We knew who Osama Bin Laden was. We knew who Abu Bakr al Baghdadi was. But who is (was) Qassem Soleimani? Soleimani, a notorious “bad actor,” was a new name to many Americans, including me. Common Sense citizens dig a little deeper to find information when American forces attack powerful people who have inflicted harm on Americans and intend to do so further.
Let’s use the 5 W’s and an H to uncover some basic facts about Soleimani.
Who? Qassem Soleimani was a commanding Iranian general, the leader of Iran’s elite Quds force.
What? Soleimani was killed in a U.S. airstrike.
When? January 2, 2020
Where? Baghdad International Airport, after he exited a plane and was met by his associates.
Why? Soleimani had American blood on his hands from the very recent attack on the U.S. Embassy in Iraq. (U.S. Embassy soil is considered to be American soil). However, Soleimani was known to have previously been responsible for hundreds of American deaths as he sought to expand Iran’s power in the Middle East.
How? By taking out Soleimani suddenly and without warning, his future plans to assassinate American diplomats and military overseas has been foiled.
After uncovering some basic facts, it is natural to begin to have further questions and to form opinions.
Some have called this an act of war. These people claim that it should have been brought to Congress before any action was taken. This is partially true. According to Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution, Congress has the power to declare war. However, this was a retaliatory strike meant to send a message. One must consider the enemy, not act rashly, and exercise restraint. We have done that. Soleimani was responsible for many deaths of U.S. personnel from 2003-2011. In the Middle East economy, if you fiddle around and do nothing, they do more. We lost over 600 troops in April of 2019. If you wait for Congressional approval in a case like this, you may be waiting as long as Americans are waiting for bills to pass or Articles of Impeachment to be sent to the Senate. In short, you send a message to a bad actor when you waste no time in taking action. Previous presidents have done likewise.
You will hear all kinds of arguments in the coming days for or against the demise of Soleimani. None of us wants war. All of us want ourselves, our loved ones, neighbors, and fellow citizens to be protected from all enemies, foreign and domestic.
To seek the facts before forming an opinion is to exercise Common Sense Civics and Citizenship.??
