Soleimani’s Killing Could Change the Middle East for the Better
In recent years, high-profile assassinations have been more political theater than practically important. This one could be different if followed up with the right strategy.
From the killing of al Qaeda head Osama bin Laden to the death of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, assassinations of high-profile U.S. enemies have been hugely symbolic in recent years. Their practical importance, though, has often been overstated.
But the strike that killed Qassem Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s Quds Force, an elite unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), is different. It has the potential to change the Middle East in fundamental ways—and, if followed through with the right strategy, for the better.