...Instead of being a dead bad guy, Suleimani appears almost as potent in his “martyrdom” as he was in life. His death has already spurred anti-American sentiment across the Middle East. It has unified Iran’s divided society. And it has also precipitated the first action to wind down or end the American military presence in the region—Suleimani’s primary mission since he took over the Quds Force, in 1998....

In Iran, Suleimani’s coffin was flown to three cities—Ahvaz, the holy city of Mashhad, and then the capital in Tehran—for memorial processions where huge crowds shouted “Death to America” and burned American flags. In Tehran, Suleimani’s daughter, Zeinab, told hundreds of thousands of mourners—Iran claimed millions—that her father’s death would be avenged. “The families of the American soldiers in western Asia .?.?. will spend their days waiting for the death of their children,” she said, producing cheers. “You crazy Trump, the symbol of ignorance, the slave of Zionists, don’t think that the killing of my father will finish everything.”

...Suleimani’s death plays to a central concept of Shiite Islam—martyrdom by a minority fighting for survival against bigger rivals—that dates back to the founding of Islam’s second branch, in the seventh century. The fury has unified disparate sectors of Iranian society, which just weeks ago was riven by street protests challenging the government in dozens of cities....

In Washington, there’s an unnerving breathlessness over the rapidity of the deepening crisis with Iran—with no clear strategy for next steps outlined by the Administration, much less an exit strategy. At least for now, diplomacy seems to be off the table, despite President Trump’s repeated statements that he wants talks with Iran on a new nuclear deal to avoid conflict. In the meantime, any of the alternatives could make the United States far less safe than it was ten days ago. On Friday, General Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was asked about the dangers to the United States after killing Suleimani. “Is there risk?” he asked reporters at the Pentagon. “Damn right."