; it’s about changing how people view the world and each other, she said.
“We go through our days without really seeing the world around us without really engaging one another,” she added. “So if we can learn to like, actually engage the world, see it, then we start to see the litter on the ground. Then we can see how, you know, we’re hateful to one another, and how we can fill in those gaps with kindness and with love.”
Dolly Becker, a viewer who grew up in Port Huron, first brought “Trash the Clown” to the attention of “CBS Mornings.” Becker said she’d seen posts online about a clown walking around with a shopping cart picking up trash. Many people assumed the person was homeless or mentally ill. But Becker decided to reach out to her directly, and the two became friends.
“I think every town needs somebody, you know, to advocate, to clean things up. Take pride in your town,” Becker said.
Trash the Clown’s unusual method has made her the talk of Port Huron. Initially, people mocked her but now the community sees the value in her work. Hundreds of her neighbors have even joined in to help clean up the town.
“It’s it’s a simple shtick, you know. Yeah. I just go around and pick up trash when I see it. The world is really noisy, so it’s hard to hear good messages sometimes. And so to kind of cut through all that negative noise, sometimes you have to speak loud but loud in a different way,” said the stay-at-home mom.
Several community members have applauded her recent efforts, with one resident writing on Facebook: “We love our Trash the Clown so much!! She is a glorious human who has done more to unite this town than words can describe. Group cleanups, art & music gatherings, and using some of her dumpster treasures to create beautiful art pieces.”
Despite the attention, “Trash the Clown” prefers to stay in character and keep the focus on her mission.
“I don’t want it to be about me,” she said. “I want people to see the world as we’re in it together. We’re a community, and we can get stuff done to together. It’s not about just one person or a clown.”
David Begnaud loves uncovering the heart of every story and will continue to do so, highlighting everyday heroes and proving that there is good news in the news with his exclusive “CBS Mornings” series “Beg-Knows America.” Every Monday, get ready for moments that will make you smile or even shed a tear. Do you have a story about an ordinary person doing something extraordinary for someone else? Email David and his team at DearDavid@cbsnews.com
