Remember back in 2011, when Obama stepped up to the podium and announced Osama’s death?
It was short and sweet, and Obama, who can joke as well as Trevor Noah, made the announcement in a measured and serious manner, though people around the world was cheering. It was later revealed in an interview that prior to the operation, he was extremely stressed (who won’t?) but still had to attend an event.
Yesterday night, current POTUS Donald Trump came up to announce the death of yet another high-profile terrorist group leader, and the style is completely different. The ex-reality star peppered his speech with imagery and figurative language, and we’ve got to admit: it’s a tad more entertaining though we don’t know whether it’s appropriate:
I mean, “died like a dog?” Calling them “losers” and “frightened puppies”?
So, what happened and why’s everyone talking about this?
Here’s a simplified version of what happened, and why this could benefit Trump so much.
ISIS, The Terrorist Group That Used to Terrorize
Most of us would know about ISIS: the group didn’t just operate in cells but held lands and became a country of its own, making money through oil and recruiting through social media.
An international coalition force, led by the US, attacked the group and took over their territories. By March this year, the terrorist group lost their last significant territory, though they’re still allegedly operating by smaller cells.
Their leader is Abū Bakr al-Baghdadi, a secretive Iraqi-born 47-year-old who self-proclaimed himself as a caliphate.
“Movie-Like” Operation
On Saturday night in the US (around yesterday morning in Singapore), Trump posted this Tweet:
Something very big has just happened!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 27, 2019
Soon after, there were already reports that it pertained to the death of al-Baghdadi as anonymous sources leaked the info out.
On Sunday morning in Washington, which is nighttime in Singapore, Trump made the announcement filled with superlatives, and unlike Obama who kept the sequence of operations rather secretive, Trump described the entire operation like a movie.
No, I’m not the one who used the word “movie”; Trump said it himself.
Now, if you feel like déjà vu, you’re not alone: in the last few years, reports of his death have been circulating since 2015. However, this was the first time that Trump officially announced the death, so it’s the real McCoy.
So, what happened?
Operation Kayla Mueller
Yes, for you guys who’ve been in the army, here’s a not-so-fun fact: we’re not the only one who use codenames for our operations.
Operation Kayla Mueller is the codename to capture and kill al-Baghdadi. The name is apt as Kayla Mueller was an American human rights activist and humanitarian aid worker who was allegedly captured, raped and killed by ISIS. In fact, there were allegations that she was forced into marriage to al-Baghdadi himself, who raped and tortured her repeatedly.
The intelligence officials had spent five months gathering intel on al-Baghdadi’s location.
On 26 October 2019, eight US helicopters flew into the compound that al-Baghdadi was in, and reportedly came under heavy fire. In order to reach the area, they’d have to seek permission from Russia and Turkey, as they’d have to go through their airspace.
By the way, this is different from Obama’s operation whereby they had to fly in secretly.
The special forces soldiers landed on the compound and forced their way in with explosives through the walls as they expected booby traps on the main doors. They spent about two hours to fight through hostile forces, and when they finally reached al-Baghdadi, he was cornered in a tunnel.
Instead of fighting, al-Baghdadi detonated a suicide vest, which also killed the three children with him.
Officials then did a DNA profiling to ensure that it is, indeed, al-Baghdadi.
Pretty dramatic, you’ve got to admit, and I’m sure only the current US president can describe the operation in such engaging way.
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There were no casualty from the US side, but nine people were allegedly killed.
What’s Next
The US forces also killed several high-ranking ISIS leaders and retrieved information about ISIS’ operations.
Lest you’re not aware, Trump has been on an impeachment inquiry: in layman’s term, he could be “fired” from being a president after he was accused of asking a foreign country (Ukraine) to help investigate a political opponent in return for favours. That, according to his political opponent, is an abuse of power and warrant an impeachment (“You’re fired!). Trump’s defence is that there’s no quid pro quo.
But this takes time and with this new development, no one’s going to know what’s next.
Though this is indeed goody news for Trump.
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