Here's an article from 2015 that makes that argument:
The author argues Obama sought to enlist Suleimani's help in defeating ISIS and stabilizing both Iraq and Syria.
"According to the terms of the Iran deal announced in Vienna on Tuesday, U.N. Security Council sanctions regarding nuclear-related issues will be lifted on a number of entities and individuals—from Iranian banks to Lebanese assassins, like Anis Nacacche. The name that most sticks out is IRGC-Quds Force commander Qassem Suleimani. Administration officials counsel calm, and explain that Suleimani is still on the U.S. terror list and will remain on the terror list. But that’s irrelevant. The reality is that Suleimani is the key to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.
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Obama likes Suleimani, and admires his work. As the president reportedly told a group of Arab officials in May, the Arabs 'need to learn from Iran’s example.'
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Obama likes Suleimani, and admires his work. As the president reportedly told a group of Arab officials in May, the Arabs 'need to learn from Iran’s example.'
In fact, they need to take a page out of the playbook of the Qods Force — by which [Obama] meant developing their own local proxies capable of going toe-to-toe with Iran’s agents and defeating them. The president seemed to marvel at the fact that from Hezbollah to the Houthis to the Iraqi militias, Iran has such a deep bench of effective proxies willing to advance its interests. Where, he asked, are their equivalent on the Sunni side? Why, he wanted to know in particular, have the Saudis and their partners not been able to cultivate enough Yemenis to carry the burden of the fight against the Houthis? The Arabs, Obama suggested, badly need to develop a toolbox that goes beyond the brute force of direct intervention. Instead, they need to, be subtler, sneakier, more effective — well, just more like Iran.
The author argues Obama sought to enlist Suleimani's help in defeating ISIS and stabilizing both Iraq and Syria.
[T]he White House thinks, with Syria, where Iran can manage the inevitable transition, after Assad steps aside, thanks to the Iranians, or is killed. The way Obama sees it, the Quds Force can be the administration’s boots on the ground.
All this was done while American blood had not yet dried on Suleimani's hands. If this is accurate, we have a whole new level of collusion, administration disingenuousness and incompetence. The circumstantial evidence corroborates this; such as, removing the personal sanctions and travel restrictions imposed on Suleimani, the lifting of the UN arms embargo, the payment by delivering hard currency, and the warning of Israeli plans to assassinate Suleimani.
