The American President Donald Trump ordered the killing of the powerful commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps, Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani, in a drone strike on the Baghdad International Airport. The death of Iran’s strong man is described by many as a defining moment in the history of the Middle East. Here is a collection of tweets that I think worth reading about it.
Photo via AP
….of PROTESTERS killed in Iran itself. While Iran will never be able to properly admit it, Soleimani was both hated and feared within the country. They are not nearly as saddened as the leaders will let the outside world believe. He should have been taken out many years ago!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2020
Iran never won a war, but never lost a negotiation!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2020
#Iran's state TV reporter and the IRGC weep and sob on air after the #US assassination of #IRGC Quds Force chief Qasim Soleimani, responsible for countless deaths of Americans and bloodshed around the world pic.twitter.com/uDob0ysUme
— Adam Milstein (@AdamMilstein) January 3, 2020
If you just woke up to the news of killing of #Iran’s strong man #Suleimani, please ignore the howling and fear mongering from #Iran sympathizers in both ME and Western capitals.
It is part of a psychological war they mastered for years, but it is baseless!— Nervana Mahmoud (@Nervana_1) January 3, 2020
Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, died October 26, 2019 in Idlib, Syria.
Qassem Soleimani, died January 3, 2020 in Baghdad, Iraq. pic.twitter.com/xVFJLhUXWm
— Mohammed Khalid Alyahya (@7yhy) January 3, 2020
Soleimani killed 603 American servicemembers.
Soleimani maimed thousands more with IEDs.
Soleimani approved the attack on the U.S. Embassy.
He was plotting to kill more Americans.
Yes he deserves to be dead. If you’re lamenting his death, you hate Trump more than a terrorist.
— Liz Wheeler (@Liz_Wheeler) January 3, 2020
Iraqis — Iraqis — dancing in the street for freedom; thankful that General Soleimani is no more. pic.twitter.com/huFcae3ap4
— Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) January 3, 2020
"Soleimani was killed at about 1 a.m…., just as he was leaving Baghdad airport, and by 4:30 a.m., a group of Iraqis was marching—running, even—though the country’s capital carrying a large Iraqi flag, celebrating his death." — @KimGhattas reports:https://t.co/CpssRYIsop
— Jeffrey Goldberg (@JeffreyGoldberg) January 3, 2020
2. As Iran's undisputed military commander, Soleimani built a Shia foreign legion that played an indelible role in the region’s bloodiest conflicts, including Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. Though he was never going to die a natural death, his personality cult left no clear successors
— Karim Sadjadpour (@ksadjadpour) January 3, 2020
4. Soleimani wasn't a US ally in the fight against ISIS. His complicity in Assad's mass displacement/murder of millions of Syrians (including via repeated chemical weapons attacks), and patronage of Iraq's violent Shia militias fueled the Sunni radicalism that helped spawn ISIS.
— Karim Sadjadpour (@ksadjadpour) January 3, 2020
6. One senior US official told me, “it was important to show Iran we own escalation. If they kill one of our men we can kill 30 of theirs. If they attack our embassy we can take out their military commanders”. For US military officials who served in Iraq, Soleimani was enemy #1
— Karim Sadjadpour (@ksadjadpour) January 3, 2020
8. While many are predicting WWIII, the last 40 years of Iran’s history reflect that what’s paramount for the Islamic Republic is its survival. Tehran can ill-afford a full-blown war w/ the US while facing onerous economic sanctions and internal tumult, especially w/o Soleimani
— Karim Sadjadpour (@ksadjadpour) January 3, 2020
With Sulaimani and Al Muhandis killed, the two men who were most instrumental in imposing Iranian control over Iraqi militias are gone. However, with people like AlKhazaali, Fayyadh and AlAmeri, Iran still has its men who will try to impose its agenda. But will be harder now
— Mina Al-Oraibi (@AlOraibi) January 3, 2020
Reminder:
Israel twice had opportunity to kill #Iran’s Qassem Suleimani but stopped due to US pressure.
Both Bush & Obama said “no” to Suleimani killing. @realDonaldTrump did it 👇🏻 https://t.co/KDU1uSysPV
— Firas Maksad (@FirasMaksad) January 3, 2020
2 A combination of elation, relief and fear here in the region among people who suffered tremendously from Suleimani's policies, from Lebanon to Syria and Iraq. Elation and relief because he was seen as the evil mastermind of policies of death and destruction…
— Kim Ghattas (@KimGhattas) January 3, 2020
6 there is fear because he was so central to almost every regional event in the last two decades that even people who hate him can't believe he could die, a bit like people couldn't believe Saddam was really gone. He seemed invincible, omnipotent. What happens in his absence?
— Kim Ghattas (@KimGhattas) January 3, 2020
7 some of his aura or reputation was probably overblown, but he really was indispensable to Iran, he was not on a mission, he WAS the mission, the architect of Iran's expansionist regional policy, the indispensable upholder of the Islamic Revolution, keeping it alive for Khamenei
— Kim Ghattas (@KimGhattas) January 3, 2020
9 There is anger too of course, among his supporters, allies, proxy militias, who were devoted to him and lionized him and will be lost without him. There is no replacement that I know of or can see. They will be mulling their next step for a bit. First, huge displays of mourning
— Kim Ghattas (@KimGhattas) January 3, 2020
10 Lots more to say abt region, US policy, Saudi Arabia reax, Iran domestic reax, local dynamics… more later, but for now then read Dexter Filkins' piece from 2013 on Suleimaini, the best profile out there: https://t.co/6zo5SZvaJ5
— Kim Ghattas (@KimGhattas) January 3, 2020
Massive crowds in #Idlib northern Syria are celebrating the death of Qasem Suleimani by the American attacks last night.
They’re celebrating the end of that bad guy who caused their displacement and killed their children and the lovely ones… pic.twitter.com/Sjeb79JLFP— Asaad Hanna (@AsaadHannaa) January 3, 2020
It’s being reported that Qassem Suleimani arrived to #Iraq from #Lebanon.
In days ahead, Iran & Hezbollah will no doubt trying hard to identify the security breach that led their commander to his demise.
Lots of “chatty” Lebanese out there 🙄 👇🏻 pic.twitter.com/8btVXcmPWP
— Firas Maksad (@FirasMaksad) January 3, 2020
5 years ago you gave a speech at the ‘Islamic Centre of England’ in Maida Vale London, commemorating the 35th anniversary of the creation of the Islamist theocracy of Iran. Your talk was titled “the Case for Iran”. You are still making that case today #RegressiveLeft https://t.co/Lleee2bga3
— أبو عمّار (@MaajidNawaz) January 3, 2020
The disingenuousness is amazing. Soleimani destabilized region for years and facilitated death, starvation, exile of thousands by pursuing Iranian expansionism that was same as US imperialism (and paid for it). The intellectual lengths ppl will go just because Trump did it…
— Kareem Shaheen (@kshaheen) January 3, 2020
Foreign official?
Delete your account #IlhanOmar, you are making a fool of yourself!
Shame on you!#Suleimani is a criminal who killed thousands! https://t.co/lyXgFdhUVu— Nervana Mahmoud (@Nervana_1) January 3, 2020
It seems that the US Democrats hate #Trump than they hate #Iran’s top terrorist #Sulaimani. What is wrong with you folks? Do you really think that your current attitude will help you win hearts and minds in this year’s presidential elections? #Shame
— Nervana Mahmoud (@Nervana_1) January 3, 2020
Erdogan wants to stay on @realDonaldTrump good side, in the hope that US president will give him a green light for his Libyan adventure! https://t.co/P2UJ6ureVq
— Nervana Mahmoud (@Nervana_1) January 3, 2020
A serious question to the alarmists: What will the IRGC do now that it has not already done? Kidnap foreigners? Strike military bases? Sack embassies? Assassination attempts? Target GCC oil interests? Send out militias to crackdown on adversaries?
— Rasha Al Aqeedi (@RashaAlAqeedi) January 3, 2020
Despite of wild outrage and endless threats, the killing of #Suleimani is #Iran's 1967 moment. The Islamic Republic is no longer invincible. It looks vulnerable and weak infant of millions of its fans.@realDonaldTrump
— Nervana Mahmoud (@Nervana_1) January 3, 2020
Nervana 