–May ‘Have to Fight’ to Retain Control of Syria Oil Fields
By Denny Gulino
WASHINGTON (MaceNews) – President Donald Trump Sunday morning hailed the death “like a dog” of top ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and the success without U.S. casualties of a massive Delta Force operation that attacked his compound in Syria near Turkey’s border.
Trump, in a televised address and Q&A session said observing the two-hour operation while in the White House Situation Room Saturday night – as it happened – was like “watching a movie.”
“Last night was a great night for the United States and the world,” Trump said. Baghdadi “died like a dog, died like a coward,” his last moments spent in “utter fear, in total panic and dread.”
Using graphic imagery, Trump depicted “loser” Baghdadi as “whimpering, crying and screaming” and “dying like a dog,.” He suggested that his description of the bloody violence of the take-down was called for since Baghdati had killed so many in beheadings and torturous executions.
“He was an animal, and he was a gutless animal, Trump said.”
No U.S. troops were killed or injured in the Saturday operation which involved eight helicopters backed up by massive air power, Trump said. A sniffer dog that followed Baghdadi into a dead-end tunnel was injured and evacuated. Baghdadi detonated his suicide vest, killing himself and three of his six children while the tunnel collapsed, he said.
Several other people died during the operation, including two women wearing undetonated bomb vests, some were captured and are in custody and “highly sensitive” ISIS materials were recovered from the site, in a northwest border province of Syria. To solidify the identification. Trump said Baghdadi “body parts” were also recovered.
It will take much analysis to determine the extent to which the remnant ISIS organization has been damaged. It has been estimated that more than 15,000 ISIS fighters remain available to be activated, with many more in detention camps.
Baghdadi himself frequently changed travel plans from day to day, forcing at least two postponements of the operation. Whether he was in failing health, and had already provided for a succession in ISIS leadership is not yet known.
Several countries were notified that an unspecified operation would mean U.S. helicopters would be flying low over their territories, a flight that was within range of powerful anti-aircraft capabilities in Russia, Turkey and Syria and considered a very dangerous aspect. Only local incidental gunfire was encountered. Trump thanked Russia, Turkey and Iraq for what he said was cooperation and said the Kurds in the area also “played a role” that was non-military.
“We told the Russians we’re coming in, because we had to go over there,” Trump said. “They were curious but we said we’re coming, one way or the other. But they were very cooperative.” Trump added, “We did say it would be a mission they would like, too, because they hate ISIS as much as we do.”
The president said the attempt to kill or capture Baghdati was many months in preparation and the final go-ahead to send forces to his compound was made after intelligence confirmed he could definitely be located.
The president’s plans for Syria seem to still be evolving. Answering questions after his White House address, he revealed he would like to invite U.S. oil firms into the oil fields now held in Syria and that, “We may have to fight” to keep the oil secured. “That’s tremendous money involved,” he said. Trump also said the U.S. might strike a deal with whoever claims the oil fields in the future.
The size of the U.S. commitment in troops and military hardware to retain control of the Syrian oil and to keep it out of the hands of any reconstituted ISIS force has not yet been explained.
Trump has also sent additional troops to Saudi Arabia to protect its oil fields. He repeated Sunday that he is determined to never again police the Syria-Turkey border.
Trump signaled with a tweet at 9:23 p.m. ET Saturday night that “Something very big has just happened! Through the night reports from Turkey and Iraq was the Baghdadi’s compound had been attacked complete with some cellphone video of explosions.
His was tweet was referred to in a comic news sketch on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” program nearly three hours later.
Trump said he did not notify congressional leaders in advance of the U.S. operation fearing leaks that would endanger the troops. That included Rep. Adam Schiff, his adversary in his leadership of the impeachment inquiry under way, who heads the House Intelligence Committee.
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Contact this reporter at: denny@macenews