Alex Christoforou
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
The Duran’s Alex Christoforou and Editor-in-Chief Alexander Mercouris discuss the death of Islamic State Caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who was killed in a United States Special Ops raid Saturday night involving eight helicopters and a ground clash on the Turkey-Syria border in northwestern Idlib. U.S. President Trump announced the death in a “major statement”.
Al-Baghdadi’s death is one of biggest victories of the Trump administration in the war against ISIS, and this very big win, along with Trump thanking Russia, has triggered globalist elite pundits to actually mourn the death of Baghdadi.
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Globalist elite mourn the death of al-Baghdadi by The Duran
The Duran Quick Take: Episode 352. The Duran’s Alex Christoforou and Editor-in-Chief Alexander Mercouris discuss the death of Islamic State Caliph Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who was killed in a United States Special Ops raid Saturday night involving eight helicopters and a ground clash on the Turkey-Syria border in northwestern Idlib.
When Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi took the reins of the Islamic State of Iraq in 2010, few had heard of the organization or its new leader, an austere religious scholar with wire-frame glasses and no known aptitude for fighting and killing.
But just four years later, Mr. Baghdadi had helped transform his failing movement into one of the most notorious and successful terrorist groups of modern times. Under his guidance it would burst into the public consciousness as the Islamic State, an organization that would seize control of entire cities in Iraq and Syria and become a byword for shocking brutality.
He died Oct. 26 in northwest Syria, during a raid conducted by Special Operations forces, President Trump said in a Sunday morning news conference at the White House. Mr. Baghdadi was 48, and had run into a “dead-end tunnel” before he “ignited his vest,” killing himself and three of his children, Trump said.
“Baghdadi was vicious and violent, and he died in a vicious and violent way — as a coward, running and crying,” the president added.
[Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi dead following U.S. Special Operations raid in Syria]
The man at the helm of the Islamic State was a shadowy presence, appearing in public only a handful of times and rarely allowing his own voice to be heard, even as the caliphate was beaten back and finally destroyed. During his tenure, the Islamic State would come to mirror its leader: a messianic figure drawn to the harshest interpretations of Islamic texts and seized with the conviction that all dissenters should be put to death.And yet, despite the group’s extremist views and vicious tactics, Mr. Baghdadi maintained a canny pragmatism as leader, melding a fractious mix of radical jihadists and former Iraqi Baathists and army officers into an effective military force. It was this combination of extremist ideology and practical military experience that enabled the group to seize and hold territory that would form the basis of a declared Islamic caliphate.
“He was the guy who could build bridges between the foreign fighters and local Iraqis,” said William McCants, a scholar of militant Islam and author of “The ISIS Apocalypse,” a 2015 history of the Islamic State, which is also called ISIS. “His ability to move between these two factions helped his rise to become caliph and then allowed him to stay on top.”
Although rivals and foes would initially dismiss him as a mere spiritual leader and figurehead, Mr. Baghdadi “proved himself to be a capable and cagey leader, politically,” McCants said.
Mr. Baghdadi’s public profile diminished considerably after 2015, amid frequent, unverified reports that he had been wounded or even killed in an airstrike. His last confirmed statement was an audio address, posted to jihadist websites in November 2016, offering encouragement to followers after the Iraqi government began its campaign to retake Mosul.
You can read the rest of The Washington Post’s bizarre “tribute” to al-Baghdadi here…
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
This is one post I did not bother to listen to after hearing all the nonsense about Trump and the American military being reliable sources when there is no independent confirmation at all! As you know Russia – which has a much better record of telling the truth – doubts this story to say the least. It has all the hallmarks of a concocted story to divert attention from the ridiculous flak Trump is taking for redeploying a few troops in Syria. the same tactic worked for Obama with Osam Bin Laden – totally debunked by Syemour Hersch. Note Osama… Read more »
I agree with every statement you made.
The Russian Ministry of Defense says they were never told about the Al Baghdadi raid in advance and have not detected any sign of such a raid.
Trump is lying his ass off
Excellent summary of a very complex piece of modern history. A note about the demise of Bin Laden: he passed away in December of 2001. Please see Benazir Bhutto’s last interview with David Frost. The story that we have been fed about Seal Team Six having taken him out is an egregious lie. Find out what happened to the members of Seal Team Six when they began to ask questions about that raid into Pakistan.
Frost is a Bilderberg member.
Also, now would be an excellent moment to revisit the Benghazi events and find out why Chris Stevens was allowed to die.
He was allowed to die because Hillary was afraid that his mission as logistics manager of Libyan arms to islamofascist terrorists in Syria might be uncovered.
after the Bin Laden “story”, I cant help but take this with a grain of salt, but without entering into that whole realm, the reasons why the mainstream neo-liberal global elites would be apoplectic about this narrative should be straightforward. The principle terror tool for herding those that identify as “left” toward accepting one world rule is climate change. The principle tool for herding those on the “right” toward accepting it is the the spectre of the bearded Islamic terrorist (9-11 being the pivotal “mass mind-control” event). Viewed in that light, the reaction from the neo-liberal globalists to this development… Read more »
Hello, update the war unwinding?…the U$ just got to occupy the Syrian oil fields, extracting the wealth resources, and thereby bleeding Syria dry, financially, on top of the sanctions they have in effect all these years already…like i said elsewhere, they are counting on that no-body dares to touch U$ ground forces there, even its a mere 500…those same nations, GB, France says, that now that Bagdadi is gone it no means the end of the ‘struggle’ meaning endless occupation and incursion with their airpower… So unless Syria with the help of Russia and Iran, is daring to push the… Read more »
Yep , I am with you Sombody . Reckon the Russians should bomb every illegal alien on Syrian soil , no buts or excuses , bomb `em !!
Nup ! I dont believe it at all . Could be Trump is looking for votes already , trying to up his Resume ahead of next years elections . I never believed the Bin Laden crap , why should I believe this one ! In my country ( NZ ) it was about three years ago when the TV stations were all blurting out that Al Baghdadi had been killed then . And right now they are saying the same thing without even batting an eyelid !! Do you wonder if they even know what garbage they are spewing forth… Read more »
“the death of al-Baghdadi”
Says Who?
…(al-Baghdadi)… Another fictional Deep State character?
Or, to the point; who cares?
“Truth” media vs “Fake news” media – score as follows:
Fake news media +1
Truth news media -1
Sad, really, when you see the Truth Media cut/paste propaganda and perpetuate the lies of the Deep State on a consistent basis.
*SIGH*
I checked out of this video early. Al-Baghdadi (AKA Shimon Elliot) was an Israeli and Mossad agent. He has been reported dead several times. Alexander Mercouris likens the ‘murder’ to that of Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan, when the latter had been dead for several years already. These ‘burials at sea’ stink to high heaven. As most Muslims live in desert countries, I doubt that their tradition is a sea burial.
Let’s see how many of the brave soldiers who supposedly killed Elliot die sudden deaths like the famous Navy SEALS.
I can not believe that Alexander Mercouris and Alex Christoforou believe this crass narrative. I do not believe this ‘narrative’ for a number of reasons. Firstly Al Baghdadi the leader of Isis was supposed to be hiding in Iblib which is an Al Nusra Front/ Al Qaeda region, and they are mortal enemies to Isis/Daesh. Hiding in the Lions Den, Yeah sure. He may as well have been hiding in the Kremlin. A statement by Russian Major General Igor Konashenkov said.”No airstrikes performed by US aircraft or aircraft belonging to the so called ’international coalition’ were detected on Saturday or… Read more »
I was going to say this but Fug beat me and added good comment.
“The DNA test results been completed so soon is also ridiculous. Al Baghdadi must have been carrying his own biometric and DNA sample in his CIA Passport.” THANKS Fug.
President Assad doesn’t believe this and he doesn’t believe the OBL story either. I know for a fact the OBL story was a lie because he died on Dec 13, 2001. He had End Stage Renal disease due to his Diabetes. He was visited in the hospital by his CIA handler on September 10, 2001. At discharge he purchased 2 dialysis machines. You can’t do hemodialysis in a cave. There is an interview of Dr Gupta on CNN on Dec 27 that has been scrubbed that is of OBL that shows Uremic Frost of his beard. Uremic Frost is pre-death… Read more »