MSNBC anchor Brian Williams criticized after calling images of U.S. missile launch 'beautiful'

April 7, 2017 at 3:48 p.m.

by The Associated Press

FILE - In this Nov. 5, 2014, file photo, Brian Williams speaks at the 8th Annual Stand Up For Heroes, presented by New York Comedy Festival and The Bob Woodruff Foundation in New York. NBC News gave Williams a second chance after he was caught lying about his role in stories, while Billy Bush apparently won’t get the same opportunity following his profane 2005 conversation with Donald Trump. The mistakes of Williams and Bush were different, but in both cases NBC executives needed to weigh whether it was worth rehabilitating them. (Photo by Brad Barket/Invision/AP, File)
FILE - In this Nov. 5, 2014, file photo, Brian Williams speaks at the 8th Annual Stand Up For Heroes, presented by New York Comedy Festival and The Bob Woodruff Foundation in New York. NBC News gave Williams a second chance after he was caught lying about his role in stories, while Billy Bush apparently won’t get the same opportunity following his profane 2005 conversation with Donald Trump. The mistakes of Williams and Bush were different, but in both cases NBC executives needed to weigh whether it was worth rehabilitating them. (Photo by Brad Barket/Invision/AP, File)

NEW YORK — Brian Williams is facing online criticism for waxing poetic about what he called "beautiful pictures" of U.S. missiles launching during an attack on a Syrian air base.

Video released by the military shows Tomahawk missiles targeted for a Syrian airfield launching from the decks of U.S. warships in the Mediterranean Sea on Thursday.

During his MSNBC program, The 11th Hour, late Thursday, Williams said the "beautiful pictures at night" tempted him to quote a line from a Leonard Cohen song: "I am guided by the beauty of our weapons." He went on to call the images "beautiful pictures of fearsome armaments."

Williams was quickly mocked and criticized on Twitter for the remarks, with some users suggesting they were insensitive to the realities of war.

MSNBC didn't immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.

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