The Shadow Commander
Soleimani, the US, and Iran’s Global Ambitions
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The Shadow Commander
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Narrated by:
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Eric Jason Martin
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By:
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Arash Azizi
About this listen
Until his assassination by US drone strike in January 2020, commander Qassem Soleimani was one of the most powerful men in Iran and the military spearhead for Iranian foreign policy, enacting the wishes of the country's Supreme Leader in the region. A widely popular but also feared maverick operator, he helped to establish the Islamic Republic as a major force in the Middle East, with interventions in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen. This was a long way from where he began as a youth, living on the margins in a country ruled by a monarch supported by the United States.
In this engaging account, historian Arash Azizi examines Soleimani's life, regional influence, and ambitions. The Shadow Commander breaks new ground through interviews with Iranians, Afghans, Iraqis, and Syrians who knew Soleimani for years, including his personal driver, the aides who accompanied him to his Moscow meeting with Vladimir Putin, and his brother. Ultimately, Azizi uses the story of this one important figure to make sense of the global ambitions of Iran, a country whose actions are much talked about but seldom understood.
©2020 Arash Azizi (P)2020 TantorListeners also enjoyed...
What listeners say about The Shadow Commander
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 17-03-23
Very well written
"The Shadow Commander" by Arash Azizi is a well-researched and gripping biography of Qassem Soleimani, the commander of Iran's Quds Force who was assassinated by the United States in January 2020. Azizi's book offers an insightful and intimate look at the man behind Iran's shadowy military operations across the Middle East.
The author's writing style is clear and engaging, making it easy for readers to follow the complex political and military landscape of the Middle East. Azizi provides a detailed account of Soleimani's early life, rise to power, and the key events that shaped his career. From his early days as a soldier in the Iran-Iraq war to his leadership in the fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, Azizi covers all aspects of Soleimani's life.
One of the most impressive aspects of the book is Azizi's ability to humanize Soleimani while also acknowledging his brutal tactics. The author portrays Soleimani as a complex figure with a deep love for Iran and a fierce dedication to defending his country's interests. At the same time, Azizi does not shy away from discussing the atrocities committed by the Quds Force under Soleimani's leadership, including the killing of hundreds of Syrian civilians and the use of torture and violence to suppress dissent.
Azizi also sheds light on the strategic vision that drove Soleimani's military campaigns across the Middle East. The author shows how Soleimani's tactics of supporting local militias and guerrilla groups, as well as his ability to exploit political divisions, allowed Iran to expand its influence in the region.
Overall, "The Shadow Commander" is a compelling and informative read that provides valuable insights into the man who was one of the most powerful and feared military commanders in the Middle East. Azizi's meticulous research, engaging writing style, and nuanced portrayal of Soleimani make this book a must-read for anyone interested in the geopolitics of the region.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- mtkelvin
- 19-11-23
The Best
Best researched
Best written
Best narrated .
A very good read about Persians , Islam & Iran in general .
Iranian Foreign Policy is best analysed along the way .
Hatred for Zionism is evident from start .
Ayatollah is full of hate
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- amir zadsham
- 27-12-20
Fast track of IRGC AND ISLAMIC REV HISTORY
You can tell the Arthur wrote this book as a historian ! This is not a Soleimani Biography.
Arash Azizi was an excellent journalist in BBC Persian ! That helped him to write this book
We need more book like this about Middle East
I hope he write something about MEK AND Masoud Rajavi ! Tell the world about the strange ideologies
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Robert de Castel
- 07-08-21
Decent History-but not a biography
Not so much a biography as it is a history of the Revolutionary Guard in which the titular subject happens to play an active part.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Michael Bodstrup
- 15-05-21
Romantizing a terrorist commander
Way too many times the story goes off on a tangent, talking about movie actors, origin of karate, local foods etc.
Too little info on Mr. Sole Imani
Book is romantizing his life, struggle, presenting him as a above human character.
Gives some useful insight in how the religious fanatics perceive Soleimani, which is - I suppose - "reality" to them.
Keeps a bit of patience - or lack of more neutral/fact up material
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Georgina
- 30-03-22
The narrators pronunciation is appalling
Can’t even begin to describe how bad the narrator’s pronunciation of Iranian names and places is. It is a very basic sign of professionalism and respect to learn how to pronounce these properly (or at least not completely mangling them) before recording. An excellent book that is sadly very annoying to listen to as a result.
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Overall1 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- AA
- 27-06-21
This is based on utter nonsense
The writer born 1988 clearly has very limited knowledge of Iran history and military this is very much based on hypothetics and extremely bias anti-Iranian almost seems like it’s funded by other parties to damage the image of General Soleimani who was respected by all his peers in the west. The writer tries extremely hard to disrespect general Soleimani from the start based on completely hypothetics and his own personal vindictive agendas. I want a refund for paying for this and wasting my time listening to this nonsense.
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