In the same period, Israel pursued its program of targeted assassination. In an effort to thwart Iran's nuclear program, Mossad assassinated at least five Iranian nuclear scientists, according to Israeli journalist Ronen Bergman. Yossi Melman, another Israeli journalist, says that Mossad has assassinated 60-70 enemies outside of its borders since its founding in 1947, though none as prominent as Soleimani.
Israel also began striking at the Iranian-backed militias in Iraq last year. The United States did the same on December 29, killing 19 fighters and prompting anti-American demonstrations as big as the anti-Iranian demonstrations of a month ago.
Now the killing of Soleimani promises more unrest, if not open war. The idea that it will deter Iranian attacks may come to rank with George Bush's "Mission Accomplished" in the annals of American folly.
"This doesn't mean war," wrote former Defense Department official Andrew Exum, "it will not lead to war, and it doesn't risk war. None of that. It is war."
The Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Jarida reported two years ago that Washington had given Israel the green light to assassinate Soleimani, as Haaretz recounted:
"Al-Jarida, which in recent years... [has] broken exclusive stories from Israel, quoted a source in Jerusalem as saying that 'there is an American-Israeli agreement' that Soleimani is a 'threat to the two countries' interests in the region.' It is generally assumed in the Arab world that the paper is used as an Israeli platform for conveying messages to other countries in the Middle East."
Trump has now fulfilled the wishes of Mossad. After proclaiming his intention to end America's "stupid endless wars," the president has effectively declared war on the largest country in the region in solidarity with Israel, the most unpopular country in the Middle East.
This article was produced by the Deep State, a project of the Independent Media Institute.
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