To have “solved it” would have been an outright political assassination of a recognized Shiite leader with a very considerable following. This guys faction is very significant like it or not...
As several conservative talk show hosts have already pointed out - the US has its hands in the creation of another Shiite hellhole...
Just one of many “gotchas” that occur when you are in the middle of another country’s politics...
=8-)
Political assassination? It used to be fairly common practice to eliminate those who are directly responsible for the deaths of our troops. And you are correct - the guys faction (iran) is very significant, which is why it made even less sense to leave him alive.
I guess we'll see how playing by "Marquis of Queensbury rules" works out...