It is driving me crazy that news sources keep reporting as fact that Qassim Suleimani was "responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American troops over the years" and suggesting that justifies his killing by the United States. In one sense, it is true that Suleimani is responsible for the deaths of Americans. While Suleimani was the leader of the Iranian military, which has not directly attacked U.S. soldiers, he was also the contact person between the Iranian government and various Iranian-funded armed groups and militias, some of whom fought with U.S. forces and often killed American soldiers. How much responsibility Suleimani himself personally holds for what those forces is a difficult question, but there is at least a plausible argument for his responsibility.
However, if that is enough to make him "responsible" enough to be summarily murdered, then, every U.S. President, every Secretary of Defense and every Director of the CIA since at least 9/11 is responsible for the deaths of hundreds and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, Yemenis, Afghans, Libyans, etc.
If you think Suleimani's role in those American deaths justifies his assassination, then you have also justified the murder of, for example, Donald Rumsfeld. If an Iraqi guns him down tomorrow, will the New York Times start the article by stating that he was responsible for hundreds of thousands of Iraqi deaths? Is that how the story would be framed?
However, if that is enough to make him "responsible" enough to be summarily murdered, then, every U.S. President, every Secretary of Defense and every Director of the CIA since at least 9/11 is responsible for the deaths of hundreds and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis, Yemenis, Afghans, Libyans, etc.
If you think Suleimani's role in those American deaths justifies his assassination, then you have also justified the murder of, for example, Donald Rumsfeld. If an Iraqi guns him down tomorrow, will the New York Times start the article by stating that he was responsible for hundreds of thousands of Iraqi deaths? Is that how the story would be framed?
