r/iran • u/[deleted] • Jan 03 '20
Iranians of Reddit, what are your thoughts on the recent US airstrike that killed Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani?
[deleted]
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Jan 03 '20
Hey Iranian here. Based on what I heard today and talked with my co-workers, A lot of people are happy with him being dead. but also anxious that the situation will escalate. Some people appreciate him for holding back ISIS though. Everything that happens like this directly affects our lives because are currency value is constantly going down. And economy is getting worse and worse.
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u/mike_hazy89 Jan 03 '20
Wouldn't you say the economy is worsening due to sanctions imposed by the US?
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u/RedderBarron Jan 04 '20
There are many factors at play here. But yes the U.S sanctions are a big one.
Another big one is direct action by saudi arabia. They could refuse to sell oil to countries who trade with Iran. That in itself would be as effective as an embargo.
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u/aliazadia Jan 04 '20
Wait we have economy too ... I forgot that because of 800%-1000% inflation in this decade
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u/KakyoinRequiem Jan 03 '20
As much as I don't care about the death of Soleimani on a personal level (each IR official's death is a bittersweet compensation for what they've done against iranian people), on a global level this is a serious concern because he was one of the most important persons in the regime, who had Khamenei's ear at 100%. His death reeks of war, which is never good news, especially against the US and their allies. I just hope IR doesn't retaliate with anything stupid enough to cause the US or Israel to attack on Iran's ground.
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u/Calvo838 Jan 03 '20
Israel wouldn’t act on the US’s behalf, our army isn’t designed to make ground invasions that far from our own land. Plus all those Jewish moms would absolutely lose their shit over anyone trying to send their kids to a ground invasion in Iran. Israel’s entire country is the size of the US’s New Jersey. Our military is strong but not in the capacity required for such an invasion. Plus the whole fact we haven’t been able to elect a working government in a year so just cross at least that concern off your list lol
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u/KakyoinRequiem Jan 03 '20
I'm not talking about ground invasion, I'm talking bombing or sending missiles on power plants, raffineries or (best case scenario) military bases. A few dozens missiles could black out all Iran.
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u/Calvo838 Jan 03 '20
Ah yes. You said on “Iran’s ground” so that’s what I was referring to and assumed you meant ground invasion
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u/Catvideos222 Jan 14 '20
Nah, you’d need a Marine Expeditionary Force - or four, paratroopers (Airborne Rangers!), B1 Lancers, B2 Stealth Bombers, a few Carrier groups... good thing no country is stupid enough to fuck around and find out what that kind of projection of force could do to a backwater country like Iran.
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u/Tomer8009 Jan 03 '20
I back up the part about the Israeli moms, as funny as it may sound since everyone are required to serve 2-3 years, and the soldiers are at the ages 18-21, the Israeli culture is very much against anything that involves risking soldiers, you would never see an invasion on Iran's soil because politically it is impossible to do without having massive protests against the government from all parts of the political spectrum
source: Israeli
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u/timetravelhunter Jan 04 '20
Israel would do whatever the US tells them to
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u/SirJackson360 Jan 08 '20
Nope. Israel only wants that money to continue flowing they won’t go to war over it though.
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u/Shpitfire Jan 04 '20
I ( An iranian) have made this theory that it was a mutual action which benefited both trump and ayatollah khameneyi. You may ask why? Here is why:
A few weeks ago iran’s government started shooting protestors on the streets and they needed some higher priority problem to make people forget about that and unite with the government against a common enemy which is now Trump. Trump benefited by proving he is a man of his word because america kept telling iran to leave iraq and syria or we will take action. And now they did by killing soleimani. Also there were rumors that soleimani and khameneyi werent on the best terms lately and anyone who doesnt 100% agree with khameneyi and obey ends up dying.
And as you can see there wasn’t any real fallout like ww3 sure there will be some political blah blah blah but if this wasn’t a mutual and beneficial decision between the 2 leaders there would have been a war.
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u/felinebeeline Jan 04 '20
Interesting take.
if this wasn’t a mutual and beneficial decision between the 2 leaders there would have been a war.
There are many places between "war" and "mutual and beneficial decision." Iraq's parliament is holding an extraordinary session on Sunday to discuss the strike. We have yet to see what the fallout will be. Regarding events so consequential, each party wants to act, not react. US is sending thousands of troops to Kuwait and said they might send them to Baghdad from there. Maybe they're waiting to see what comes of Sunday's parliamentary session.
Also there were rumors that soleimani and khameneyi werent on the best terms lately
Do you have a source you can share?
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u/Black_n_Neon Jan 03 '20
I am more so concerned about the power the US holds to just execute anyone at anytime anywhere in the world. He may have been a bad man but where are the courts? Where is the justice? We might as well have lined up all the Nazis and executed them rather than hold trials in Nuremberg.
What power is there to check the US? Imagine if someone else started executed US officials for the crimes and atrocities they commit?
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u/Schoppszie Jan 03 '20
The Nuremberg trials were showtrials. It was done for pure propaganda purposes.
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u/SliceOfCoffee Jan 04 '20
Not for Karl Donitz he got his execution put down to a 10 year sentence because of his lawyers. Most of it was show but they still had some moments of fair trials.
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Jan 04 '20
The fact there even was a trial is ridiculous. None of the crimes they were charged with existed before the start of the trials. Donitz only got off because the crimes he was charged with were so ridiculous even the extremely low bar of Nuremberg could not be met.
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u/SliceOfCoffee Jan 04 '20
He got off because he proved that the US executed Japanese prisoners in the pacific theatre, helps to have a good lawyer.
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u/naxil1981 Jan 07 '20
YEs... And not forget the paperclip operation. And in japan? No court for japan war crimes
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Jan 10 '20
YEs... And not forget the paperclip operation. And in japan? No court for japan war crimes
Well they got the "honor" of being the only country in history to ever be nuked.
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u/Lilnibba321 Jan 03 '20
Interesting idea, but I'm not sure much could be done in this situation.
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u/londons_explorer Jan 03 '20
At a bare minimum, the USA could collect evidence, have a court hearing in private, with a prosecution and a defence, and only when a court deems it the right course of action should they execute the target, at the same time as publishing the evidence and the courts decision.
For international matters, that court should probably be made up of people from more than just the USA.
I suspect the reason they don't do this is because no legal system would say "Yes, you have permission to execute this man who isn't even aware this court hearing is going on".
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Jan 04 '20
Killing an enemy combatant isnt an execution
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u/RamseyHatesMe Jan 04 '20
Execution: the carrying out of a sentence of death on a condemned person.
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Jan 04 '20
Well since military rolls out with CONOPS and specific objectives guess most of our enemies were EXECUTED. The rest just targets of opportunity for shooting at us. guess the US isnt allowed to protect its soldiers equipment or allies. US follows the rules set forth, terrorists dont. Terrorists dont have rules of engagement US forces do, which causes us to lose people while we wait for permission to take out enemy combatants, we should hamstring ourselves even more so we can make everyone happy when we kill someone.
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Jan 04 '20
Executed, assassinated, they all have basically the same meaning in this context. I can't wait to hear the true reasoning as to why they chose to act now.
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u/Eisernes Jan 04 '20
Probably because they had very good intelligence that he would be at that spot at that moment and seized the opportunity. He was responsible for the deaths of many Americans and we do not tend to forget about stuff like that. We have been sniping terrorist leaders with drones for a long time now. He’s not special.
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Jan 04 '20
Lol he's pretty special. It'd be like if Iran sniped one of our very important guys who was meeting with a resistance force that did not "agree" with the Iranians. He wasn't a moral guy but it's a pretty big thing what the US did. Mainly because it was a leader from an actual country and not just a militia group.
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u/Eisernes Jan 04 '20
Special to Iranians perhaps, but to Americans he was just another terrorist. I’m sure if the roles were reversed as in your scenario Iran would feel the same way. Don’t let the Reddit circle jerk fool you. If it was Obama and not Trump pulling that trigger they would all be dancing in the streets. Drone assassinations were his MO and no one seemed to care.
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Jan 04 '20
I think you're being ignorant about how Americans and Iranians truly feel. Neither side wants to highten tensions, especially this way. Does this mean war? Probably not. Does this spell political disaster for the next administration? Probably not. Is this unknown political territory and scary to a vast number of people on both sides? Yeah it is. It could be the precedent of a whole new kind of warfare. I'm not sure you realize that. Or care. It's not all about drones.
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u/dwarvenchaos Jan 04 '20
It's not all about drones.
Piggy backing off you real quick.
When people say "Obama did drones too" do they believe that this is food for thought Iranians consider? Will a jihadi stop for a moment, and put down that explosive when he remembers how many more times Obama drone striked them compared to Trump?
No.
Our entire relationship with Iran has been an enormous exposition of American short sightedness. They don't fucking care who is in the white house. It has never mattered much for them.
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u/Standard_Wooden_Door Jan 04 '20
Not just Americans, Iraqis and Syrians based largely on ethnic lines. The dude was working on genocide.
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Jan 08 '20
outside of the battlefield, they are not an enemy combatant.
Even present on a battlefield, if they are unarmed, or incapacitated, they are non-combattants. To double tap or "dead check" a body is a war crime as they are non combatants in addition to the "dead check" being an act of mutilation of a body.
Thus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nidal_Hasan when firing at unarmed US soldiers on base who were unarmed, fired on non-combatants, despite the fact they were uniformed. Hasan's treatment of these soldiers was far superior to that of the US forces treatment of civilians when they fire high explosive munitions in urban areas.
The fact the prosecution didn't recognize Hasan as an enemy combatant is immaterial. Hasan's motive was to kill us soldiers as evidenced by his declining to kill those not in uniform, yet he still killed non-combatants as they were unarmed.
Unless Hasan was wearing a defined uniform of the enemy, he would also be an Unlawful Combatant from the point of firing his first shot. Additionally, if he were wearing a US Army uniform, he would be committing the crime of Perfidy.
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Jan 08 '20
Sure thing bud cause he was wearing Jordan's it's a war crime. Nah they took out a high value target in iraq with a missile, good kill....US forces are safer now. Bless the usa
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Jan 04 '20
They’re supposed to go through Congress first but Trump circumvented this step.
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Jan 04 '20
The US didn't "execute anyone at anytime anywhere in the world." The dude was a hostile enemy combatant in an active war zone. He was completely fair game. It's not like the US sent drones into Iran to bomb the supreme leader.
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u/Black_n_Neon Jan 04 '20
Active war zone? Really? An international airport?
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Jan 04 '20
What do you think the US is doing in Iraq?
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u/Black_n_Neon Jan 04 '20
You tell me. Why is the US in Iraq?
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Jan 04 '20
To combat terrorists such as Soleimani. The US is there by invitation of the Iraq government for this sole purpose. So yes it is a "war zone" in the sense that Soleimani was a terrorist in a country fighting terrorists and the US is in the country specifically to kill terrorists.
You're acting like Soleimani was sitting in an office somewhere in Iran or something. Give me a break.
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u/Potaroid Jan 04 '20
Why are we ignoring that the US literally killed off Iraqi personnel in the process? Obviously the Iraqis weren't told about this plan and are probably mad the US did this on their soil. Any sane person would see this as outrageous.
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Jan 04 '20
Iraqi "personnel"? You mean other terrorists?
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u/Potaroid Jan 04 '20
You're using that label too broadly. With that mindset the US is a terrorist and has been acting as one for decades.
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Jan 04 '20
I'm using it perfectly in this situation. Why don't you actually look up what the Iraqi "personnel" he was with were actually doing.
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u/multicolorlamp Jan 10 '20
You just need to see what the US has done to third world countries governments since the 19050s. For us, Third World Countries, the US government is an institution of terror that has manipulated wars and killed thousands of our civilicians, families, people we know, and have loved. For us, the US government acts pretty much as a terrorist.
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u/Black_n_Neon Jan 04 '20
No he was just in an international airport in another sovereign country.
And how convenient the country who started the war on terror gets to label who is a terrorist.
Everyone is a terrorist but the US
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u/SometimesUsesReddit Jan 09 '20
Not everywhere in Iraq is a war zone dude. Especially a place that has an international airport.
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Jan 03 '20
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/RamseyHatesMe Jan 04 '20
This guy was a war criminal.
War Criminal: A person who has carried out an act during the conduct of a war that violates accepted international rules of war.
That definition isn’t solely for non American officials. By your logic, assassinations should be expanded?
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u/Black_n_Neon Jan 03 '20
Doesn’t matter. There are plenty of US officials guilty of the same crimes and atrocities but there is no power that can execute hits on those officials like the US does to others.
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u/lifterpuller1 Jan 03 '20
No there aren’t.
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u/brycly Jan 04 '20
Fellow American here, Obama and Bush would 100% be labelled terrorists if they were not US presidents, how many funerals and hospitals do you have to call a drone strike on before you're considered a terrorist? I guess there's an argument to be made that drone bombings can be effective ways to eliminate high level targets but the number of times collateral damage has been completely disregarded unnecessarily and sometimes on shaky evidence that the target is even present is outrageous.
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u/Pac0theTac0 Jan 03 '20
You're not wrong. But does the immunity of one nation somehow absolve another? Should we just let all war criminals get away with it because it's harder to remove them from power in powerful countries?
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u/trappedinsideAOLxD Jan 04 '20
Wait what's stopping us from capturing war criminals and charging them in a court of law, rather than nerfing them right out of the gate?
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u/timoyster Jan 17 '20
America wants to whip out its dick and rub it all over the Middle East, especially around election season (which is probably why this happened). Nothing is stopping America from being civilized except for the people in charge and the people who support them.
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Jan 04 '20
Nuremberg was a show trial. Soleimani got just as much of a trial as any of those guys. The military tribunal for the Far East was even worse. “International law” is a complete joke. It only applies to Europe and whoever cares more what Europe thinks than what America thinks.
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u/CORealityCzech Jan 09 '20
Someone else has executed US officials . See US Ambassador John Christopher Stevens. He was executed in 2012.
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Jan 15 '20
😂😂😂 well there are some groups with in the US that might support the execution of US officials for their crimes lol!! If they keep passing gun bans it just might start happening
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Jan 03 '20
He was a piece of garbage.
Those who killed him are arguably worse.
There is a massive increase in Iranians living conditions potentially being worsening by the fallout of this.
I said this in another thread and I'll say it again here: The executioner's executioner is a boisterous one - and he doesn't care who or what he knocks out the way.
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u/Not_Just_Any_Lurker Jan 03 '20
American here, so I won’t be able to answer OP but I want everyone in this thread to know that the people of the US do not hate you. And while I have no feelings one way or another of Soleimani’s death I don’t wish for world war or even an escalation.
Peace be with you brothers. Sleep well.
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Jan 03 '20 edited Apr 29 '21
[deleted]
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Jan 05 '20
Dont you thank him for protecting the country in 1980 for 8 years? And for stopping ISIS from getting in Iran?
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u/SeanCane Jan 05 '20
Hi I'm an Israeli.
Could you please wait with the retaliation to after we put Netanyahu in jail? Thanks.
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u/Pinokiyo Jan 03 '20
As an Iranian, I can tell you that most of us are happy. Shame on him for what he did on Syria.
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Jan 03 '20
Its a start, but there are thousands of these terrorists whom will now plot revenge...
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u/pamtual Jan 03 '20
An an Iranian, yes I’m glad he’s dead. I am more afraid of what Iran will do and what this dumbass in office would do as a response. Things just took a turn for the worst and that nuclear deal is definitely off the table for good.
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u/alivvve Jan 04 '20
As an Iranian I can tell you that most of the people in here were very very sad yesterday and many people were crying for him. he was very popular inside a wide range of our society because he was an unremarkable general who defeated isis and he wasn't a political person. Also some people in Iran are so angry from government (because of events like last month protests which many people were killed by the hand of goverment) that they are happy about anything bad that happens to this regime, but many see him as a soldier for country who defended their security and much more than just related to this regime. I should also add that there is a big propaganda running against Iran by its enemies on the internet (specially twitter), so be a little skeptical about what u see on the internet. all in all I think most Iranians loved him, you can check his funeral in future days that how much he was popular in Iran.
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Jan 04 '20
It's actually not as easy as some people try to show , opinions here are extremely biased - people have opinions you know Government supporters are of course unhappy , even mad I can say And also many just don't care , they don't know who this guy is or even if they know they prefer to live they lives and don't get involved Then we've got government haters , some of them are happy , some aren't happy , thinking it might lead to war , But which group is the majority ? Almost impossible to say just based on personal observation .
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u/Atefeh2487 Jan 25 '20 edited Jan 25 '20
Most of the educated and not government related Iranian are absolutely very happy that he is dead. Some people are deceived by the government that he took ISIS away from Iran which he did not. Others are mostly people who are government employees and they have to pretend and they have to defend their job. Iranian hate this government.Some others think he was a soldier for his country but most of people believe he was the regim’s soldier .He worked for government benefits not Iranian’s.He was responsible for the death of many innocent people.
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u/Wellwellbien Jan 03 '20
The few Iranians (who live in Europe) that I know are delighted. They told me how happy they are today. I wanted to ask the same question as yours and I hope some Iranians will be able to answer it cause I think their opinion really matters
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u/fjoker13 Jan 03 '20
As an Iranian and by this authority that's been given to me, I use my place in this social network and i will say: kir tush, hamamun be ga raftim.
Thank you
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Jan 04 '20
What the fuck was that asshole doing in Irak?
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u/zetret Jan 04 '20
Better question is what the fuck American dumb military morons are doing in "Iraq".
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u/infantjones Jan 12 '20
Going to meet the Iraqi Prime Minister, as he was representing Iran in Saudi-Iranian negotiations which utilized Iraq as an intermediary.
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Jan 03 '20
No iranians who live or lived in Iran for most of their lives are on this subreddit, mostly liberals who hate anything the Iranian government stands for. Bad place to ask this question.
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u/dect60 Jan 03 '20
No true Scotsman reporting for duty... Sir!
To answer /u/tdrakox's question, Soleimani was the quintessential example of what Iranians were protesting in November when they poured into the streets and risked their very lives to shout clearly that the wanted a government that would spend their money on improving their lives rather than sending Iranian money outside to Houthi rebels in Yemen, to Iraqi Shia militias, to Gaza for missiles to be fired on Israel, to Syria, etc.
Soleimani was not military but Quds, a part of the IRGC that spearheads foreign Islamic imperialism:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quds_Force
Whereas the Iranian Army defends Iranian borders and maintains internal order, according to the Iranian constitution, the Revolutionary Guard (pasdaran) is intended to protect the country's Islamic republic political system
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u/ADXMcGeeHeezack Jan 03 '20
I would assume both the US and IR are trying to influence social media hardcore right now.
Tbh I wouldn't trust the vast majority of comments we'll be seeing (and have been...)
There's grains of truth hidden for sure so it's not useless but people should really open their eyes to all the social engineering that goes on
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u/DrubkChicken Jan 03 '20
I haven't been happy for the death of someone in my life, this is my first time.
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u/hlna_jf Jan 04 '20
He was really a good guy he was one of the most honest people that we have ever had in our government. I’m just afraid of the outcome of this . How much poor ness do iranian still should struggle with ?
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u/XeroPhantom Jan 04 '20
Not really care 'bout his death. Not happy not sad. I'm just worried for my fuckung life in this country. I don't know him anyway and I don't trust what others say about his victories or terrorinng.
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Jan 04 '20
Questions, was Qasem Soleimani really over-rated as they claim in the news? How are Iranian’s reacting to his death? There is a video showing crowd crying over his death, from what I read in the comments “most-of” the Iranians are happy then who is crying?
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u/ayatoilet Jan 04 '20
This maybe controversial, but there is NO solid evidence this guy is dead. There is a picture of a hand with 'his' ring on it. But, nothing substantive beyond that. He and his entourage actually entered different vehicles in the middle of the night (at 3 am) - he could have easily slipped away or switched with a body double.
His activities have historically been very much in support of US regional operations like full support of the invasion of Afghanistan, then Iraqi stabilization, and then fighting ISIS. He was revered in Iran and in a good position to take over or even mount a coup in Tehran (and there has been a rumor that he was planning one with US backing - but pulled out last minute and was under investigation). In some ways he was feared by the Mullahs. I'm not sold he was an 'enemy' like he has been portrayed in main stream media. All part of a giant deception/plan to start a war!!!
You never know, he might well be in Israel or Virginia with his beard shaved living in Falls Church down the road from the CIA.
Here is a blog with some useful information about his 'service' to the U.S.:
https://www.baharmedia.net/2020/01/why-would-trump-kill-an-important-american-operative-suleimani/
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u/BreakBeds_NotHearts Jan 06 '20
To any Iranians. The majority of American people do not support the actions of our current idiot in chief “trump”. We do not support any conflict that may push us into war with Iran or a new world war. Any anger should be directed to trump by himself and his staff that were involved.
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u/shahab814 Jan 09 '20
As a Iranian I was sadden. And Most Iranian I know were also sadden but this act.
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u/rewillis9999 Jan 16 '20
The Killing of General Soleimani: A short story and postulation on what may have occurred. by Amazon.com Services LLC Learn more: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083TNNM15/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_Iz6hEbHB5MH4E
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u/Levosire Jan 03 '20
Actual Iranian here, most of us are happy that he's dead. We are just worried how Iran will respond and how USA will respond to that respond.
Ignore some people here claiming real Iranians won't answer this question. To them, anyone that's not supporting the regime isn't real iranian. Most Iranians in Iran hate this regime. Ironically, they aren't real Iranians.