There are assassinations that completely changed the course of history. Whether we’re talking about Julius Caesar, Mahatma Gandhi, or Russian spies, these assassinations occurred for a number of reasons. However, they definitely didn’t lead to the expected outcome.
Since 1981, assassinations have become illegal under U.S. federal law, but the term is still vague. Donald Trump was the one who commanded the last assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, killing him with a drone strike. The administration decided to call the operation “targeted killing”.
Iain King, currently working at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, stated that even if the “grim record” of assassination proved that some might have achieved what they wanted, this is less likely to happen when a government figure is assassinated.
King stated, “Even if they are conducted selectively, legally, and strategically, history shows they can still turn out to be unwise.” Let’s discuss some of the most brutal assassinations throughout history and their major impact:
