Introduction
In "Killing the Killers," Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard take readers on a journey through the war on terror from 2014 to 2020. While the book covers a wide range of events and figures, this summary focuses on one of the most prominent characters in the narrative: General Qasem Soleimani, the leader of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Soleimani was a complex figure who lived a seemingly ordinary life in Tehran with his family, but behind the scenes, he was responsible for orchestrating terror attacks and military operations across the Middle East and beyond. This summary will explore Soleimani's rise to power, his role in shaping Iran's foreign policy, and the events leading up to his assassination in 2020.
The Rise of Qasem Soleimani
Early Years and the Iranian Revolution
The story of Qasem Soleimani begins in 1979, a pivotal year in Iranian history. The Iranian Revolution had just taken place, with Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returning from exile to lead the country. As Khomeini sought to consolidate his power, he established the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a military force loyal to the new regime.
It was during this tumultuous time that a young Qasem Soleimani, just 22 years old and with no military experience, joined the IRGC. Despite his lack of background, Soleimani quickly proved himself to be a capable and dedicated soldier. His commitment was evident when he refused sick leave after being accidentally shot in the arm during training.
The Iran-Iraq War
Soleimani's true test came in September 1980 when Iraq invaded Iran, sparking a brutal eight-year war. Thrust into the front lines, Soleimani found himself leading a military company. The war was a crucible that forged Soleimani's military prowess and strategic thinking.
As the conflict raged on, Soleimani rapidly climbed the ranks. The war also shaped his worldview in significant ways. He developed a firm belief that Iraq should never again be allowed to threaten Iran, a philosophy he would later extend to other countries in the region. Moreover, the fact that the United States had aligned itself with Iraq during the war planted the seeds of Soleimani's deep-seated animosity towards America.
The Iran-Iraq War ended in a stalemate in 1988, with over 100,000 soldiers dead on both sides. However, for Soleimani, it was just the beginning of his ascent to power.
Commander of the Quds Force
By 1997, Soleimani had risen to become the commander of the Quds Force, the special intelligence arm of the IRGC. This position gave him unprecedented power to shape Iran's foreign policy and military strategy. Under Soleimani's leadership, the Quds Force began waging "secret wars" across multiple fronts – in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.
Soleimani's strategy focused on recruiting and training terror factions and encouraging insurrection in various countries. The Quds Force provided support to Muslim factions in the Bosnian war, trained and armed Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Palestine, backed President Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, and supported Houthi militants fighting against Saudi Arabian forces in Yemen. In Afghanistan, they even collaborated with the Taliban to target American forces.
The Iraq War and Growing Power
The 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq presented both a challenge and an opportunity for Soleimani. While he despised Saddam Hussein, his hatred for the United States was even stronger. Under Soleimani's direction, Iranian forces provided materials and support to Iraqi insurgents attacking U.S. forces. They planted roadside bombs to destroy American vehicles and launched attacks on U.S. bases.
As the conflict in Iraq dragged on, Soleimani's power and influence continued to grow. By 2013, he was described by former CIA officer John Maguire as "the single most powerful operative in the world today," despite being largely unknown to the general public.
Soleimani himself was not shy about his growing influence. In a bold move, he wrote directly to General David Petraeus, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, stating, "I, Qasem Soleimani, control the policy for Iran with respect to Iraq, Lebanon, Gaza, and Afghanistan." This declaration was a clear indication of Soleimani's confidence and the extent of his power.
The Battle Against ISIS
The Rise of ISIS and Iran's Response
As ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) began to gain ground in Iraq and Syria, establishing its so-called caliphate, Iran found itself facing a new threat. For Soleimani and the Iranian leadership, the Sunni extremist group represented not only a security threat but also a challenge to Iran's influence in the region.
In March 2015, Soleimani launched a major offensive against ISIS, leading a force of 20,000 Shia fighters to retake the city of Tikrit. This operation was significant for several reasons:
- Symbolic importance: Tikrit was the birthplace of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
- Strategic location: The city lies on the banks of the Tigris River, halfway between Baghdad and Mosul.
- Demonstration of power: The attack showcased Iran's military capabilities and Soleimani's strategic acumen.
The battle for Tikrit was a lopsided affair, with the 20,000 Iranian-led forces facing only about 4,000 ISIS fighters. The odds were further stacked against ISIS when their leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, was severely injured in an American drone strike, forcing him to hand over operations to his deputy.
As Soleimani's forces advanced on Tikrit, the sky lit up with rocket fire. The ISIS defenders found themselves outgunned and outmaneuvered. The fall of Tikrit to Iranian forces dealt a severe blow to ISIS, both symbolically and tactically.
A Two-Front War for ISIS
While Soleimani's forces were attacking Tikrit, U.S. forces were simultaneously launching airstrikes against ISIS-held positions in Kirkuk, less than 100 miles away. These coordinated attacks, albeit unintentional, put ISIS in the difficult position of fighting a two-front war against both Iran and the United States – bitter rivals united only in their opposition to ISIS.
This situation highlighted the complex nature of the conflicts in the Middle East, where traditional enemies sometimes found themselves inadvertently working towards the same goal. It also demonstrated the precarious position of ISIS, caught between two powerful adversaries.
Soleimani's Moment in the Spotlight
It was during the battle for Tikrit that Soleimani allowed himself to be photographed for the first time in a combat situation. The image, which quickly spread on social media, showed Soleimani kneeling in prayer in the middle of the desert, wearing a soldier's fatigues with a general's epaulets. Many commenters noted his handsome, unlined face, dark eyes, black eyebrows, and neatly-trimmed gray beard, accompanied by a gentle smile.
This carefully staged photograph was a strategic move by Soleimani. It humanized him and presented him as a pious warrior, fighting against the evil of ISIS. However, this image belied the reality of Soleimani's actions. By this time, he and his forces were already responsible for thousands of deaths, having orchestrated terror attacks in various countries and engaged in brutal tactics not dissimilar to those employed by ISIS.
The Growing Threat of Soleimani
U.S. Recognition of the Threat
While much of the world's attention was focused on ISIS and its leader al-Baghdadi, some in the U.S. government were becoming increasingly concerned about the threat posed by Soleimani and the IRGC. This concern was evident during a December 2015 meeting of the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs.
During this meeting, committee chairman Ed Royce highlighted the IRGC's support for international terrorism, human rights abuses, and nuclear proliferation. He argued that the IRGC was the primary reason Iran posed such a significant threat to global security.
Another politician at the meeting went even further, suggesting that while al-Baghdadi was a figurehead for ISIS, his replacement would only be a small setback for the organization. In contrast, he described Soleimani as "brilliant" – someone who "in another lifetime" could have run a major corporation like Microsoft. The politician argued that Soleimani's elimination would result in an unrecoverable loss of leadership and intelligence for Iran.
Despite these concerns, Soleimani's name was only mentioned twice during the two-hour committee meeting. This relative lack of attention reflected the complex nature of the threats facing the U.S. and its allies in the Middle East. While Soleimani was recognized as a significant threat by some, the immediate danger posed by ISIS often took center stage in public discussions and media coverage.
Soleimani's Victory Over ISIS
In November 2017, Soleimani wrote a letter to Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, confirming his strategic victory over ISIS in Syria. This victory was particularly significant for Iran, as it came just five months after a surprising and humiliating ISIS attack in Tehran that had resulted in 17 deaths and 43 injuries – the first such attack on Iranian soil.
Soleimani's letter celebrated the capture of Abu Kamal, the last ISIS stronghold in Syria. Photos of Soleimani commanding his troops – appearing calm and professional, surrounded by bodyguards – were widely circulated in the media. These images further cemented Soleimani's reputation as a skilled military leader and increased his public profile.
In his letter, Soleimani initially focused on the defeat of ISIS, describing how their young fighters had blown themselves up in suicide attacks in the name of Islam. However, he quickly pivoted to direct his rhetoric towards Iran's greatest enemy: the United States. Soleimani claimed that "all of these crimes were plotted and carried out by the leaders and organizations tied to the US," effectively blaming America for the rise and actions of ISIS.
U.S. Response to Soleimani's Growing Influence
The U.S. government, particularly the intelligence community, was closely monitoring Soleimani's activities and growing influence. Mike Pompeo, then director of the Central Intelligence Agency, had a history with Soleimani dating back to the Gulf War. Pompeo made it clear that the U.S. would hold Soleimani and Iran accountable for any attacks on American interests in Iraq carried out by forces under their control.
In an unprecedented move, Pompeo even sent a letter directly to Soleimani, warning that the U.S. would retaliate aggressively in response to any Iranian-sponsored terror attacks. While Soleimani reportedly did not accept or read the letter, the message was clear: the U.S. considered itself to be at war with Soleimani and was prepared to take action against him.
This exchange of threats and counter-threats highlighted the escalating tension between the U.S. and Iran, with Soleimani at the center of the conflict. It also set the stage for the dramatic events that would unfold in the coming years.
The Fall of ISIS Leadership
Trump's Aggressive Stance
In January 2018, during his first State of the Union address, President Donald Trump highlighted the success of his administration's aggressive stance against ISIS. He reported that ISIS had lost 95 percent of its territory, fulfilling a promise he had made a year earlier to develop a new plan to defeat the terrorist organization.
However, despite these territorial losses, attacks on American targets had not ceased entirely. This persistence of the threat, combined with Trump's aggressive posture towards terrorism, led to a renewed focus on eliminating key ISIS leaders.
The Hunt for al-Baghdadi
The hunt for Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS, intensified in 2018. A significant breakthrough came with the arrest of Ismael al-Ethawi, al-Baghdadi's top lieutenant, in Turkey. Under interrogation, al-Ethawi revealed crucial information about al-Baghdadi's secret homes and movements in Syria.
Using this intelligence and al-Ethawi's cellphone, the CIA set a trap. They sent text messages from al-Ethawi's phone to four top ISIS leaders, arranging a meeting at a "safe location" in Iraq. When these leaders arrived, they were quickly taken into custody. Their fate remains unknown to this day, but their capture dealt a severe blow to ISIS's leadership structure.
The final breakthrough in locating al-Baghdadi came through two strokes of luck. First, one of al-Baghdadi's wives and her courier were arrested, revealing that al-Baghdadi was living in a hilltop compound in Barisha. Then, an unidentified Arab insider provided the CIA with detailed information about the compound's layout.
The Raid on al-Baghdadi's Compound
On October 27, 2019, U.S. forces launched a daring raid on al-Baghdadi's compound. The operation began at 1:10 a.m. local time, with elite Night Stalker aviators flying Black Hawk and Chinook helicopters towards the target. Despite coming under fire, the team managed to land safely and deploy a ten-man Delta Force team.
The Delta Force operators quickly secured the compound, calling out in Arabic for al-Baghdadi to surrender. Women and children emerged and were safely evacuated. The team then methodically cleared the buildings, encountering and neutralizing several ISIS fighters and women wearing suicide vests.
Al-Baghdadi, cornered in an escape tunnel with two of his young children, detonated a suicide vest, killing himself and the children. The explosion was so powerful that it collapsed part of the tunnel, but al-Baghdadi's head remained intact, allowing for visual confirmation of his identity. DNA testing later confirmed the kill.
Aftermath of al-Baghdadi's Death
The next morning, President Trump announced the successful operation from the White House, declaring, "Last night, the United States brought the world's number one terrorist leader to justice. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead."
The global response to al-Baghdadi's death was largely positive, with even Russia applauding the result. However, in Iran, Soleimani was less than impressed. ISIS initially refused to acknowledge their leader's death, likely buying time to reorganize their leadership structure.
The death of al-Baghdadi marked a significant victory in the war against ISIS, but it also shifted the focus of U.S. counterterrorism efforts. With ISIS weakened, attention began to turn more fully towards other threats in the region, including the activities of Iran and Soleimani.
Escalating Tensions Between the U.S. and Iran
The Kirkuk Attack
On December 27, 2019, tensions between the U.S. and Iran escalated dramatically following an attack on Camp K-1, a joint Iraqi-U.S. military base near Kirkuk, Iraq. At 7:20 p.m., just after dinner, the base was struck by Katyusha rockets, primarily hitting the U.S. side of the camp. The attack wounded four U.S. service members and two Iraqi security personnel, and killed an American civilian contractor named Nawres Hamid.
This attack was not isolated; it was the twelfth such rocket incident since November. However, it was the first to result in an American fatality, crossing a red line for the U.S. government. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo quickly responded, warning Iran that attacks orchestrated by them would be met with "a decisive U.S. response."
U.S. Retaliatory Strikes
The U.S. response came swiftly. On December 29, U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles carried out precision-guided bomb attacks on three Iranian ammunition depots in Iraq and two in Syria. These strikes resulted in 25 deaths and 55 injuries among Iranian-backed militia members.
Simultaneously, in Somalia, U.S. jets, working in conjunction with the Somali government, targeted and killed four militants responsible for a truck bombing in Mogadishu that had killed 90 people and wounded 120 others just a day after the Kirkuk attack. This coordinated response demonstrated the U.S. government's determination to confront threats from Iran and its proxies across multiple theaters.
The Baghdad Embassy Siege
As 2019 drew to a close, tensions in Baghdad were already high due to months of protests against Iranian influence by Sunni Muslims. On New Year's Eve, the situation escalated further when mourners of the militiamen killed in the U.S. bombing joined the fray.
The crowd threw rocks at the U.S. Embassy and chanted "Death to America." Eventually, they breached the embassy's outer walls, entered storage facilities, and ransacked files. U.S. Marines took up defensive positions on top of the embassy building, training their weapons on the crowd below.
President Trump quickly took to Twitter, accusing Iran of orchestrating the attack on the embassy and warning that they would be held fully responsible. The siege continued overnight, with about a thousand militia members surrounding the embassy, effectively trapping the Americans inside. The Iraqi security forces did not intervene.
The standoff finally ended when U.S. Marines fired tear gas, and two helicopter gunships made low passes over the crowd, causing them to disperse. However, the damage was done – both physically to the embassy and diplomatically between the U.S. and Iran.
Soleimani's Fatal Decision
As the embassy siege came to an end, Soleimani was already planning a new wave of attacks on American troops. In a decision that would prove fatal, he boarded a Syrian airliner to fly from Damascus to Baghdad.
Unbeknownst to Soleimani, U.S. intelligence agencies had been tracking his movements closely. The attack on the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, combined with intelligence suggesting Soleimani was planning further attacks on U.S. troops, had pushed the Trump administration to consider more drastic action against the Iranian general.
The Assassination of Qasem Soleimani
The Final Flight
On January 3, 2020, at 12:32 a.m., Soleimani's plane touched down at Baghdad International Airport. He was accompanied by two loyal Quds bodyguards and two high-level Iranian officials. Upon disembarking, they were met by Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the founder of the Kataib Hezbollah militia.
The group left the airport in two SUVs, completely unaware that they were being tracked from 20,000 feet by at least two MQ-9 Reaper drones. These unmanned aerial vehicles, each 36 feet long with a wingspan of 20 meters and weighing 5 tons, were equipped with cameras capable of clearly photographing words on a golf ball from 3 miles away.
The Decision to Strike
Back in Washington, CIA Director Gina Haspel had been closely monitoring Soleimani's movements. She was aware that Soleimani was meeting with militia allies in Iraq to plan attacks on U.S. troops. With Soleimani's location confirmed and his intentions clear, Haspel knew it was time to act.
President Trump had already signed off on a lethal intervention following the attack on the Baghdad embassy. Soleimani had been on the U.S. most wanted terrorists list for years, but had so far managed to evade assassination attempts. Now, however, the confluence of events – the embassy attack, intelligence about planned future attacks, and the opportunity presented by Soleimani's presence in Baghdad – created the perfect conditions for a strike.
The Strike
At 2:55 p.m. Las Vegas time (12:55 a.m. in Baghdad), the order was given. Air Force pilots monitoring the Reaper drones from Creech Air Force Base outside Las Vegas received the go-ahead to launch their missiles.
At that moment, Soleimani was sitting in the back of one of the SUVs with Mahdi al-Muhandis, likely discussing their plans for future operations against U.S. forces. The quiet of their conversation was suddenly shattered by the roar of Hellfire rockets – the last sound Soleimani would ever hear.
Two missiles slammed into Soleimani's car, while a third and fourth struck the second vehicle. The precision strike was devastating, obliterating both vehicles and leaving only flaming wreckage behind. Everyone in the vehicles was killed instantly, their bodies burned beyond recognition.
In a gruesome detail that would later confirm Soleimani's death, his severed hand was found on the road shoulder, identifiable by his distinctive silver and red ring.
Immediate Aftermath
News of Soleimani's death spread quickly, sending shockwaves through the region and around the world. The Iranian government immediately condemned the attack, but their initial response was somewhat muted, perhaps due to shock or uncertainty about how to proceed.
In the United States, reactions were mixed. While some praised the operation as a successful strike against a known terrorist, others expressed concern about the potential consequences and the legality of assassinating a high-ranking official of a country with which the U.S. was not officially at war.
President Trump addressed the nation, framing the strike as a preemptive action to prevent future attacks on Americans. He praised the precision of the operation and insisted that Soleimani had been planning a "very major attack."
Global Reactions and Consequences
International Response
The assassination of Soleimani sparked a range of reactions around the world. In Iran, large crowds gathered to chant "Death to America" and burn U.S. flags. The Iranian government promised to strike back at a time and place of its choosing, leaving the world on edge about potential retaliation.
On social media, the hashtag #WorldWar3 began trending, reflecting widespread fears that the assassination could lead to a major conflict between the U.S. and Iran.
The international community was divided in its response. Russia condemned the assassination, while Israel and Saudi Arabia, long-time rivals of Iran, supported the U.S. action. The United Nations stated that the attack was a violation of its charter, highlighting the complex legal and diplomatic issues surrounding targeted killings of state officials.
Iranian Retaliation
Iran's promised retaliation came swiftly. Just hours after Soleimani's funeral, Iranian forces launched a missile attack on a U.S. airbase in Iraq. The attack, which took place shortly after midnight, involved missiles designed to fragment into shrapnel upon impact, potentially causing maximum casualties.
However, when the dust settled, it became clear that not a single U.S. soldier had been killed in the attack. Whether this was due to early warning systems, pure luck, or a deliberate attempt by Iran to save face while avoiding further escalation remains a matter of debate.
In the immediate aftermath of the Iranian missile strike, President Trump tweeted, "All is well!" This message seemed to signal a desire to de-escalate the situation, despite the gravity of the attack on a U.S. military installation.
The Tragic Downing of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752
In a tragic turn of events, the tension following Soleimani's assassination and Iran's retaliatory strike led to a devastating mistake. On January 8, 2020, just hours after Iran's missile attack on U.S. bases, a Ukrainian passenger jet was shot down shortly after taking off from Tehran's international airport.
All 176 passengers and crew members on board were killed. Initially, Iranian authorities denied any involvement, claiming that the plane had suffered engine failure. However, as evidence mounted, Iran was forced to admit that its military had mistakenly identified the plane as a cruise missile and shot it down.
This incident added another layer of complexity to the already tense situation. It highlighted the potential for unintended consequences in times of heightened military alertness and further strained Iran's relationships with the international community.
Conclusion: The Legacy of Soleimani's Assassination
The assassination of Qasem Soleimani marked a significant turning point in U.S.-Iran relations and in the broader landscape of Middle Eastern geopolitics. While it eliminated a figure that the U.S. government viewed as a major threat, it also raised serious questions about the long-term consequences of such targeted killings.
In the short term, the assassination and its immediate aftermath brought the U.S. and Iran to the brink of open warfare. The tit-for-tat attacks – from the initial strike on the U.S. base in Iraq to Soleimani's assassination to Iran's retaliatory missile strikes – demonstrated how quickly tensions could escalate in the region.
However, the lack of American casualties in Iran's retaliatory strike, combined with the tragic downing of the Ukrainian airliner, seemed to create an opportunity for both sides to step back from the brink. Neither the U.S. nor Iran appeared eager to engage in a full-scale war, despite the heated rhetoric.
In the longer term, the assassination of Soleimani had several significant impacts:
It demonstrated the reach and capabilities of U.S. intelligence and military forces, sending a message to other potential adversaries.
It disrupted Iran's network of influence in the region, at least temporarily, by removing a key strategist and leader.
It further strained U.S.-Iraq relations, as the strike was carried out on Iraqi soil without the Iraqi government's knowledge or consent.
It raised questions about the legality and ethics of targeted assassinations of state officials, potentially setting a precedent for future conflicts.
It heightened tensions in the Middle East, potentially complicating efforts at diplomacy and peace-building in the region.
The full ramifications of Soleimani's assassination will likely continue to unfold for years to come. It serves as a stark reminder of the complex and often unpredictable nature of international relations and conflict in the 21st century.
In the end, the story of Qasem Soleimani – from his rise through the ranks of the IRGC to his dramatic demise – encapsulates many of the key themes of the war on terror: the blurred lines between state actors and terrorist organizations, the use of advanced technology in warfare, the challenges of asymmetric conflict, and the potential for localized actions to have global consequences.
As the world continues to grapple with the threat of terrorism and the complex dynamics of Middle Eastern politics, the lessons learned from the life and death of Qasem Soleimani will undoubtedly inform strategic thinking and decision-making for years to come.