Tom Rogan, Washington Examiner: What Qassim Soleimani's killing means
The U.S. killing of Qassim Soleimani In Baghdad on Thursday ends an enduring threat. At least in the short term, however, it will unleash Iranian retaliation. The leader of the external action arm of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Soleimani long led that regime's efforts to destroy its enemies and expand its revolution.
From an explosive campaign that killed hundreds of U.S. soldiers in Iraq, to supporting Bashar Assad's regime with legions of Shiite fighters and IRGC operatives, to conducting a campaign of bombings and assassinations and intimidation across the world, Soleimani was a master of his very dark arts. He was a serious and continuing threat to U.S. lives and interests. Indeed, Soleimani masterminded a failed 2011 plot to blow up the then-Saudi ambassador and dozens of diners in a Washington, D.C., restaurant.
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WNU Editor: First things first. I suspect that right now all US government agencies, embassies and military bases are on high alert. The Iranians are also going to retaliate. The when and where is still not known.
On a side note. This is what I wrote to a friend tonight on some of my thoughts on why this happened, and what is next.
The assassination of Soleimani is big.
This is going to rattle a lot of people.
The embassy attack crossed a red line.
The assassination of Soleimani crossed another.
I expect more red lines to be crossed in the coming days/weeks.
But President Trump has clearly sent a signal to the Iranian leadership that after the attack on Saudi Arabia's oil fields, Yemen, attacking ships in the Persian Gulf, attacking US bases in Iraq, etc. that enough was enough.
I now expect the Iranians are going to respond directly without using their proxies.
Everyone is now a target.
Do not surprise if insurance rates for shipping in the Gulf go up overnight, as well as the price for oil.
