Trump's assassination of Soleimani is a shocking use of a leader 'decapitation' strategy that has rarely worked in the past

Associated Press

• The drone strike that killed Iran's top general, Qassem Soleimani, was the most shocking example of the US employing the leader "decapitation" strategy since World War II. 
• Jeffrey Feltman, the former US ambassador to Lebanon, told Insider that it's important to "keep in mind that, even given years of US-Iranian hostilities, killing Soleimani is something new."
• Decapitation strikes generally only offer short-term gains while failing to address root problems. In many cases, such strikes create more problems than they solve. 
• "One way you can say it's clear that this decapitation strike is a problem is the fact it makes it harder for the Americans to fight ISIS in the region," Ian Bremmer, president and founder of Eurasia Group, told Insider. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

President Donald Trump's order to kill Iran's most important military leader, Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, was the most significant example of the US employing the leader "decapitation" strategy in over half a century — a move that sent shockwaves across the region.

Though the US and Iran have been adversaries for roughly four decades, neither side has assassinated a senior military leader in such a brazen and public way before.See the rest of the story at Business Insider

NOW WATCH: A law professor weighs in on how Trump could beat impeachment

See Also:

• Trump is stepping away from the brink of war with Iran after a missile attack, but the roots of their dispute dangerously persist
• Iran openly targeted US troops in Iraq, marking a major shift in its strategy after Soleimani's killing
• The Iranian missile strike on 2 US bases may be the end of open hostilities between Tehran and Washington — but only if Trump is smart enough to get the message

SEE ALSO: Trump has run out of options and is asking US allies for help with Iran, but they've already abandoned him