If assassinations are so easy and are obviously the right thing to do, shouldn’t they happen more often? When was the last time assassinations were used to end a war anywhere?
The issue with assassinations is that while they can be effective for the country, a leader ordering an assassination of a leader of the other side faces the prospect of having an assassination ordered against them.
A gentlemens agreement between leaders of both sides not to assassinate the leaders of the other side is personally benefitial for the leaders involved.
The other reason, as noted by Clausewitz, is that the enemy leader is the only person who can order its army to surrender. If you kill them, victory gets much harder to achieve.
The issue with assassinations is that while they can be effective for the country, a leader ordering an assassination of a leader of the other side faces the prospect of having an assassination ordered against them.
A gentlemens agreement between leaders of both sides not to assassinate the leaders of the other side is personally benefitial for the leaders involved.
The other reason, as noted by Clausewitz, is that the enemy leader is the only person who can order its army to surrender. If you kill them, victory gets much harder to achieve.