1. Intelligence & Assassination Case Study: ______________
Course INTL 414
Intelligence & Assassination
Case Study: ______________
Prepared by: _____________

2. The Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy
Main Points
Assassination happened around midnight at the Ambassador Hotel on 5th June, 1968
Turner, William W, and John G. Christian.
The victim was Robert F. Kennedy and the assassin was Sirhan Bishara Sirhan
Unlike Sirhan, Kennedy was sympathetic to the Zionist cause
Sirhan, on own motion, thought it was essential to kill Kennedy as he was markedly pro-Israel
The assassination happened around midnight at the Ambassador Hotel on 5th June, 1968, just a few minutes after Robert F. Kennedy had finished addressing his supporters in California at the hotel’s ballroom. He left the ballroom through the hotel’s kitchen passageway to address a press conference (Turner and Christian 1978, 9).
The victim was Robert F. Kennedy and the assassin was Sirhan Bishara Sirhan (Turner and Christian 1978, 312). Kennedy was seeking the presidential ticket of the Democratic Party and was a keen supporter of Israel’s actions against Palestine and Zionism in general.
Unlike Sirhan, Kennedy was sympathetic to the Zionist cause. Sirhan had marked feelings against Zionism (Turner and Christian 1978, 55).
Sirhan, independently, thought it was essential to kill Kennedy as he was markedly pro-Israel and possibly dissuade the US from supporting the Zionist cause.

3. The Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy
Main Points
Sirhan was alone at location to assassinate
The execution of the assassination was systematic
Kennedy did not live to support Israel as president but the US has continued supporting Israel
Assassination attained tactical but not strategic objective
Sirhan did not act in concert with others with shared sentiments in assassinating Kennedy. The was no evidence that his motivation to kill Kennedy was externally persuaded.
The execution of the assassination was systematic. Sirhan was so clinical in its planning that he managed to shoot Kennedy thrice (Turner and Christian 1978, 162).
Kennedy did not live to support Israel as president but the US has continued supporting Israel. That means that the assassination attained its tactical aims but not its strategic objective.

4. The Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy
Time: just after midnight
Location: The Ambassador Hotel located in Los Angeles
Date: 5th June, 1968
The assassination happened around midnight at the Ambassador Hotel on 5th June, 1968, just a few minutes after Robert F. Kennedy had finished addressing his supporters in California at the hotel’s ballroom. He left the ballroom through the hotel’s kitchen passageway to address a press conference. He was shot by Sirhan within the passageway (Turner and Christian 1978, 208).

5. The Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy
Players
Victim: Robert F. Kennedy
Assassin: Sirhan Bishara Sirhan
The Assassination Sponsor:
Sirhan Bishara Sirhan was not sponsored to assassinate Kennedy
On the day he was shot by Sirhan, Robert F. Kennedy had just won a primary convincingly in California. He came off as a stronger contender for the US presidency. The others who were wounded by the assassin’s fire were Paul Schrade, William Weisel, Irwin Stroll, Ira Goldstein, and Elizabeth Evans (Turner and Christian 1978, 381).
Then, Sirhan was 24. He is of a Palestinian extraction. Then, he had string feelings against Zionism (Chin 2002, 31).
The assassination was Sirhan’s personal initiative, it was not sponsored.

6. The Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy
Policy Issues
Beliefs of Kennedy
sympathetic to the Zionist cause
supported Israel against Palestine
Beliefs of Sirhan Bishara Sirhan
had strong anti-Zionist beliefs
supported Palestine in its struggle against Israel
Sirhan was averse to Kennedy’s support for the Israeli cause in Middle East. Sirhan had the delusion that Kennedy was keen sending tens of bombers to destroy Palestine and Palestinians in support of the cause.

7. The Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy
Agenda
Sirhan assassinated Kennedy to end his support for Israel
strategic objective was to end the US’ support for Israel against Palestine
tactical objective was stop Kennedy from helping the Israeli cause as president
Sirhan was keen on ending Kennedy’s support for the Israeli cause in Middle East (Turner and Christian 1978, 15). As noted earlier, Sirhan had the delusion that Kennedy was keen sending tens of bombers to destroy Palestine and Palestinians in support of the cause.
His overall strategic objective was stop the US from supporting Israel in its struggle against Palestine. His tactical, or operational, objective was to kill Kennedy.

8. The Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy
Agenda
It was essential to kill Kennedy as he was markedly pro-Israel
The assassination was a personal action
Only approved the assassination
He approved the assassination as he thought it was in support of the Palestine cause
Sirhan thought it was essential to kill Kennedy to eliminate every possibility of him supporting Israeli and Zionism. He thought it was essential to kill him to keep Palestine free of American bombers.
He planned and approved the assassination of Kennedy all alone over time. As noted earlier, his desire to keep Palestine free of American bombers motivated him to approve the assassination.

9. The Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy
Setup
Location - Ambassador Hotel
There was a lone assassin, Sirhan
Anticipated problem – challenge is determining where Kennedy would pass
Rehearsals - Sirhan was at the scene on June 3 studying layout
Adequacy of Preparation –preparation was adequate since Sirhan shot Kennedy
Kennedy was assassinated with the Ambassador Hotel’s kitchen passageway where Sirhan had positioned himself strategically.
He planned, approved, and executed the assassination of Kennedy all alone over time.
During his rehearsal, he was worried that he would missed a vantage position in the area where Kennedy would have passed. He was not certain of the route the victim would have taken after exiting the ballroom.
Sirhan rehearsed in readiness for the killing of Kennedy on June 3rd at the hotel.
Clearly, his preparation was adequate since he managed three shots at the target.

10. The Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy
Execution
Step 1- Kennedy addresses supporters at The Ambassador Hotel ballroom
Step 2 –leaves the ballroom enters the kitchen passageway
Step 3 –Sirhan fires at him, hitting him thrice
Step 4 - Sirhan wrestled to ground and disarmed
Step 5 – Kennedy taken to hospital and dies following day
The assassination happened around midnight at the Ambassador Hotel on 5th June, 1968, just a few minutes after Robert F. Kennedy had finished addressing his supporters in California at the hotel’s ballroom.
He left the ballroom through the hotel’s kitchen passageway to address a press conference.
He was shot thrice by Sirhan within the passageway. Sirhan shot him using a .22 caliber revolver. The others who were wounded by the assassin’s fire were Paul Schrade, William Weisel, Irwin Stroll, Ira Goldstein, and Elizabeth Evans.
Sirhan was wrestled to the ground and disarmed by Rosey Grier, Rafer Johnson, and George Plimpton.
Kennedy was rushed to Central Receiving Hospital. He was then transferred to Good Samaritan Hospital where he passed on the following day.

11. The Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy
Aftermath
Despite the overwhelming popularity of Kennedy, he does not become president
The tactical objective, killing Kennedy, is realized
Strategic objective not realized
Assassination did not end the US’ support for Israel
Assassination was not worth the effort
Despite the overwhelming popularity of Kennedy, he does not become president. He was widely expected to win in that year’s presidential elections. The elections were won by Richard Nixon, a republican (Turner and Christian 1978, xv).
The tactical aim of killing Kennedy was attained. After being shot, Kennedy was rushed to Central Receiving Hospital. He was then transferred to Good Samaritan Hospital where he passed on the following day.
The strategic objective was not attained. The US continues to support Israeli in its struggles against Palestine and the other neighboring Arab nations. Notably, President Nixon offered Israel marked resources to defend itself from Palestine incursions.
That means that the assassination had the desired short-term effect. Even then, it did not have the desired long-term effect.
The assassination was not worth the effort as it failed to realize its lasting objective, the strategic objective.

12. The Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy
Conclusion
Assassination attained tactical but not strategic objective
Sirhan managed three shots at Kennedy, hurting him fatally
Assassination was not worth it
The killing of an individual leader does not necessarily alter his nation’s foreign policy
The assassination was not worth the effort as it failed to realize its lasting objective, the strategic objective.
The tactical aim of killing Kennedy was attained. After being shot, Kennedy was rushed to Central Receiving Hospital. He was then transferred to Good Samaritan Hospital where he passed on the following day.
The killing of an individual leader does nit necessarily alter his nation’s foreign policy . The US continues to support Israeli in its struggles against Palestine and the other neighboring Arab nations.

13. Reference List
Chin, Juliet The Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy. New York: Rosen Pub. Group. Turner, William and John Christian The Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy: A Searching Look at the Conspiracy and the Cover-Up, New York: Random House.