Islamic State leader’s death a national security win for Trump

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump announced Sunday that U.S. forces had brought Islamic State group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, “the world’s No. 1 terrorist leader,” to justice and described al-Baghdadi’s last moments in graphic detail.

It was a huge national security win for the president, following Trump’s recent announcement of a large withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria.

Buoyant over the lack of U.S. casualties, Trump addressed the nation shortly after 9 a.m. from the White House.

“U.S. special operations forces executed a dangerous and daring nighttime raid in northwestern Syria and accomplished their mission in grand style,” Trump said.

“He died after running into a dead-end tunnel whimpering and crying and screaming all the way,” Trump said of al-Baghdadi’s final moments, which Trump and top national security staff witnessed remotely from the Situation Room.

As U.S. troops pursued the ISIS founder, Trump said in a voice aware of the drama and history of the moment, “He reached the end of the tunnel as our dogs chased him down. He ignited his (explosive) vest, killing himself, and the three children. His body was mutilated by the blast.”

Former CIA Deputy Director Mike Morell later told CBS’ “Face the Nation” that he was “bothered” by Trump sharing details about al-Baghdadi’s mutilated body.

Trump told reporters that he did not notify top lawmakers, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, ahead of the mission “because Washington leaks like I’ve never seen before.”

Democrats generally praised the U.S. troops involved in the raid while giving scant credit to the commander in chief.

Former Vice President Joe Biden issued a statement in which he congratulated “our special forces, our intelligence community, and all our brave military professionals on delivering justice to the terrorist Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. It is thanks to their courage and relentless determination to carry out their mission that ISIS has suffered a vital loss.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tweeted, “The death of al-Baghdadi is significant, but it does not mean the death of ISIS. @realDonaldTrump must present the American people with a clear strategy to confront ISIS.”

Addressing reporters in the briefing room, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said that Trump had informed him about the successful raid that morning.

Graham, who has been a critic of Trump’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from most of Syria, said, “The killing of Baghdadi is a game changer in the war on terror. Doesn’t mean the war is over. The president’s determination over time has paid off. We don’t give him enough credit for destroying the caliphate.”

Graham also said he is working to learn the name of the U.S. service dog wounded in the raid.

The scene in the Situation Room on Saturday night was reminiscent of the evening in 2011 when former President Barack Obama and his team watched the raid that resulted in the death of al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.

As he took reporters’ questions, Trump claimed that he had written that bin Laden needed to be killed or taken out in a book released a year before the 9/11 attacks. But while Trump mentioned bin Laden in his 2000 book, “The America We Deserve,” he did not call for his removal.

Contact Debra J. Saunders at dsaunders@reviewjournal.com or 202-662-7391. Follow @DebraJSaunders on Twitter.