Who’s Next? Trump Crossed a Line with Soleimani’s Assassination

[Rogue Valley]

Who’s Next? Trump Crossed a Line with Soleimani’s Assassination

The Iranian was much more than a general. Who else is Trump willing to kill?

1/3/20
There’s a reason why the United States never just killed Nikita Khrushchev. Or Fidel Castro. Or the ayatollah. In simplest terms: if we kill them, we make it easier for others to do the same to us. By his title, Qassem Soleimani — the recently deceased leader of the Quds Force, the special ops component of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps — may not have ranked among those heads of state. But in Iran, the Middle East, and the Muslim world, he was much more than a mere general. That’s true in the Pentagon as well. “Suleimani is arguably the most powerful and unconstrained actor in the Middle East today,” retired Gen. Stan McChrystal wrote in Foreign Policy a year ago. So now that President Trump has crossed that line, who’s next? Why not start with Syria’s dictator Bashar al-Assad? Many have argued — Republicans and Democrats — that had President Barack Obama ordered a strike on Damascus (or at least fully armed and supported the Syrian rebels when it looked like they had a real chance) to kill Assad, whether by intention or luck of the wind, it would have prevented the prolonged civil war that has caused half a million civilian deaths, created two million refugees, and fostered ISIS and terrorist attacks in European cities. He has no nuclear weapons, no air force, no real military power to speak of, no friends outside of Moscow and Tehran. Just bomb him.

Kim Jong-un, well, he’s a bit trickier. For starters, he has nuclear weapons. But, hey, he doesn’t have any intercontinental ballistic missiles that can reach the continental United States, or the ability to miniaturize a nuclear bomb to put on board. At least, he hasn’t publicly shown he has that capability, although the Pentagon is treating him as if he does. Of course, in the interim, tens of thousands of artillery shells may obliterate Seoul and U.S. bases in South Korea — but hey, as Defense Secretary Mark Esper said about Iran, enough is enough. And just look at Xi Jinping. Smiling atop his Beijing palaces like he’s the next Mao. Finally, the most obvious next target of all: Vladimir Putin. What’s keeping Trump from dropping a bomb on Putin’s head? No, really, that’s a serious question. What do the Russians have on Trump? Kidding. About all of this. The killing of Qassem Soleimani is not the end of the U.S.-Iran conflict. It’s the beginning of a new era. This was no mere battlefield drone strike of a long-sought terrorist leader. Soleimani was arguably the most powerful secular leader of Iran; he operated in public internationally. Others can argue whether this technically counts as an assassination, but Trump has once again tossed a norm of political leadership out the window. Trump is not a world leader who follows precedent. With the Soleimani assassination, Trump has ignored an unwritten rule meant to keep the world safer from political assassinations that lead to world wars.

As the New York Times reported, the Pentagon presented Donald Trump with a long list of potential Iranian targets. The type of targets that both Iran and the US understood to be fair game in their decades-long "twilight or shadow war". This mutual understanding didn't include killing the General that is arguably the second most powerful/influential official in the Iranian government. While there is no denying that Qassem Soleimani was an individual with very bloody hands, his blatant assassination by the United States (read Donald Trump) changes the calculus in the ME. It may have been an immediate "feel-good" strike to take his mind and the media headlines far away from impeachment, but this decision will have serious and long-term consequences for America in the Middle East, the likes of which we can only guess at. The first consequence could very well be the Iraq government expelling US forces from Iraqi territory. Trump has now doubled-down on his seemingly boundless stupidity, threatening to destroy cultural sites in Iran. Unless such sites are serving a military purpose, such destruction would constitute a war crime under international conventions and various US military manuals. The elephant-in-the-room retribution by Iran could very well be the twilight-targeting of a US government/military official. Remember, Tehran didn't change the twilight-war rules, this was strictly Donald Trump's doing.

Related: As Tensions With Iran Escalated, Trump Opted for Most Extreme Measure

 

[ecofarm]

The elephant-in-the-room retribution by Iran could very well be the twilight-targeting of a US government/military official. Remember, Tehran didn't change the twilight-war rules, this was strictly Donald Trump's doing.

Only a moron could believe Iran would do anything to jeopardize its nuke program.

 

[Rexedgar]

Only a moron could believe Iran would do anything to jeopardize its nuke program.

You’ve been pushing the “Iran will do nothing” scenario across multiple threads for a few days now. What happen if you’re wrong?

 

[ecofarm]

You’ve been pushing the “Iran will do nothing” scenario across multiple threads for a few days now. What happen if you’re wrong?

It'll be the first time.

 

[Rexedgar]

It'll be the first time.

Ok, Gen Xer!

 

[Chomsky]

Funny stuff! :mrgreen:

 

[NeverTrump]

You’ve been pushing the “Iran will do nothing” scenario across multiple threads for a few days now. What happen if you’re wrong?

In a decade, if we're still around, he'll be saying he was against it from the beginning and vote for a guy who promises no wars in the middle east.

He'll also argue that wars are not wars.

 

[Rexedgar]

In a decade, if we're still around, he'll be saying he was against it from the beginning and vote for a guy who promises no wars in the middle east.

Ain’t you the optimist? :mrgreen:

 

[redrover]

Only a moron could believe Iran would do anything to jeopardize its nuke program.

While Trump has failed to unite the American people. You have to give him credit for uniting the Iranian people. Going after cultural sites is consistent with Trump's Christen base. In the fourth century it was the Christians who went on a reign of terror destroying many of the treasures of the ancient world.

 

[ecofarm]

While Trump has failed to unite the American people. You have to give him credit for uniting the Iranian people. Going after cultural sites is consistent with Trump's Christen base. In the fourth century it was the Christians who went on a reign of terror destroying many of the treasures of the ancient world.

The Iranian regime dictates the knowledge and opinion of their subjects. It's a totalitarian theocracy. Let's not pretend those people are anything but slaves.

 

[jamesbyoung]

Ok, Gen Xer!

okey dokey millennial croakey!

 

[Rexedgar]

okey dokey millennial croakey!

You’ve been here what, two weeks?

 

[braindrain]

Who’s Next? Trump Crossed a Line with Soleimani’s Assassination

The Iranian was much more than a general. Who else is Trump willing to kill?

As the New York Times reported, the Pentagon presented Donald Trump with a long list of potential Iranian targets. The type of targets that both Iran and the US understood to be fair game in their decades-long "twilight or shadow war". This mutual understanding didn't include killing the General that is arguably the second most powerful/influential official in the Iranian government. While there is no denying that Qassem Soleimani was an individual with very bloody hands, his blatant assassination by the United States (read Donald Trump) changes the calculus in the ME. It may have been an immediate "feel-good" strike to take his mind and the media headlines far away from impeachment, but this decision will have serious and long-term consequences for America in the Middle East, the likes of which we can only guess at. The first consequence could very well be the Iraq government expelling US forces from Iraqi territory. Trump has now doubled-down on his seemingly boundless stupidity, threatening to destroy cultural sites in Iran. Unless such sites are serving a military purpose, such destruction would constitute a war crime under international conventions and various US military manuals. The elephant-in-the-room retribution by Iran could very well be the twilight-targeting of a US government/military official. Remember, Tehran didn't change the twilight-war rules, this was strictly Donald Trump's doing.

Related: As Tensions With Iran Escalated, Trump Opted for Most Extreme Measure

So in your mind it was OK and not crossing a line for suleimani to take part in the killings of hundreds of Americans but killing him was over the line. When you take part in killing another countries soldiers it can't be any real surprise that you may find yourself targeted.

When Trump is gone and the TDS you are suffering from subsides I think you are going to look and realize just how badly it has effected your ability to think clearly. But then again maybe not and TDS will be with you for life.

 

[BahamaBob]

I find it amusing that the Democrats still subscribe to the 16th century belief that offices are off limits in combat. I want them to explain to the families of the hundreds of Americans this man is responsible for why it was OK for him to kill with impunity.

 

[jamesbyoung]

You’ve been here what, two weeks?

Doesn't take two days to figure you out. Don't dish it if you are going to complain.

 

[Thoreau72]

Trump is unstable, and raised by the mob. Both are now painfully apparent.

His and Congress' act is very similar to how the Saudis took out Khashoggi last year. Barbarians rule!

 

[AlphaOmega]

I find it amusing that the Democrats still subscribe to the 16th century belief that offices are off limits in combat. I want them to explain to the families of the hundreds of Americans this man is responsible for why it was OK for him to kill with impunity.

Democrats lament over the death of a terrorist who participated in the killing of 100s of Americans. They are currently trying to remove a sitting president for political reasons. If anyone is confused as to whether these dems are traitors, you shouldn't be.

 

[jamesbyoung]

The Constitution provides for removing a sitting President for political reasons.

It's called impeachment.

 

[Jredbaron96]

The Iranian regime dictates the knowledge and opinion of their subjects. It's a totalitarian theocracy. Let's not pretend those people are anything but slaves.

Slaves that use twitter to organize protests?

 

[ecofarm]

Slaves that use twitter to organize protests?

 

[Jredbaron96]

View attachment 67271433

 

[bomberfox]

The Iranian regime dictates the knowledge and opinion of their subjects. It's a totalitarian theocracy. Let's not pretend those people are anything but slaves.

Why would they be more united now than ever then?

 

[ecofarm]

Why would they be more united now than ever then?

Iran is about to get nukes and wipe Iraq out. Totalitarian theocracy ftw.

 

[bomberfox]

I find it amusing that the Democrats still subscribe to the 16th century belief that offices are off limits in combat. I want them to explain to the families of the hundreds of Americans this man is responsible for why it was OK for him to kill with impunity.

Except the question is what are the broader geopolitical implications of this.

 

[bomberfox]

Iran is about to get nukes and wipe Iraq out. Totalitarian theocracy ftw.

:lamo wow this is pure sean hannity level propaganda. I was honestly not expecting this from you.