Columbia International Affairs Online: Policy Briefs

CIAO DATE: 09/2008

PolicyWatch #1340: Who Was Imad Mughniyeh?

David Schenker

February 2008

The Washington Institute for Near East Policy

Abstract

Yesterday's assassination of arch-terrorist Imad Mughniyeh was welcome news in Washington, Buenos Aires, Tel Aviv, and, albeit quietly, Beirut and Baghdad. For Hizballah and Damascus, however, the loss of Mughniyeh -- who was a brilliant military tactician, a key contact to Tehran, and a successful political leader -- is a severe blow to their ongoing activities and operations.