The war, by all accounts, was a formative experience for the man who would later rise to a dominant position in Iran’s military, security and intelligence establishment. Suleimani became the chief architect of the expansion of Iran’s regional influence, which began in earnest following the American toppling of Saddam in 2003. There can be little doubt: Iran will hit back hard, at a time and place of its choosing, and possibly on multiple fronts. Thanks to Suleimani, Iran has established Shia proxy forces, military bases and missile batteries on Syrian soil, within easy firing range of Israeli cities. But the bigger question is: what’s Trump’s plan if Iran hits back hard and it all goes to hell?

Source: The Guardian January 04, 2020 10:57 UTC