[marshmallow_12]

I don't. He is not a General. He was the head of the IRGC, which is a proscribed terrorist organization. The IRGC is the biggest terrorist organization in the world, which arguably makes Solameini the biggest terrorist in the world.

So, on the one side we have Iran killing it's own civilians, Iraqi civilians, Syrian civilians, Yemeni civilians etc on a large scale. The annihilation of the entire Israeli state is also on their wish list. Men, women and children. Driven into the sea.

On the other side, we have the United States, taking out a terrorist chief, and a handful of terrorist bodyguards with an airstrike.

It is hard for me to draw any sort of meaningful comparison between Iran's terrorism in the Middle East and the response of the United States to their threats. Somewhat similarly for Israel.

[RobertoG]

There is something I don't understand, all that happened 8000 km away from USA, how is Iran a thread to the United States exactly?

I was not going to write anything, but the "killing of Iraqi civilians" comment, without a trace of irony, made me.

[missedthecue]

Iran backed groups had literally shelled americans like a week or so before.

[Daho0n]

And where did this happen again?

[marshmallow_12]

>8000 km away from USA, how is Iran a thread to the United States exactly?

I'm confused. He is quantifiably one of the most evil people on the planet, with a long list of human right abuses. Yet, what business is it of the United States to kill him?

He's responsible for the death of thousands but you want America to turn the other way. And then America kills one person, suddenly you are calling them out?

(yes, i am making a moral argument. No it's not the strongest answer. But it's a) the most compelling b) i'm not a general, but i'm sure there are plenty of strategic reasons too).

[dundarious]

The “he was a bad guy” argument is one of the weakest. There are objectively “badder” guys that are current or recent US allies.

The Biden administration refused to even sanction MbS after signing off on a report that he is responsible for Jamal Khashoggi’s murder. I suggest you have a look at the last hundred years or so of Central and South American history for a wealth of awful examples, but you can look at I think any continent except Antarctica.

[dundarious]

In case this was interpreted as “what about-ism”, my point is rather that “he was a bad guy” is rarely a significant factor in foreign military intervention in the west. It is usually just a rationalization.