By Zofia Tubin '23
On January 3rd, a precision strike that had been ordered by President Trump was carried out in front of Baghdad International Airport, killing six people inside the vehicles that transported the General. The goal of this mission was to “terminate” the top Iranian commander, Qasem Soleimani, who was suspected of plotting sinister and imminent attacks.
The Trump Administration viewed Soleimani as a ruthless killer, with Trump even saying that he should have been taken out a lot sooner by previous presidents. In the eyes of the Pentagon, Soleimani was the cause of hundreds of American deaths in several attacks ranging from the past few months. “General Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region," the Pentagon said in a statement Thursday, calling the strike "decisive defensive" action aimed at deterring future Iranian attacks. The Pentagon also blames the Iranian commander and his Quds Force for the attacks of several coalition bases, including the strike on December 27 that caused the deaths of an Iraqi personnel and an American contractor. Blame on the December 31 U.S. embassy attack in Baghdad was also put on Soleimani and his soldiers. However, many have also acknowledged the General's role in the fight against ISIS and his power in both Iran and Iraq. In fact, his death sparked massive uprisings in Iran, even from those who opposed him, due to the heavy significance of such an extreme form of foreign policy carried out by the U.S.
General Soleimani was, indeed, one of the most controversial figures on the world stage, and opinions in regard of his killing have varied, especially considering the incredible complexity of the relationship between the U.S. and Iran. No matter the diverging thoughts people have expressed in regard of this issue, this event marks a crucial point in history.
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