General Qasem Soleimani – one of Iran’s top military commanders – has been killed in Baghdad, Iraq by a U.S. drone strike authorized by President Donald Trump..The United States Department of Defence released statement after the attack:.“At the direction of the President, the U.S. military has taken decisive defensive action to protect U.S. personnel abroad by killing Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force, a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. .General Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region. General Soleimani and his Quds Force were responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American and coalition service members and the wounding of thousands more. He had orchestrated attacks on coalition bases in Iraq over the last several months – including the attack on December 27th – culminating in the death and wounding of additional American and Iraqi personnel. General Soleimani also approved the attacks on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad that took place this week. .This strike was aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans. The United States will continue to take all necessary action to protect our people and our interests wherever they are around the world.”.Iran’s Foreign Minister, Javad Zarif, responded on Twitter: “The US’ act of international terrorism, targeting & assassinating General Soleimani—THE most effective force fighting Daesh (ISIS), Al Nusrah, Al Qaeda et al—is extremely dangerous & a foolish escalation. The US bears responsibility for all consequences of its rogue adventurism.”.U.S. Secretary of Defence Dr. Mark T. Esper had little time for the Iranian message of painting Soleimani as an anti-terrorist crusader, claiming that the late general was involved in the Iranian-backed Shia militias that violently attacked the US embassy in Bagdad..“Let me speak directly to Iran and to our partners and allies. To Iran and its proxy militias: we will not accept continued attacks against our personnel and forces in the region. Attacks against us will be met with responses in the time, manner, and place of our choosing. We urge the Iranian regime to end their malign activities.”.The drone strike was not on Iranian soil, but considerably raises the stakes and tensions in the region between the US and Iran..More to come as the story develops..Alex McColl is a Defence Columnist with the Western Standard and a Canadian military analyst.
