Does killing Soleimani really change anything in the Middle East? And, are China and Russia becoming BFFs?

Soleimani killing: Was Washington's targeted killing of Iranian major general Soleimani justified?  What’s the strategy behind it, and what kind of blow back will the US face?

Danielle Pletka:  senior fellow in foreign and defence policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI)

Amin Saikal:  Director of the Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies, ANU. Author: Iran Rising: The Survival and Future of the Islamic Republic  and, Islam beyond Borders: The Umma in World Politics

And, Are Russia and China developing an authoritarian alliance? Defence analyst Paul Dibb is sounding the alarm. He says the US could face a war on two fronts – in Europe and in Asia - if Putin and Xi collude to challenge the US.

Paul Dibb: Emeritus Professor of Strategic Studies at the Strategic & Defence Studies Centre, ANU, author: How the geopolitical partnership between China and Russia threatens the West, ASPI.