Qassem Soleimani Killing Leaves Trump’s Middle East Strategy in Tatters

Iraq calls for U.S. troops to leave while strike unites Iran
Trump has sent more than 17,000 new troops to region since May

WATCH: The fallout from last week’s killing of a top Iranian military commander by the U.S. is widening.(Source: Bloomberg)

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By Nick Wadhams and David Wainer

January 6, 2020 at 5:01 AM UTC

Updated on

January 6, 2020 at 11:15 AM UTC

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U.S. President Donald Trump and his top aides spent the weekend arguing that the killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani would deter future attacks and make the Middle East safer.

Instead, U.S. policy in the region seems to be going in the opposite direction of what Trump has long promised -- with more U.S. troops going in, not fewer; an Iran defiant, not cowed and broken by sanctions; and regional allies giving only lukewarm support to Trump’s airstrike instead of rallying around it.