With Soleimani dead, the world is safer, but it is not enough
January 6, 2020, 12:08 pm

With Soleimani dead, the world is safer, but it is not enough0

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On January 3, 2020, near Baghdad's airport, a U.S. air raid targeted Qasem Soleimani, commander of Quds Force, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (“IRGC’s”) terrorist arm. He was killed instantly. To understand how important this is, one needs to understand who Qasem Soleimani (1957-2020) was.

Soleimani, a one-time construction worker and weightlifter joined the IRGC after 1979 revolution and soon headed one of the IRGC’s main cadres. Khomeini assigned Soleimani to suppress a Kurdish movement in Mahabad, Western Azerbaijan. Soleimani's brutality earned him command over a Quds Guard Corps unit in Kerman.

The Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988) gave Soleimani opportunities for further advancement. He soon commanded the 41st Mechanized (Tharallah) Division. After the cease-fire with Iraq, Soleimani masterminded offshore money-laundering activities to help Iran export terrorism to neighboring countries. In this role, Soleimani produced narcotics in Afghanistan and distributed them across the Middle East and into Africa, Europe, and the United States.

In 1997, Khamenei made Soleimani commander of the Quds Force. Until his death, Soleimani was responsible for the Quds Force’s terrorist activities, recruitment, and exportation of fundamentalism again, as with the opiates, throughout the Middle East, and into Asia, Africa, America, and Europe. Additionally, Soleimani was Khamenei's advisor for these regions, making him a very influential figure at Iran’s Supreme Council of the Security Council.

In Lebanon, Syria, and the Palestinian territories, Soleimani was personally involved in promoting the ruling regimes’ political influence and terrorist activities. Soleimani also actively pursued attacks on American diplomats and troops in Iraq and throughout the region. He twice received medals from Khamenei.

Soleimani was responsible for the 1996 Khobar Tower bombing in Saudi Arabia (19 American troops killed) and the 1983 American Marine base bombing in Beirut (241 Marines, 58 French military personnel, and 6 civilians killed). He designed many of the IED bombs and rockets that Iran gave its proxies in Iraq. In 2008, when the Mojahedin-e-Khalq, an Iranian main opposition group dedicated to overthrowing the Mullahs, occupied Camp Ashraf in Iraq under U.N. protection, Soleimani masterminded an attack that killed 52.

In Syria, Soleimani’s activities on behalf of Bashar al Assad, Iran’s puppet, helped lead to the country’s 225,000 dead and 6,000,000 refugees. After the U.S. troops withdrew from Iraq, Soleimani was responsible for massive civilian casualties. Always, he was advancing Iran’s control over the regions. Soleimani was one of the cruelest and most brutal executioners in the Middle East.

Pulitzer Prize-winning American journalist Dexter Filkins identified Soleimani as a uniquely powerful figure in the Middle East. Filkins contended that Soleimani strengthened Iran by assassinating rivals, arming allies, and organizing fighter groups that killed hundreds of Americans in Iraq.

Senator Tom Cotton (R. Ark.), who served in Iraq, echoed this assessment in his official statement about Soleimani’s death:

Qassem Soleimani masterminded Iran’s reign of terror for decades, including the deaths of hundreds of Americans. Tonight, he got what he richly deserved, and all those American soldiers who died by his hand also got what they deserved: justice. America is safer now after Soleimani’s demise.

Sen. Jim Risch (R. Idaho), from his position as Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman also viewed Soleimani as one of the greatest threats to American troops and to world stability:

I'm also not only on the Foreign Relations Committee. I'm No. 2 on the intelligence committee. And this man's career is notorious amongst people who follow these things. He was arguably worse than Osama bin Laden, particularly as far as the number of people that he is responsible for having killed. He is the man that's responsible for the IED program that killed and maimed so many of our servicemen and women that served in Iraq. He has just been real cancer on the Earth for many, many years.

Soleimani did not get away with these war crimes just because he was cruel, imaginative, and powerful. The freehand he had reflects the long-held American policy of appeasing rather than confronting Iran.

Knowing who Soleimani was and what he did is a gauge for understanding the enemies of peace, democracy, and stability in the Middle East. For years, whether he was operating from inside Iran or traveling to other countries (as he did to Iraq when he was killed), Soleimani’s crimes repressed the Iranian people and exported terrorism and fundamentalism around the world. His goal, always, was to stabilize the Supreme leader system and bypass international community sanctions.

Soleimani’s death at the hands of the American military is an irreparable blow to the Mullahs’ regime. With his death, it is reasonable both to believe and hope that regime change will happen soon in Iran.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.