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Killing the Killers: The Secret War Against Terrorists
* Duration: 11 hours and 30 minutes *
In this eleventh audiobook of the multimillion-selling 'Killing' series, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard reveal the startling, dramatic story of the global war against terrorists.
In 'KILLING THE KILLERS', number one best-selling authors Bill O'Reilly and Martin dugard take listeners deep inside the global war on terror, which began 20 years ago on September 11, 2001.
As the World Trade center buildings collapsed, the Pentagon burned, and a small group of passengers fought desperately to stop a third plane from completing its deadly flight plan, America went on war footing. 'KILLING THE KILLERS' narrates America's intense global war against extremists who planned and executed not only the 9/11 attacks but hundreds of others in America and around the world, and who eventually destroyed entire nations in their relentless quest for power.
'KILLING THE KILLERS' moves from Afghanistan to Iraq, Iran to Yemen, Syria, and Libya, and elsewhere, as the United States fought Al Qaeda, ISIS, and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, as well as individually targeting the most notorious leaders of these groups. With fresh detail and deeply sourced information, O'Reilly and Dugard create an unstoppable account of the most important war of our era.
A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press
©2021 Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard (P)2021 Macmillan Audio
In this eleventh audiobook of the multimillion-selling 'Killing' series, Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard reveal the startling, dramatic story of the global war against terrorists.
In 'KILLING THE KILLERS', number one best-selling authors Bill O'Reilly and Martin dugard take listeners deep inside the global war on terror, which began 20 years ago on September 11, 2001.
As the World Trade center buildings collapsed, the Pentagon burned, and a small group of passengers fought desperately to stop a third plane from completing its deadly flight plan, America went on war footing. 'KILLING THE KILLERS' narrates America's intense global war against extremists who planned and executed not only the 9/11 attacks but hundreds of others in America and around the world, and who eventually destroyed entire nations in their relentless quest for power.
'KILLING THE KILLERS' moves from Afghanistan to Iraq, Iran to Yemen, Syria, and Libya, and elsewhere, as the United States fought Al Qaeda, ISIS, and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, as well as individually targeting the most notorious leaders of these groups. With fresh detail and deeply sourced information, O'Reilly and Dugard create an unstoppable account of the most important war of our era.
A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press
©2021 Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard (P)2021 Macmillan Audio
12 pages, Audible Audio
First published May 3, 2022
3386 people are currently reading
10069 people want to read
About the author
Bill O'Reilly
59 books3,423 followersBill O'Reilly's success in broadcasting and publishing is unmatched. The iconic anchor of The O'Reilly Factor led the program to the status of the highest rated cable news broadcast in the nation for sixteen consecutive years. His website BillOReilly.com is followed by millions all over the world.
In addition, he has authored an astonishing 12 number one ranked non-fiction books including the historical "Killing" series. Mr. O'Reilly currently has 17 million books in print.
Bill O'Reilly has been a broadcaster for 42 years. He has been awarded three Emmys and a number of other journalism accolades. He was a national correspondent for CBS News and ABC News as well as a reporter-anchor for WCBS-TV in New York City, among other high-profile jobs.
Mr. O'Reilly received two other Emmy nominations for the movies "Killing Kennedy" and "Killing Jesus."
He holds a history degree from Marist College, a master’s degree in Broadcast Journalism from Boston University, and another master’s degree from Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Bill O'Reilly lives on Long Island where he was raised. His philanthropic enterprises have raised tens of millions for people in need and wounded American veterans.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/billor...
In addition, he has authored an astonishing 12 number one ranked non-fiction books including the historical "Killing" series. Mr. O'Reilly currently has 17 million books in print.
Bill O'Reilly has been a broadcaster for 42 years. He has been awarded three Emmys and a number of other journalism accolades. He was a national correspondent for CBS News and ABC News as well as a reporter-anchor for WCBS-TV in New York City, among other high-profile jobs.
Mr. O'Reilly received two other Emmy nominations for the movies "Killing Kennedy" and "Killing Jesus."
He holds a history degree from Marist College, a master’s degree in Broadcast Journalism from Boston University, and another master’s degree from Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Bill O'Reilly lives on Long Island where he was raised. His philanthropic enterprises have raised tens of millions for people in need and wounded American veterans.
http://us.macmillan.com/author/billor...
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 564 reviews
May 20, 2022
Up front, I’m a huge fan of Bill O’Reilly‘s killing books. But this one may have been the best of all.
It takes you behind the scenes with the capturing of Al-Qaeda and other criminals organizations. In fact from my experience in the military I wonder if some of this information was bordering on classified.
Like his other books it’s really fast read that I did it in one day and I love every second I was doing it.
It takes you behind the scenes with the capturing of Al-Qaeda and other criminals organizations. In fact from my experience in the military I wonder if some of this information was bordering on classified.
Like his other books it’s really fast read that I did it in one day and I love every second I was doing it.
May 9, 2022
Several years ago when the first Killing book came out I was very hesitant to read it for the ridiculous reason of my personal dislike of O’Reilly. Because the reviews at several media sites and on line were so great I gave in and read the book and found it to be fantastic. I have since read every book in the series. Once again I have enjoyed the latest book Killing the Killers and once again O’Reilly and Dugard have written a great book. At times the book was difficult to read as the writers went into great detail about the horrors and what occurred on several occasions. Again and as in previous books, the documentation and foot notes add to the read. For all lovers of historical books I highly recommend this one.
May 13, 2022
It started out fine but then the authors' biases started showing through way more than I remember in any of the other books of theirs I have read. I will admit that I do not care for O'Reilly and rarely agree with him on most issues; however, I have appreciated the research and insights in his killing series. This book though I skimmed through most of because I was super annoyed with the clear bias. Disagreeing with Obama's use of drone-guided missiles but then celebrating the use of them by Trump was so hypocritical that I could not take the rest of the book seriously. Footnotes calling out MSNBC & CNN for being liberal but not doing the same for any reference of Fox News. Hypocritical.
June 16, 2024
This was not a bad read. It was pretty informative. I did learned a lot about Muslim related terrorism that I didn’t know before. As with all the Killing series books by Bill O’Reilly, the book was very readable & quite the page turner. My only complaint was that the author praised Donald Trump way too often for America’s successful fight against terrorism & blamed President Biden too much for our country’s failures. I feel like this book would be even better if the author stuck more to the facts & express less of his own opinions.
May 17, 2022
Bill O' Reilly took on a difficult task writing on the endless worldwide war on terror. This is such a broad subject involving not just one single war, but multiple wars, involving many countries, fighting many separate and competing groups of terrorists, governments, and innumerable victims. The authors did a fine job covering some of the most notorious of these "killers", their victims, the struggles by our warriors, and the devastating effects this has had on individuals and everyone.
The prologue opens the book up to the climactic scene when SEAL operators storm Osama bin laden's Pakistan hideout and kill the terrorist. However, most of the story revolves around the most significant terror threats since the killing of Bin Laden, particularly ISIS and the hunt for its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as well as the struggle against other ISIS-inspired terror groups.
The authors also provide in detail the incredibly successful raid that produced the killing of Baghdadi. Unfortunately, this event was largely ignored by the anti-Trump media whose intention was only to demonize the president. Rather than praise the successful operation such as was done for the Obama administration after the killing of Bin laden, they only found ways to criticize Trump and deflect attention from the raid.
The authors also write extensively about Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, his funding of international terrorism that directly led to the deaths of many U.S. troops and countless others, and the enormous threats he posed that led to him ultimately being targeted by the Trump administration. Yet even still, the anti-Trump media only criticized the assassination of the terror leader and even seemed to mourn his death while reporting on his funeral.
Some of the other events and topics covered by the authors are as follows:
-The brutal torture and killing of James Foley, Kayla Mueller, and others.
-Guantanamo bay Cuba and the interrogations of Khalid sheikh Mohammed
-The November 2015 Paris terrorist attacks
-ISIS' brutal reign over Mosul Iraq and examples of their heinous brutality.
-The Pulse Nightclub terrorist attack and other ISIS attacks around the world.
-Drone warfare and "Jihadi John".
-The Iranian downing of Ukranian Flight 752
-The hunt for terror leader Qasim Al-rimi
-The bloody terrorist group Boko Haram and the fight against terrorism throughout Africa.
-The suicide bombing that took the lives of U.S. Marines during the hasty U.S. withdrawal from and abandonment of Afghanistan.
The prologue opens the book up to the climactic scene when SEAL operators storm Osama bin laden's Pakistan hideout and kill the terrorist. However, most of the story revolves around the most significant terror threats since the killing of Bin Laden, particularly ISIS and the hunt for its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as well as the struggle against other ISIS-inspired terror groups.
The authors also provide in detail the incredibly successful raid that produced the killing of Baghdadi. Unfortunately, this event was largely ignored by the anti-Trump media whose intention was only to demonize the president. Rather than praise the successful operation such as was done for the Obama administration after the killing of Bin laden, they only found ways to criticize Trump and deflect attention from the raid.
The authors also write extensively about Iranian general Qasem Soleimani, his funding of international terrorism that directly led to the deaths of many U.S. troops and countless others, and the enormous threats he posed that led to him ultimately being targeted by the Trump administration. Yet even still, the anti-Trump media only criticized the assassination of the terror leader and even seemed to mourn his death while reporting on his funeral.
Some of the other events and topics covered by the authors are as follows:
-The brutal torture and killing of James Foley, Kayla Mueller, and others.
-Guantanamo bay Cuba and the interrogations of Khalid sheikh Mohammed
-The November 2015 Paris terrorist attacks
-ISIS' brutal reign over Mosul Iraq and examples of their heinous brutality.
-The Pulse Nightclub terrorist attack and other ISIS attacks around the world.
-Drone warfare and "Jihadi John".
-The Iranian downing of Ukranian Flight 752
-The hunt for terror leader Qasim Al-rimi
-The bloody terrorist group Boko Haram and the fight against terrorism throughout Africa.
-The suicide bombing that took the lives of U.S. Marines during the hasty U.S. withdrawal from and abandonment of Afghanistan.
June 8, 2022
Listened via friends audible
This is probably my least favorite book of Bill O'Reilly's "Killing" series. It was so depressing. So graphic. So many horrible stories that I just feel like I didn't need to know about. Its like you want to think there is more good than bad but then you hear stories like this (I still think there is more good than bad but still....)
I will say, I am NOT a fan of Bill O'Reilly as a talk show host but I applaud him for not getting political in this book. In fact, I would say that he was the opposite. He criticized all the presidents that were involved - including Trump (and yes, he technically didn't criticize but maybe I should say he didn't toot any horns). Such a relief to read. In fact, I may have just changed my opinion about BO. :)
This is probably my least favorite book of Bill O'Reilly's "Killing" series. It was so depressing. So graphic. So many horrible stories that I just feel like I didn't need to know about. Its like you want to think there is more good than bad but then you hear stories like this (I still think there is more good than bad but still....)
I will say, I am NOT a fan of Bill O'Reilly as a talk show host but I applaud him for not getting political in this book. In fact, I would say that he was the opposite. He criticized all the presidents that were involved - including Trump (and yes, he technically didn't criticize but maybe I should say he didn't toot any horns). Such a relief to read. In fact, I may have just changed my opinion about BO. :)
August 9, 2022
Profound. heartbreaking. Phenomenal. Everyone should read this book. Our military men and women are remarkable, and I’m so thankful to live in a country protected by these brave heroes.
The NAVY Seals raid on bin Laden’s compound is so profound & Bill O’Reilly & Martin Dugard did a fantastic job writing detailed accounts of mission Geronimo. The intelligence and bravery in that mission is mind blowing to me.
My heart broke especially during Chapter 3 in regards to the torture Kayla Mueller experienced. But the end of Chp. 3 brought tears to my eyes….
Pg. 53: “On June 24, 2015, four months after Kayla Mueller’s death, President Barack Obama officially announces a change in US policy regarding kidnap victims. There will no long be prosecution for American citizens who raise the money to make ransom payments to terrorists.”
………where as 4 months earlier Obama stated, “But I don’t think it’s accurate…to say the United States government hasn’t done everything we could. We devoted enormous resources-and always devote enormous resources to freeing captives or hostages anywhere in the world.”
My heart cannot fathom what Kayla’s parents went through….and how much hurt this must have brought upon them, after already grieving the loss of their daughter. Could Kayla had been rescued if this policy had been enacted simply four months earlier? It’s heartbreaking to even think about.
Overall, I HIGHLY recommend this book. It’s a difficult read emotionally, but it’s so full of knowledge every individual should know the truth behind ISIS/ISIL/Al-qaeda and the horrible cowards their leaders are. Bin Laden & al-Baghdadi are monsters. Sharia law is horrendous, and it’s a shame innocent people all around the world have endured these terrible events.
The NAVY Seals raid on bin Laden’s compound is so profound & Bill O’Reilly & Martin Dugard did a fantastic job writing detailed accounts of mission Geronimo. The intelligence and bravery in that mission is mind blowing to me.
My heart broke especially during Chapter 3 in regards to the torture Kayla Mueller experienced. But the end of Chp. 3 brought tears to my eyes….
Pg. 53: “On June 24, 2015, four months after Kayla Mueller’s death, President Barack Obama officially announces a change in US policy regarding kidnap victims. There will no long be prosecution for American citizens who raise the money to make ransom payments to terrorists.”
………where as 4 months earlier Obama stated, “But I don’t think it’s accurate…to say the United States government hasn’t done everything we could. We devoted enormous resources-and always devote enormous resources to freeing captives or hostages anywhere in the world.”
My heart cannot fathom what Kayla’s parents went through….and how much hurt this must have brought upon them, after already grieving the loss of their daughter. Could Kayla had been rescued if this policy had been enacted simply four months earlier? It’s heartbreaking to even think about.
Overall, I HIGHLY recommend this book. It’s a difficult read emotionally, but it’s so full of knowledge every individual should know the truth behind ISIS/ISIL/Al-qaeda and the horrible cowards their leaders are. Bin Laden & al-Baghdadi are monsters. Sharia law is horrendous, and it’s a shame innocent people all around the world have endured these terrible events.
June 19, 2022
This book takes an interesting topic and manages to make it dry. More to the point the book lacks analysis, it simply recites sequences of events but fails to add any balanced view, analysis or voice. Can’t remember a book that lacks the author’s voice in this manner. Unless you consider the voice of parents of a killed hostage and their emotional outpouring the authors voice. Also the book let’s us understand that somehow the fact Obama was president caused ISIS to success in killing an American and Trump would have done better somehow. Also the author characterizes MSNBC as left wing with CNN. This is what it has come to? If you don’t subscribe to Fox’s pointless drivel you are left wing apparently. Anyway, save your money and save your time for something with more substance and actual writing.
September 14, 2022
This book is easy to read and not burdened with so much talk of politics that you can’t understand the story. It’s a clear concise look at what all goes on behind the scenes as one terrorist after another is hunted down and killed.
It begins with these words, “The man with thirty minutes to live sleeps in his beige pajama (speaking of Osama bin laden) …death is coming in the darkness” .
Then proceeds:
Chapter 3 begins, “The woman with 157 days to live hides her panic. Sadistic Isis thugs have just shown Kayla Mueller video of Steven Sotloffs beheading.”
Chapter 5 begins “The daughter of the infamous journalist Geraldo Rivera is in danger. But she does not know it.”
Chapter 11 begins “Bizarre things are happening in Gotham. Pounding drums and drag queens. Paper machete skeletons 40ft tall. Families dressed like Teletubbies. Marching bands. Stilts. Zombies, unicorns, handmaidens, Wonder Woman. It is Halloween in the Big Apple.
Chapter 14 Ismael Al-Ethawi does not know he is being watched. The terrorist walks through the crowded bazaar wearing a checkered head covering and three day facial stubble.
Chapter 17 begins “Isis fires first. This is a mistake.”
Chapter 20 begins “The image of Qasem Soleimani is being spit upon. Baghdad is ablaze.”
Chapter 21 begins “Death strikes without warning. Rockets are In the air. It’s evening here at Camp K-1, just after dinner.” The chapter ends with this, “The time is shortly after ten on the night of January 2. The man with two hours to live is walking into a trap!”
Chapter 22 mid chapter “The general has had a long day; it Is well past his preferred early bedtime of 9 o’clock. The strategy discussion is a good use of his time. Sleep will come soon enough.”
Later in Chapter 22 “ The only sound in the SUV is that of Qasem Soleimani and the Engineer having a conversation. Until it is not.”
Chapter 23 begins “ The Long knives are out. Rachel Maddow of the MSNBC Cable News Network wears all black as she looks into the camera. Her guest [is] wearing a lavender suit…”
Chapter 26 “ The Beast of the East rides a Harley.”
O’ Reilly’s use of insignificant details makes this book read almost like a novel. Ex. Checkered jacket. The time of day. What the people were eating. The blazing dessert sun. The Black Hawks slow rising.
It all adds interest to the average reader.
The short staccato sentences lend a huge impact to the story. O’ Reilly uses parataxis to his advantage all throughout this incredible book. The urgency, the excitement and the build up are truly an art form used very effectively by this master of sentence weaving. He structurally controls the rate of the plot of each terrorist’s story.
This book appeals to a large audience due to its easy to read, yet suspenseful and on the edge of your seat plots. I was not prepared for the often gruesome explanations of torture. But even that kept me turning the page!
One last thing. The narrator in this story gives us the omniscient view of what is happening. It reminds me of the narrator, Death, in The Book Thief.
Examples:
“Tourists walk in clusters…all feel relatively safe. They are not.”
“In just a few hours President Biden will feel the percussions of his decision to abandon Bagram in the middle of the night.”
“Almost seven thousand miles away, Kayla cannot hear the Presidents words.”
“…indeed the measured caution in the White House will eventually doom Kayla Mueller, James Foley, Stephen Sotloff, and Peter Kassig.”
“ Al Baghdadi sees himself as an Islamic Savior. One who is about to strike again.”
“In Washington DC, that December, it is 12:13 pm when the Committee on Foreign Affairs adjourns.”
“Thousands of mikes away both Al-Baghdadi and his enemy, Qasem Soleimani, will be highly pleased.”
In my opinion, this method of switching to time and place is much more effective than the much over used flashback that authors today are so fond of. There’s almost nothing I hate worse than a book that continually switches from the year that it opens to another year way in the past or the future. I want to just shake the authors and offer some ADHD meds to them! Just tell the story in a linear fashion! Quit jerking us back and forth! I’m getting whiplash!
Bill O’ Reilly will not give you a dizzying headache as he moves back and forth through his story. This is due in part to his use of that omniscient narrator helping the reader understand what is happening.
I highly recommend this book! It’s definitely among my top books of all time.
It begins with these words, “The man with thirty minutes to live sleeps in his beige pajama (speaking of Osama bin laden) …death is coming in the darkness” .
Then proceeds:
Chapter 3 begins, “The woman with 157 days to live hides her panic. Sadistic Isis thugs have just shown Kayla Mueller video of Steven Sotloffs beheading.”
Chapter 5 begins “The daughter of the infamous journalist Geraldo Rivera is in danger. But she does not know it.”
Chapter 11 begins “Bizarre things are happening in Gotham. Pounding drums and drag queens. Paper machete skeletons 40ft tall. Families dressed like Teletubbies. Marching bands. Stilts. Zombies, unicorns, handmaidens, Wonder Woman. It is Halloween in the Big Apple.
Chapter 14 Ismael Al-Ethawi does not know he is being watched. The terrorist walks through the crowded bazaar wearing a checkered head covering and three day facial stubble.
Chapter 17 begins “Isis fires first. This is a mistake.”
Chapter 20 begins “The image of Qasem Soleimani is being spit upon. Baghdad is ablaze.”
Chapter 21 begins “Death strikes without warning. Rockets are In the air. It’s evening here at Camp K-1, just after dinner.” The chapter ends with this, “The time is shortly after ten on the night of January 2. The man with two hours to live is walking into a trap!”
Chapter 22 mid chapter “The general has had a long day; it Is well past his preferred early bedtime of 9 o’clock. The strategy discussion is a good use of his time. Sleep will come soon enough.”
Later in Chapter 22 “ The only sound in the SUV is that of Qasem Soleimani and the Engineer having a conversation. Until it is not.”
Chapter 23 begins “ The Long knives are out. Rachel Maddow of the MSNBC Cable News Network wears all black as she looks into the camera. Her guest [is] wearing a lavender suit…”
Chapter 26 “ The Beast of the East rides a Harley.”
O’ Reilly’s use of insignificant details makes this book read almost like a novel. Ex. Checkered jacket. The time of day. What the people were eating. The blazing dessert sun. The Black Hawks slow rising.
It all adds interest to the average reader.
The short staccato sentences lend a huge impact to the story. O’ Reilly uses parataxis to his advantage all throughout this incredible book. The urgency, the excitement and the build up are truly an art form used very effectively by this master of sentence weaving. He structurally controls the rate of the plot of each terrorist’s story.
This book appeals to a large audience due to its easy to read, yet suspenseful and on the edge of your seat plots. I was not prepared for the often gruesome explanations of torture. But even that kept me turning the page!
One last thing. The narrator in this story gives us the omniscient view of what is happening. It reminds me of the narrator, Death, in The Book Thief.
Examples:
“Tourists walk in clusters…all feel relatively safe. They are not.”
“In just a few hours President Biden will feel the percussions of his decision to abandon Bagram in the middle of the night.”
“Almost seven thousand miles away, Kayla cannot hear the Presidents words.”
“…indeed the measured caution in the White House will eventually doom Kayla Mueller, James Foley, Stephen Sotloff, and Peter Kassig.”
“ Al Baghdadi sees himself as an Islamic Savior. One who is about to strike again.”
“In Washington DC, that December, it is 12:13 pm when the Committee on Foreign Affairs adjourns.”
“Thousands of mikes away both Al-Baghdadi and his enemy, Qasem Soleimani, will be highly pleased.”
In my opinion, this method of switching to time and place is much more effective than the much over used flashback that authors today are so fond of. There’s almost nothing I hate worse than a book that continually switches from the year that it opens to another year way in the past or the future. I want to just shake the authors and offer some ADHD meds to them! Just tell the story in a linear fashion! Quit jerking us back and forth! I’m getting whiplash!
Bill O’ Reilly will not give you a dizzying headache as he moves back and forth through his story. This is due in part to his use of that omniscient narrator helping the reader understand what is happening.
I highly recommend this book! It’s definitely among my top books of all time.
November 6, 2022
This book is excellent when it comes to facts and the history of terrorism since 2011 (the death of Osama bin Laden) to present day (2022).
It discusses each President during this time but not necessarily in a political way. I appreciated the facts. Obama was criticized for being too easy on Middle East affairs, but he authorized way more air strikes than I realized.
Trump was criticized for being too aggressive yet the strikes were rooted in CIA intelligence that proved to save many American lives.
Biden has brought down the number of strikes down significantly especially in Africa which is now the new growing field of terrorism. It will be interesting to see the ramifications from this.
Technology is simply amazing as these drones can read the label on a golf ball while flying 3 miles above ground. They can strike with accuracy while being controlled from hundreds of miles away.🤯
I mostly thought of terrorism in relation to the US or the western world, but I learned that radical Islam is killing hundreds of people in their own countries, people who share their same religion. 😔 Some terrorist groups hate western education so they will bomb colleges or kidnap hundreds of girls from there.😭
I’m glad I read this as I learned so much, yet it was pretty heavy material and it can be overwhelming at times.
I’m thankful for our military who have succeeded in many raids killing the leaders of these evil groups. I’m thankful for the military from all countries who are working to keep the world a safer place! ❤️
The author noted that the US military is willing to die for our country and freedoms yet these villains want to die for their cause making them a hard enemy and philosophy to stamp out.
*There were a couple words in quotes.
This book would pair well with:
📖 Walk in My Combat Boots
It discusses each President during this time but not necessarily in a political way. I appreciated the facts. Obama was criticized for being too easy on Middle East affairs, but he authorized way more air strikes than I realized.
Trump was criticized for being too aggressive yet the strikes were rooted in CIA intelligence that proved to save many American lives.
Biden has brought down the number of strikes down significantly especially in Africa which is now the new growing field of terrorism. It will be interesting to see the ramifications from this.
Technology is simply amazing as these drones can read the label on a golf ball while flying 3 miles above ground. They can strike with accuracy while being controlled from hundreds of miles away.🤯
I mostly thought of terrorism in relation to the US or the western world, but I learned that radical Islam is killing hundreds of people in their own countries, people who share their same religion. 😔 Some terrorist groups hate western education so they will bomb colleges or kidnap hundreds of girls from there.😭
I’m glad I read this as I learned so much, yet it was pretty heavy material and it can be overwhelming at times.
I’m thankful for our military who have succeeded in many raids killing the leaders of these evil groups. I’m thankful for the military from all countries who are working to keep the world a safer place! ❤️
The author noted that the US military is willing to die for our country and freedoms yet these villains want to die for their cause making them a hard enemy and philosophy to stamp out.
*There were a couple words in quotes.
This book would pair well with:
📖 Walk in My Combat Boots
March 6, 2023
The first 'Killing the.....' books I've read.
Not too fussed with it. Most of this, I'm sure you'd find on the 'Net. I was expecting a trove of well-researched information.
Not too fussed with it. Most of this, I'm sure you'd find on the 'Net. I was expecting a trove of well-researched information.
April 1, 2025
O'Reilly's Killing series is always a great read. well researched and written. Recommended
May 28, 2022
Another excellent book by Bill O’Reilly in the Killing series. I’ve stayed pretty close to the action on Middle East terrorism and the various parties involved. This was a great refresher to serve as a reminder of who is what.
The information on drone technology and the eye in space was fascinating. I had not focused on North Africa, but the author is correct to include the expansion of Islamist terrorists into this area.
The descriptions of the killing and what is done is sometimes hard to believe. These people are really disgusting human beings. All in the name of religion. Very sad.
As I am typing this there was an article on Social Media today telling readers about drone assets acquired by Iran that are hidden deep under ground and out of sight. My gut says this is for revenged planned because a US drone / Hell Fire vaporized Qasem Soleimani.
The information on drone technology and the eye in space was fascinating. I had not focused on North Africa, but the author is correct to include the expansion of Islamist terrorists into this area.
The descriptions of the killing and what is done is sometimes hard to believe. These people are really disgusting human beings. All in the name of religion. Very sad.
As I am typing this there was an article on Social Media today telling readers about drone assets acquired by Iran that are hidden deep under ground and out of sight. My gut says this is for revenged planned because a US drone / Hell Fire vaporized Qasem Soleimani.
May 9, 2022
Over the years, I've really enjoyed the books in O'Reilly's "killing" series and this one is another winner. I didn't realize that the radical Islamists were that vicious and evil. Even if the reader isn't fond of President Trump's personality traits, one must admit that his foreign policy had "YUGE" positive effects worldwide!
May 5, 2022
Terrifying. We can never thank our heroes enough.
June 30, 2022
The numerous massacre scenarios made reading this book zero stars for enjoyment. Cars used as weapons and bombs set within crowds (suicide bombers or pre-set regardless) were multiples more in numbers than I remembered them. More and worse too. Particularly in London on that bridge.
It's so inclusive of dozens and dozens of atrocities that I took months reading this book in short spirts. Not days or even hours like the "usual" non-fiction. And it is not a favorite for this series whatsoever. In fact, it is so dark and horrid that I would not suggest or recommend. Others in the series are much better.
Reading the other reviews? Some say he has Obama praise for the wrong reasons, some say his Trump bias is overwhelming. THAT is in the mind of the reader far more than in this book. Most especially on the ISIS chapters.
But learning and relearning the details! The types and multiples of painful, torturous deaths! Not only by the worse perpetrators of habit either. Some of the maps and details here were excellent. Others mind chilling. But the research and proofs for outcomes was at least 4 stars. He reported when it occurred that the actual day/ time/ place of death were questionable.
All those FOOTNOTES! It gets hard to read the complexities of miserable executions and punishments. I will never understand the reaction by some groups here in the USA especially to the consistent habits of stoning and torturous steps in throwing humans off high rise buildings and then letting crowds mutilate and stone the remains. Or burning humans alive in cages as a spectator sport.
3.5 stars for all the information. But I rounded it up for the very difficult depth of information and for the form. As most of each case is also related too within the military or organizational parlance of the players.
There wasn't much new to me but I did NOT know the drone bombings were as pervasive as they were. Or the deadly outcomes by happenstance. Nor the sheer amounts of terrorist events that happened (since about 2000 alone). Many, many multiples of what most people remember accurately.
It's so inclusive of dozens and dozens of atrocities that I took months reading this book in short spirts. Not days or even hours like the "usual" non-fiction. And it is not a favorite for this series whatsoever. In fact, it is so dark and horrid that I would not suggest or recommend. Others in the series are much better.
Reading the other reviews? Some say he has Obama praise for the wrong reasons, some say his Trump bias is overwhelming. THAT is in the mind of the reader far more than in this book. Most especially on the ISIS chapters.
But learning and relearning the details! The types and multiples of painful, torturous deaths! Not only by the worse perpetrators of habit either. Some of the maps and details here were excellent. Others mind chilling. But the research and proofs for outcomes was at least 4 stars. He reported when it occurred that the actual day/ time/ place of death were questionable.
All those FOOTNOTES! It gets hard to read the complexities of miserable executions and punishments. I will never understand the reaction by some groups here in the USA especially to the consistent habits of stoning and torturous steps in throwing humans off high rise buildings and then letting crowds mutilate and stone the remains. Or burning humans alive in cages as a spectator sport.
3.5 stars for all the information. But I rounded it up for the very difficult depth of information and for the form. As most of each case is also related too within the military or organizational parlance of the players.
There wasn't much new to me but I did NOT know the drone bombings were as pervasive as they were. Or the deadly outcomes by happenstance. Nor the sheer amounts of terrorist events that happened (since about 2000 alone). Many, many multiples of what most people remember accurately.
May 27, 2022
Not my favorite of the “Killing” series. Maybe it was the timing—reading this during the school shooting incidents. The adulatory attitude toward the Trump administration at the end is yuck.
July 25, 2022
Reads like a novel. Covers events roughly from the killing of Bin Laden right up to the disastrous evacuation at the Kabul airport. Intense and incredible stories.
July 25, 2022
The Killing books are good history written in an exciting manner. This is one of my favorites. Definitely recommend even to nonhistory readers.
January 7, 2023
Bill O’Reilly’s and Martin Dugard’s latest book, Killing the Killers provides an in depth analysis in the war against terrorism. Using interviews and confidential information, they pieced together terrorist events and the hunting down of high profile terrorists. The book kicks off with the raid on bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan and from there, documents the timeline leading up to the creation of ISIS and all of the horrific acts they’ve carried out across the world. The timeline of the book covers a ten year period from 2011 to as late as 2021, which spans three presidential regimes - each taking its own stance against terrorism.
With all books in the Killing series from O’Reilly and Dugard, I appreciate the great attention to detail. The book is full of interesting facts regarding events in the war on terror, military equipment, political history, and much more. Some material I was aware of as the events took place several years ago, and some material was new. Drones were a main focus, especially the MQ-9 Reaper Drones that are 36 feet long with wingspans of 20 meters. They have the capability of “photographing the name on a golf ball from 3 miles in the sky” (p. 193). In this newer era of war, it is incredible that this unmanned craft can be launched by pilots that are thousands of miles away, soar undetected, and hit a target with precision from miles above the earth. Remarkably, the history of drones dates back to the years leading up to World War II - where Great Britain experimented with an unmanned biplane called the Havilland Queen Bee. The sound from its engines gave way to the “drone” name (p. 88).
The main foundation of the book focuses on seek and destroy missions for the most wanted terrorists across the globe including bin Laden, former ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and Haj Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. All shared the similar trait of hatred toward Americans and wreaking havoc on innocent people across the world. As the authors cover multiple presidencies each taking its own stance on terrorism, I respected the authors’ approach on calling out both the pros and cons to how these events were dealt.
One letdown I have with the book is the authors’ lack of citing their source material. They note their processes for gathering data and most of their information came from in-person interviews with 5 individuals whose identities have to remain confidential for safety concerns. Some of the information is still fresh and new at the time of this writing, but much of the material should have some source references. This doesn’t necessarily taint the reading experience for this particular book, it just limits the ability to research these subjects further. For my own further reading, I am interested in learning more about the drone pilots and the program they follow.
The best part of the book, in my opinion, was the highlight of the brave men and women of our US military that march into the most dangerous zones and situations to put a stop to terror and protect the lives of Americans and our allies.
With all books in the Killing series from O’Reilly and Dugard, I appreciate the great attention to detail. The book is full of interesting facts regarding events in the war on terror, military equipment, political history, and much more. Some material I was aware of as the events took place several years ago, and some material was new. Drones were a main focus, especially the MQ-9 Reaper Drones that are 36 feet long with wingspans of 20 meters. They have the capability of “photographing the name on a golf ball from 3 miles in the sky” (p. 193). In this newer era of war, it is incredible that this unmanned craft can be launched by pilots that are thousands of miles away, soar undetected, and hit a target with precision from miles above the earth. Remarkably, the history of drones dates back to the years leading up to World War II - where Great Britain experimented with an unmanned biplane called the Havilland Queen Bee. The sound from its engines gave way to the “drone” name (p. 88).
The main foundation of the book focuses on seek and destroy missions for the most wanted terrorists across the globe including bin Laden, former ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and Haj Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. All shared the similar trait of hatred toward Americans and wreaking havoc on innocent people across the world. As the authors cover multiple presidencies each taking its own stance on terrorism, I respected the authors’ approach on calling out both the pros and cons to how these events were dealt.
One letdown I have with the book is the authors’ lack of citing their source material. They note their processes for gathering data and most of their information came from in-person interviews with 5 individuals whose identities have to remain confidential for safety concerns. Some of the information is still fresh and new at the time of this writing, but much of the material should have some source references. This doesn’t necessarily taint the reading experience for this particular book, it just limits the ability to research these subjects further. For my own further reading, I am interested in learning more about the drone pilots and the program they follow.
The best part of the book, in my opinion, was the highlight of the brave men and women of our US military that march into the most dangerous zones and situations to put a stop to terror and protect the lives of Americans and our allies.
July 1, 2022
Killing the killers - good reed overall. Sometimes O’Reilly can be riveting; other times not. All in all, good read. Enlightening, disturbing at times, and very deep. Terrorism and many stories of ISIS and the Middle East - including drone and bomb strikes under Obama and Trump and some Biden toward the end.
Many stories of mass murders, suicide bombings, assassinations. Disturbing on many levels.
Many stories of mass murders, suicide bombings, assassinations. Disturbing on many levels.
September 29, 2023
SO interesting! I feel like Americans (myself included) are quite uninformed when it comes to the war on terrorism. And honestly this book just scratches the surface. I’m feeling, “the more you know, the more you realize what you don’t know”. I think that “secret war” is an appropriate description and I would recommend this book to anyone.
P.s. I’m feeling so grateful for my SAFETY as an American. So much happens behind the scenes to keep us safe. 🙏
P.s. I’m feeling so grateful for my SAFETY as an American. So much happens behind the scenes to keep us safe. 🙏
July 11, 2022
To me, the weakest of the Bill O'Reilly/Martin Dugard "Killing" series...The story of the vengeance targeting of those terrorists killing and maiming Americans across the globe...The blood, treasure, technology and politics involved in taking out the greatest terrorist threats to America...So-So!
March 17, 2023
Another excellent addition to the Killing Series! What made this book more forceful than others in the series is the fact that this history is playing out right before our eyes. Terrorism continues today and events, like those recorded in this book, will continue to happen.
June 26, 2022
Very informative and fair. It’s good to know the enemy’s gruesome facts. “The jihad will continue till doomsday,” Al Baghdadi. I believe him. I am very proud of our men/women in uniform who risk their lives keeping us safe.
In the epilogue, there is a list of terrorist acts taken place in the last couple years and the number is eye opening.
In the epilogue, there is a list of terrorist acts taken place in the last couple years and the number is eye opening.
November 25, 2022
Was not as good as some of the other books in the series like Kennedy or Patton. Seemed a little disjointed at times but I liked the fact that it was recent history I hadn't known about.
October 29, 2022
This is a better than average popular history of the war of terror. It is very thorough for a survey on a complex subject. Because it is popular history there are some "civilian" colloquialisms sprinkled throughout, i.e. "assault rifles" which tend to rankle. All in all, probably Bill's best of the killer series.
May 10, 2023
One of my least favorite books in the series, which I am a fan of. Unlike the other Killing books, this one lacked a core story... and the secondary storylines weren't that interesting. Too much emphasis on "killing"
2.75
2.75
May 31, 2022
It was not as engaging as the rest of his books in the series. I don't know why, but I've not liked his more recent books. I disliked his one on Trump and the other one on Killing Crazy Horse. They didn't hold my interest as much. I really liked his earlier ones like Killing Jesus, Killing Patton, and Killing the SS. However, my most favorite one is Killing Lincoln. This one felt a little bit jumbled and rambling. I know that with our fight against ISIS that it wasn't a conventional war where there is any clear cut winner and it can't be wrapped in a neat little package, but I felt that it lacked the emotion and the impact it did with his original books. He would almost delve into the person's mind and what they were thinking and made us empathize at a visceral level. i felt that it was a little less so in his later books but I could just be imagining it. I am not disliking the book because I think it is factually inaccurate (it was very well researched) or being dismissive of the sacrifices of our soldiers who fought against ISIS, I honor them. I just don't enjoy his writing style at the present time. I think it would be neat if he did books on Ancient history. You could really make a whole series of it. A book on Killing Caesar, Killing Genghis, Killing King Henry VIII, etc. That would be pretty neat if he had his take on those historical figures and paint a picture of the culture and time period they were living in. I think many people like me would be really interesting in that concept. After all, there would be no mixing of facts since those people are so far removed from the politics and misinformation of our time. In fact, he could look up the political machinations of those times and enlighten us to how the game of politics never changes, just the players.
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August 1, 2022Learn about General Qasem Soleimani from his beginnings to his fateful end.
While Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard’s Killing the Killers covers the war on terror from 2014 through 2020, it’s impossible for us to capture it all in a single book. So, we’ve chosen to provide a snapshot of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, and a portrait of one man in particular – the IRGC’s leader, General Qasem Soleimani.
During his lifetime, Qasem Soleimani could have been mistaken for any other devout Iranian man. He lived in Tehran with his wife and five children – three boys and two girls. He rose at 4:00 a.m. each morning. He had trouble with his prostate – for which he took medication – and struggled with back pain. He came across as both religious and kind, if sometimes stern and dogmatic. If a non-Iranian encountered him on the streets of Tehran, they’d have no way of knowing what lay behind this facade.
In 2015, mid-battle against ISIS at its stronghold in Tikrit, Soleimani came out of the shadows. He allowed himself to be photographed for the first time; wearing a soldier’s fatigues with a general’s epaulets, he knelt in prayer in the middle of the desert. On social media, many noted his handsome, unlined face. His dark eyes, black eyebrows, and neatly-trimmed gray beard were accompanied by a gentle smile.
At the time the photograph was taken, Soleimani and his forces were already responsible for thousands of deaths. He’d orchestrated terror attacks in Somalia, India, and Thailand, his forces behaving no better than ISIS – kidnapping and executing civilians, raping women, and burning down people’s houses.
In this book, we’ll look at the rapid rise of Soleimani, as well as the events leading up to and including his assassination in 2020.
---
Soleimani is discussed but ISIS and al-Baghdadi take center stage.
It’s 10:09 a.m., December 2, 2015. In Washington, DC, the threat from ISIS is being discussed by the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs. Everyone in the room has been briefed about ISIS and al-Baghdadi. More than 1,200 people have been killed at their hands in terror attacks, not including thousands of casualties in Iraq and Syria.
Barely three weeks have passed since a campaign of attacks in Paris shocked the world. The attacks – at the Stade de France, at the Bataclan theater, and at other locations throughout the city – have left 130 innocent people dead.
Even with these attacks fresh in their minds, the attention of the committee is drawn to the IRGC and 58-year-old General Soleimani, considered by many to be much more of a threat than ISIS and its leader. Committee chairman, Ed Royce, talks about the IRGC’s support for international terrorism, human rights abuses, and nuclear proliferation. He argues that the IRGC has made Iran the threat that it is. Another politician says that although al-Baghdadi is a good figurehead for ISIS, it will only be a small step backward when he gets replaced. But Soleimani is brilliant – “in another lifetime, someone who would run Microsoft” – and his elimination will result in an unrecoverable loss of leadership and intelligence.
All told, the committee meeting discussions last two hours – but Soleimani has been named only twice.
ISIS has been forced out of Tikrit and Soleimani has disappeared back into the shadows. The retreating al-Baghdadi and ISIS once again take center stage as that very afternoon a Pakistani couple, inspired by ISIS, attack a local health-department building in San Bernardino, California, leaving 14 Americans dead.
---
A severed hand and a distinctive ring are all that remain.
It’s 12:32 a.m. on January 3, 2020. General Qasem Soleimani is sitting in the front row of an airbus A320 as it touches down at Baghdad International Airport in Iraq after its one-hour flight from the Syrian capital. He’s accompanied by two loyal Quds bodyguards and by two high-level Iranian officials. Soleimani trusts each of them implicitly.
They disembark and are met by Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, founder of the Kataib Hezbollah militia. They drive away together in two SUVs. Soleimani believes he’s completely safe. But at that moment, the two cars are being followed from 20,000 feet by at least two MQ-9 Reaper drones.
Gina Haspel, director of the CIA, has been tracking Soleimani’s movements. She knows Soleimani is meeting militia allies in Iraq to plan attacks on US troops. She also knows it’s time to deal with Soleimani, and Trump has already signed off a lethal intervention following the attack on the Baghdad embassy. Soleimani has been on the list of the US most wanted terrorists for years but has so far evaded assassination attempts. Now, though, his location and intention to harm US troops are beyond doubt.
Each drone is 36 feet long with a wingspan of 20 meters and weighs 5 tons – including fuel and weapons. Each has a camera capable of clearly photographing words on a golf ball from 3 miles away. Now, those cameras are trained on Soleimani’s vehicles.
Airforce pilots monitor each Reaper from Creech Air Force Base, 32 miles outside of Las Vegas. They monitor the two SUVs on video screens. They’re the only two vehicles on the road right now, but once they head into Baghdad, they’ll blend in with the other cars.
At 2:55 p.m. in Las Vegas, the order comes. It’s 12:55 a.m. in Baghdad. Soleimani is sitting in the back of one of the SUVs with Mahdi al-Muhandis. The only sound is that of their conversation – most probably discussions about the next atrocities to be unleashed on the US.
Then comes a sudden, terrifying sound: a split-second roar of a Hellfire rocket – the last sound Soleimani hears. Two missiles slam into his car. A third and fourth slam into the second car. The vehicles are obliterated – two flaming mounds of metal remain. Everyone is burned beyond recognition – but somehow the severed hand of Soleimani has been thrown clear and can be seen on the road shoulder, identifiable by his distinctive silver and red ring.
---
Epilogue
A mass killer was dead. The Iranians protested, but their protest was muted. Demonstrations around the world soon turned to anger and disgust – at the US. It wasn’t long before Trump and the US were being portrayed as the villains.
News channels in the US aired programs where commentators gave differing viewpoints. Would it have been less dangerous to keep Soleimani alive? Did the benefits outweigh the risks?
Trump gave an address in which he claimed to have carried out a preemptive strike before more attacks on Americans could take place. He praised the flawless strike and said Soleimani had been planning a “very major attack. And we got him.”
In Iran, a mob chanted “Death to America” and US flags were burned. Iran promised to strike back at a time and place of its choosing. The US should expect anything.
#WorldWar3 began to trend on Twitter.
The world began to take sides. Russia condemned the assassination while Israel and Saudi Arabia supported it. The UN said the attack was a violation of its charter. And the whole world waited for Iranian revenge.
Hours after Soleimani’s funeral, the wait was over. Half an hour after midnight, a US airbase in Iraq was the target of Iranian missiles designed to fragment into shrapnel on hitting their target, causing maximum casualties. But when the dust cleared, not a single US soldier had been killed. President Trump tweeted, “All is well.”
Everyone in Iran was tense, expecting further retaliation. An incompetent commander saw a strange image on the radar and believed it to be an incoming cruise missile. It wasn’t. It was a Ukrainian passenger jet traveling to Kyiv. Just three minutes after taking off from Tehran airport, it was blasted from the sky, killing the 176 passengers and crew.
Although, at first, the Iranians denied involvement – they claimed there was a fire in one of the engines – eventually they admitted to human error.
General Qassem Soleimani had – effectively – claimed his last victims.
While Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard’s Killing the Killers covers the war on terror from 2014 through 2020, it’s impossible for us to capture it all in a single book. So, we’ve chosen to provide a snapshot of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, and a portrait of one man in particular – the IRGC’s leader, General Qasem Soleimani.
During his lifetime, Qasem Soleimani could have been mistaken for any other devout Iranian man. He lived in Tehran with his wife and five children – three boys and two girls. He rose at 4:00 a.m. each morning. He had trouble with his prostate – for which he took medication – and struggled with back pain. He came across as both religious and kind, if sometimes stern and dogmatic. If a non-Iranian encountered him on the streets of Tehran, they’d have no way of knowing what lay behind this facade.
In 2015, mid-battle against ISIS at its stronghold in Tikrit, Soleimani came out of the shadows. He allowed himself to be photographed for the first time; wearing a soldier’s fatigues with a general’s epaulets, he knelt in prayer in the middle of the desert. On social media, many noted his handsome, unlined face. His dark eyes, black eyebrows, and neatly-trimmed gray beard were accompanied by a gentle smile.
At the time the photograph was taken, Soleimani and his forces were already responsible for thousands of deaths. He’d orchestrated terror attacks in Somalia, India, and Thailand, his forces behaving no better than ISIS – kidnapping and executing civilians, raping women, and burning down people’s houses.
In this book, we’ll look at the rapid rise of Soleimani, as well as the events leading up to and including his assassination in 2020.
---
Soleimani is discussed but ISIS and al-Baghdadi take center stage.
It’s 10:09 a.m., December 2, 2015. In Washington, DC, the threat from ISIS is being discussed by the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs. Everyone in the room has been briefed about ISIS and al-Baghdadi. More than 1,200 people have been killed at their hands in terror attacks, not including thousands of casualties in Iraq and Syria.
Barely three weeks have passed since a campaign of attacks in Paris shocked the world. The attacks – at the Stade de France, at the Bataclan theater, and at other locations throughout the city – have left 130 innocent people dead.
Even with these attacks fresh in their minds, the attention of the committee is drawn to the IRGC and 58-year-old General Soleimani, considered by many to be much more of a threat than ISIS and its leader. Committee chairman, Ed Royce, talks about the IRGC’s support for international terrorism, human rights abuses, and nuclear proliferation. He argues that the IRGC has made Iran the threat that it is. Another politician says that although al-Baghdadi is a good figurehead for ISIS, it will only be a small step backward when he gets replaced. But Soleimani is brilliant – “in another lifetime, someone who would run Microsoft” – and his elimination will result in an unrecoverable loss of leadership and intelligence.
All told, the committee meeting discussions last two hours – but Soleimani has been named only twice.
ISIS has been forced out of Tikrit and Soleimani has disappeared back into the shadows. The retreating al-Baghdadi and ISIS once again take center stage as that very afternoon a Pakistani couple, inspired by ISIS, attack a local health-department building in San Bernardino, California, leaving 14 Americans dead.
---
A severed hand and a distinctive ring are all that remain.
It’s 12:32 a.m. on January 3, 2020. General Qasem Soleimani is sitting in the front row of an airbus A320 as it touches down at Baghdad International Airport in Iraq after its one-hour flight from the Syrian capital. He’s accompanied by two loyal Quds bodyguards and by two high-level Iranian officials. Soleimani trusts each of them implicitly.
They disembark and are met by Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, founder of the Kataib Hezbollah militia. They drive away together in two SUVs. Soleimani believes he’s completely safe. But at that moment, the two cars are being followed from 20,000 feet by at least two MQ-9 Reaper drones.
Gina Haspel, director of the CIA, has been tracking Soleimani’s movements. She knows Soleimani is meeting militia allies in Iraq to plan attacks on US troops. She also knows it’s time to deal with Soleimani, and Trump has already signed off a lethal intervention following the attack on the Baghdad embassy. Soleimani has been on the list of the US most wanted terrorists for years but has so far evaded assassination attempts. Now, though, his location and intention to harm US troops are beyond doubt.
Each drone is 36 feet long with a wingspan of 20 meters and weighs 5 tons – including fuel and weapons. Each has a camera capable of clearly photographing words on a golf ball from 3 miles away. Now, those cameras are trained on Soleimani’s vehicles.
Airforce pilots monitor each Reaper from Creech Air Force Base, 32 miles outside of Las Vegas. They monitor the two SUVs on video screens. They’re the only two vehicles on the road right now, but once they head into Baghdad, they’ll blend in with the other cars.
At 2:55 p.m. in Las Vegas, the order comes. It’s 12:55 a.m. in Baghdad. Soleimani is sitting in the back of one of the SUVs with Mahdi al-Muhandis. The only sound is that of their conversation – most probably discussions about the next atrocities to be unleashed on the US.
Then comes a sudden, terrifying sound: a split-second roar of a Hellfire rocket – the last sound Soleimani hears. Two missiles slam into his car. A third and fourth slam into the second car. The vehicles are obliterated – two flaming mounds of metal remain. Everyone is burned beyond recognition – but somehow the severed hand of Soleimani has been thrown clear and can be seen on the road shoulder, identifiable by his distinctive silver and red ring.
---
Epilogue
A mass killer was dead. The Iranians protested, but their protest was muted. Demonstrations around the world soon turned to anger and disgust – at the US. It wasn’t long before Trump and the US were being portrayed as the villains.
News channels in the US aired programs where commentators gave differing viewpoints. Would it have been less dangerous to keep Soleimani alive? Did the benefits outweigh the risks?
Trump gave an address in which he claimed to have carried out a preemptive strike before more attacks on Americans could take place. He praised the flawless strike and said Soleimani had been planning a “very major attack. And we got him.”
In Iran, a mob chanted “Death to America” and US flags were burned. Iran promised to strike back at a time and place of its choosing. The US should expect anything.
#WorldWar3 began to trend on Twitter.
The world began to take sides. Russia condemned the assassination while Israel and Saudi Arabia supported it. The UN said the attack was a violation of its charter. And the whole world waited for Iranian revenge.
Hours after Soleimani’s funeral, the wait was over. Half an hour after midnight, a US airbase in Iraq was the target of Iranian missiles designed to fragment into shrapnel on hitting their target, causing maximum casualties. But when the dust cleared, not a single US soldier had been killed. President Trump tweeted, “All is well.”
Everyone in Iran was tense, expecting further retaliation. An incompetent commander saw a strange image on the radar and believed it to be an incoming cruise missile. It wasn’t. It was a Ukrainian passenger jet traveling to Kyiv. Just three minutes after taking off from Tehran airport, it was blasted from the sky, killing the 176 passengers and crew.
Although, at first, the Iranians denied involvement – they claimed there was a fire in one of the engines – eventually they admitted to human error.
General Qassem Soleimani had – effectively – claimed his last victims.
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