Qasem Soleimani

Who was Qasem Soleimani?

 * Iran's Qasem Soleimani Is Guiding Iraqi Forces in Fight Against ISIS - NBC News, March 8, 2015
 * Qassem Soleimani and Iran’s Unique Regional Strategy - Ali Soufan (about), CTC Sentinel (West Point), November 2018 (PDF, archive)
 * Qasem Soleimani: What We Know About Iranian Elite Force’s General That US Took Aim at - Sputnik, January 3, 2020
 * Who was General Qassem Soleimani? - PressTV, January 3, 2020
 * Fragmentation in the Axis of Resistance led to Soleimani’s death - Elijah J. Magnier, January 5, 2020
 * Inside the Plot by Iran’s Soleimani to Attack US Forces in Iraq - Algemeiner/Reuters, January 5, 2020
 * Portrait of a General - Murtaza Hussain, The Intercept, January 6 2020,
 * ''Secret Iranian Spy Cables Show How Qassim Suleimani Wielded His Enormous Power in Iraq
 * "How Qassem Soleimani Managed Iran's Proxies in the Middle East" - Voice of America, January 7 2020

Role in Syria and Iraq
There are two popular versions of what external factors motivated Russia to deploy forces to Syria. One of them ('semi-official') is a visit of Soleimani to Moscow who is said to convince Russian leadership to intervene/deploy airforce. Another (opposition/Strelkov) is a request by Obama; an indirect evidence for this may be Putin's comment to the effect that 'our agreements with Obama on Syria' did not work out.

Soleimani was from time to time photographed with pro-Iranian groups fighting in Iraq and Syria and is described as a 'key strategist and commander leading Iranian military advisers assisting Syrian and Iraqi troops'.

It is claimed that “Iraq’s government authorities regularly invited Soleimani to meetings regarding various subjects, this is why he had been constantly traveling to the country” and that he was a “formal” and “high-profile” guest of the Iraqi government. The Iraqi PM later stated in parliament that he was due to meet Soleimani later on the day he was assasinated to recieve Tehran's response to a Saudi message in a descalation process being mediated by Iraq.

Quds Force ('Jerusalem' force) is tasked with IRI operations abroad.

Assassination

 * Iraqi Sources Reveal Weapon Used To Kill General Soleimani - SouthFront, January 4, 2020

Planning

 * Plans to Kill Soleimani Began Forming Soon After Christmas by Small Team of Trump Advisors - Report - Sputnik, January 4, 2020
 * As Tensions With Iran Escalated, Trump Opted for Most Extreme Measure, according to 4 talking wonders, Helene Cooper, Eric Schmitt, Maggie Haberman and Rukmini Callimachi, The New York Times, January 4, 2020 (archive)
 * was presented multiple options in Iraq. He chose them all, including the worst. - Mark Sumner, Daily Kos, January 4, 2020
 * Pentagon Chief Kept Tight Circle on Suleimani Strike - Lara Seligman, Foreign Policy, January 5, 2020,
 * Top Pentagon Brass 'Stunned' By Trump Decision to Assassinate IRGC Commander Soleimani - Report - Sputnik, January 5, 2020
 * How Pompeo convinced Trump to kill Soleimani and fulfilled a decade-long goal - Nicole Gaouette and Jamie Gangel, CNN, January 9, 2020
 * ''Elizabeth Warren said she wasn't convinced Soleimani presented the imminent threat the administration claimed to justify his killing

Iranian statements

 * Commander of Iran’s Quds Force, Iraq's PMU deputy head assassinated in US strike - PressTV (Iran), January 3, 2020
 * Message by the Leader, Ayatullah Khamenei, regarding the martyrdom of Shahid Sardar Qasem Suleimani - The Saker, January 3, 2020 also at IUM Press
 * Qassem Soleimani: Iran vows 'harsh vengeance' after top general killed in US airstrike - The Independent, January 3, 2020
 * Iran will be patient in planning crushing anti-US response: IRGC commander - PressTV, January 4, 2020

Burial

 * Tasnim News, January 8, 2020

Analysis

 * Lies About Iran Killing US Troops in Iraq Are a Ploy to Justify War - Gareth Porter, Truthout, July 9, 2019
 * "Trump’s order to assassinate Iranian General Soleimani draws swift condemnation from US officials" - PressTV (Iran), January 3, 2020
 * U.S. Will Come To Regret Its Assassination of Qassim Soleimani - Moon of Alabama, January 3, 2020
 * How will Iran retaliate for the assassination of Qasem Suleiman? - Anna Ahronheim, The Jerusalem Post, January 3, 2020
 * How Russia is reading the killing of Qasem Soleimani - Maxim A. Suchkov, Al Monitor, January 3, 2020
 * Trump ordered the assassination of Soleimani, and the Middle East prepares for possible war - Mideast Discourse, January 3, 2020
 * The Soleimani Assassination: The Long-Awaited Beginning of The End of America’s Imperial Ambitions - Philip Giraldi, AH Tribune, January 3, 2020
 * Iranian Revenge Will Be A Dish Best Served Cold - Scott Ritter, American Conservative, January 4, 2020
 * The USA is now at war, de-facto and de-jure, with BOTH Iraq and Iran (UPDATED 6X) - The Saker, January 5, 2019
 * There Will Be Blood - Larry C Johnson, Sic Semper Tyrannis, January 5, 2020
 * 9 Things Americans Need to Know about General Soleimani’s Assassination - Randi Nord, Geopolitics Alert, January 5, 2020
 * Is Soleimani murder ‘beginning of the end’ of US imperialism? - Catte Black, OffGuardian, January 6, 20202
 * After Soleimani Killing Suddenly the U.S. is Alone - Tom Luongo, January 6, 2020
 * The U.S. is weakened by Soleimani’s killing - Vijay Prashad, The Hindu, January 7, 2020
 * Donald Trump has just blown up his goal of isolating Iran - John R. Bradley, The Spectator, January 11, 2020

Aftermath

 * ''See also Iranian missile strike on Ain al-Asad airbase

Russian 'influencers' correct Trump, now it's B-52 bombers going after 52 targets, for better drama.
 * 52 inch nails

Noted. There were 66 hostages. After two weeks, 13 women and African Americans were released. The Iranians freed Vice Consul Richard Queen after eight months because of severe illness. The 52 remaining Americans were held prisoner until Ronald Reagan was inaugurated president in January 1981. Then they were released. --Resup (talk) 05:37, 5 January 2020 (UTC)

Air Force Sends B-52 Bombers to Diego Garcia Amid Middle East Buildup: Report -Military.com, January 6, 2020