Which heads of state and high ranking officials are you referring to?
Leaders in Lebanon, Pakistan, India, for example; former Soviet or Russian leaders...
Which of these leaders were taken out by professional assassins recently? You might be confusing "professional" assassins, with fanatical religious terrorist types.
I would note the recent assassination of Bhutto was hardly a hit by a professional assassin, due to the fact a "professional" in that sense, would not have blown himself up along with many others creating a very messy scene in the process. Looking at the scene images, you can see one individual pointing a handgun. A handgun would not be the weapon of choice for a professional assassin.
I would guess Bhutto was killed by extremist, terrorist, religious fanatics etc, not what one would consider a "professional" assassin.
The term "professional" would seem to suggest someone who is highly skilled, makes a very detailed plans, and surgically executes that plan with precision and gets away with it.
Incidents like Hinckley and Reagan are aberrations
Actually they're typical.
Modern notable assassins/attempted assassinations in the U.S. would include Reagan, JFK, Wallace, Martin Luther King, John Lennon, Robert Kennedy etc...None of which were killed by what one would consider "professional" assassins.
Even going way back to Lincoln, the assassin was hardly a professional.
Bhutto’s assassination was set up by Paki Intelligence, using shills.
Could you provide a link for those arrested for that assassination? The fact is no one was ever charged. In addition, it is believed those responsible blew themselves to pieces. Again, not hardly what a "professional assassin would do. Fanatical terrorist? Yeah, professional assassin? No.
JFK was NOT killed by Lee Harvey Oswald
Yes he was.
The Lebanese PM was taken out by Syrian Intelligence.
The Lebanese Prime Minister was killed along with about a dozen others, and it is believed, the young "suicide bomber" was among the dead. Again, not what one would consider a "professional assassin. Again, you seem to be confusing, "professional" assassins, with common terrorist and religious fanatics that will generally blow themselves up in the process.
The Mossad regularly takes out high-profile targets
Uh, the Mossad is the Israeli intelligence agency, much like the CIA. It's not an organization for "professional assassins. Most of their work is counter intelligence.
Sure there are random nuts who once in a while try to kill someone powerful or famous. But the serious hits are almost always done by professionals.
Wrong. You are again confusing Mid Eastern terrorism and religious extremist, with professional "hit men".
Professional "hit men" are not known to blow themselves to pieces on a one time job.
Incidents like Hinckley and Reagan are aberrations
Actually they're typical.
Modern notable assassins/attempted assassinations in the U.S. would include Reagan, JFK, Wallace, Martin Luther King, John Lennon, Robert Kennedy etc...None of which were killed by what one would consider "professional" assassins.
Even going way back to Lincoln, the assassin was hardly a professional.
You have to understand, a terrorist, a fanatical religious zealot willing to die for their "cause" are not professional "hit men".
BTW, you say Oswald didn't kill Kennedy? Who did?
“BTW, you say Oswald didn’t kill Kennedy? Who did?”
JFK was killed by triangulation of fire (i.e., at least three shooters, and it’s doubtful Oswald was one of them). My opinion? JFK was a mafia hit. All the credible evidence points to that. But, remember, the mafia had — and still has — some very strange bedfellows.
As for many of the “assassinations” you mentioned, notice that they were just attempts, by rank amateurs or nuts. Which goes back to my point: ASSASSINATIONS (i.e., those were the target was actually killed) are usually pulled off by professionals. Assassination ATTEMPTS, though, are all over the board.