Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi Does Not Sleep with the Fishes by Larry C Johnson

What does a radical Islamic mother say to another radical Islamic mother? Children, they blow up so fast.

What a contrast with the raid that killed Bin Laden in May 2011. The Obama Administration came out with conflicting accounts and required the SEALS who carried out the attack to sign non-disclosure agreements. Why? Because the raid was conducted with the cooperation and knowledge of the Pakistani government; the SEALS faced no guard force; Bin Laden was a cripple unable to get out of bed and was shot so many times by the SEALs his body was dumped in the ocean.

Al Baghdadi? It is now clear he was protected by someone in Turkey. The Turks knew where he was and, until yesterday, kept him safe. Trump's actions over the last three weeks with respect to U.S. forces in Syria set the table for this operation. A combination of pressure and incentives confronted Turkey's President Erdogan and he rolled over.

It is telling that there was not a huge fire fight going in. Where was the Baghdadi security team? This is a further indicator that Baghdadi was betrayed by folks he thought were protecting him. Baghdadi fled his house and jumped into a tunnel.

Baghdadi is reported to have blown himself up. Looks like the mission was carried out by Delta Force. They are accompanied by Malanois dogs (looks a little like a German shepherd). Based on what Trump briefed today the dog followed Baghdadi down into the tunnel. The dog can run faster than any soldier in such an environment. Once Baghdadi was trapped he detonated his suicide vest. Fortunately, the dog was not killed (but probably suffered some frag wounds.)

(Someone needs to re-write the Peter and Gordon lyrics on "I Go to Pieces" in honor of Baghdadi's passing.)

 

Don't believe the media reports that the U.S. forces launched from Iraq. Just look at a map. Al Baghdadi was hiding out in Idlib province, which is in northwest Syria. Flight time in helicopters from Iraq is three hours plus. Flight time from the U.S. Air Force base in Incirlik, Turkey is about one hour. This came out of Turkey. That is why the U.S. coordinated/deconflicted the flight path with Russia. Flying from Turkey into northwest Syria takes one directly over territory controlled by the Russians and Syrians.

Trump's press conference was amazing. He did not divulge key operational details and did a good job of obfuscating the intel sources that provided the break on Al Baghdadi's location. 

One thing is certain--most of the anti-Trump crowd will look for some reason to criticize Trump's victory. The anti-Trumper crowd looks pretty stupid now. They were predicting the resurgence of ISIS. Whoops!! There goes that narrative. The new status quo in Syria means the end of the U.S. policy of regime change and the beginning of the rehabilitation of Syria as a legitimate nation state. This is really going to piss off the Deep State. All their plans initiated by Obama and Hillary are being destroyed by the red haired road runner known as Trump. 

Comments

[Horace]

But what about Trump's comments about keeping the oil, and protecting it with haevy fire power, and inviting in Exxon, etc. He did say a deal might be possible.

[turcopolier]

Horace

Watch what he does, not what he says. He thinks while talking. This is a bad habit since he does not speak English well. I am told that this is a characteristic of people from the Outer Boroughs of NY City.

[Factotum]

Sop for Tillerston: Take it, it is yours, if you can keep it?

[Lurker]

https://tass.com/defense/1085522
"Russian defense ministry says has no proof of Islamic State leader’s extermination
Russia’s defense ministry has no reliable information about an operation by US forces in the Turkey-controlled part of the Idlib de-escalation zone aimed at another extermination of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the ministry’s spokesman, Igor Konashenkov, said"

[Diana C]

I am so happy the dog and the others involved in hunting him down did not die. He did not deserve the twisted "honor" of being a suicide bomber.

It makes it more difficult for the left to try to figuratively "blow up" the Trump presidency.

I'm still angry that four men died, and Hillary lied.

[Artemesia]

I just finished reading Backlash, by Brad Thor. Thor is one of a legion of "NYTimes bestselling authors" that, I'm pretty sure, is on the State Department's ministry of propaganda payroll.

Thor is also one of the fiction writers featured in C Span's year-long spotlight on fiction writers, a departure from its years-long focus on non-fiction.

Others in Thor's company at C Span were David Baldacci and David Ignatius (and others whose names I've forgotten). What they have in common is that plots revolve around US good-guys delivering brutal "justice" to US-designated Bad Guys -- Iranians, Russians (as in Thor's latest), Arabs, anybody who messes with Israelis.

As I listened to Trump I tried to figure out which one of the State Department fiction-writers wrote his speech.
I was especially intrigued to watch him describe how "we had robots because el-Baghdadi had a very powerful suicide vest and we didn't want one of ours to get killed, but we didn't have to use the robot," followed by, "he ran into a tunnel that had no exit but we weren't sure of that-- there might have been a trap-door;" then, "he blew himself up and the whole tunnel caved in on him." I watched Trump as I listened: surely, just my imagination (honed from reading way too many of the State Dept. fiction-thrillers), but I thought I could see him refreshing his memory on how that part of the event had been scripted: How are we going to deal with the fact that we do not have a body?

Whether or not el Baghdadi was killed, recently, by a special ops team -- call me cynical.

I weep for my country that the way that its leader re-establishes his bona fides is by celebrating brutal murder, and many Americans will celebrate that murder right along with him.

HillaryObama did the same thing; so did G H W Bush with the "precision bombing" of Iraq that became a thing of pride; the capture of Saddam in his "spider hole;" Hillary's glee over the sodomized assassination of Qaddafi.

We have been inured to outrages to human beings, especially if they are "over there," and many who have become wealthy producers of popular culture have played a major role in conditioning the American people to celebrate blood and gore in the name of American Values.

Col. Lang -- Your post on Comments is at the back of my mind. I like to think I'm complying; that if I hated USA it would not bother me that we are conditioned to celebrate killing. It does bother me. I don't think the killing of el Baghdadi is something that enhances the moral stature of USA -- particularly when it is coupled, as it was in Trump's speech -- with the bold declaration that US intends to steal Syria's oil.

"Real Men Go To Tehran."
Real Man James Jeffrey has been hot to bankrupt Syria for at least a year, his scheme to make reconstruction of Syria impossible unless / until Syria ejects Iran & complies with the Borg's demands.

oorah.

[turcopolier]

Artemesia

"I'm pretty sure, is on the State Department's ministry of propaganda payroll." Where is that located in the Department of State? Tell me so that I can go after them.

[LULU]

Someone put it this way: “Don’t take him literally. DO take him seriously."

[Godfree Roberts]

The dogs are Malinois, probably from the French, malin/, mischievous. They are known for their hyperactivity and intelligence but requires so much attention that few owners can satisfy them

[Diana C]

As for me, I am not celebrating the death of this evil, twisted man. I am celebrating the idea that he can no longer lead young men he has brainwashed with his supposedly religious beliefs into killing our young men and women or other people in his part of the world.

I do mourn the fact that the death of this man seems to bother you--he made sure his children were with him when he died. Does it not cause you to think about that evil? Was he putting his children into a situation to be used as possible shields against his death. What would that do, or did that to their minds before they died?

We really don't have to think about that now because he dragged them with him to his death--and theirs. I prefer to believe that now a Just God will be judging his soul.

It's a very sad thing that in this "fallen" world, we have to find ways to deal with evil men. We can be excused for being relieved that a really evil man is no longer alive.

[John_Frank]

No idea whether this information is true or not, but:

Sources: the 8 helicopters that targeted “al-Baghdadi” took-off from “Sarin” airport, flew over the Syrian-Turkish border through Jarabulus and al-Rai to the operation area, and information about the participation of the counter-terrorism forces of SDF in the operation, and remains of the group’s leader transferred to Ain al-Assad in Iraq http://www.syriahr.com/en/?p=145505

[John_Frank]

As posted by .@EHSANI2 on twitter:

Baghdadi‘s Brother-in-law reportedly offered Iraq ‘s intel and later the U.S the information that led to the compound in Idlib

Interesting details in this interview (for those who speak Arabic)
https://youtu.be/PZI3K7mqSD8 via @YouTube

[Babak Makkinejad]

He was only evil to his enemies and opponents. He almost certainly considered himself a man of righteousness, fighting for Islam and defending it against its enemies.

That is why I maintain that we are in a multireligious war.

[Babak Makkinejad]

What I would like to know is how and why such insensible men, lacking discernment & judgement, can get to such high places in the American government. Is there no process of selection or are they selected for exactly such qualities?

[johnf]

Ooh - you should be working the comedy circuits!

[Lyttennburgh]

Query: from whence did the al-Baghdadi’s DNA sample came? Yes, he was in prison (as a detainee, not as a proper prisioner) in 2004. Correct me if I’m wrong, but back then they didn’t bother with collecting DNA samples – only fingerprints.

[Adrestia]

To end the cursive text.

[confusedponderer]

Harper,
re the Malanois dogs - they are belgian shepard dogs and look like German shepards

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malinois_dog

"Working dog
A Belgian Malinois working with US Naval Security

In Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and other European countries, as well as in the United States, Canada, Australia and the city of Hong Kong, the Malinois is bred primarily as a working dog for personal protection, detection, police work, search and rescue, and sport work like Schutzhund.[9] The United States Secret Service and Royal Australian Air Force[10] use the breed along with other working lines such as Dutch Shepherd, and also GSD.[11][12][13] In the United States Armed Forces, German shepherds lead the way, but close behind follows the Belgian Malinois.[14]

In India, the ITBP and National Security Guard (NSG) commando unit have inducted Malinois breed into its K-9 unit.[15]

Malinois dogs are used by the Oketz, the K-9 unit of the Israel Defense Forces. Malinois are a suitable size to be picked up by their handlers when required, while still being large enough to control human aggressors. Compared to previously used breeds (such as German Shepherds and Rottweilers), the shorter coats and fair and neutral colors of Malinois are better adapted to natural conditions and less prone to induce heatstroke.[citation needed]

United States Navy SEALs used a Belgian Malinois war dog named Cairo in Operation Neptune Spear, in which Osama bin Laden was killed.[16][17][18]

Belgian Malinois have also been called a "game changer" in the fight against rhino poaching in South Africa's Kruger National Park, where one dog, K9 Killer, has been responsible for more than 100 arrests.[19] "

[Christian J Chuba]

Time for a new narrative, let the SAR take Idlib

Rather than question the death of Baghdadi, I think the Russian Defense Minister would be better served to point out that this underscores the need for Syria to regain control of the Idlib province. Hasn't Pompeo and other Administration officials warned and threatened the R+6 multiple times to abandon their Idlib offensive?

MSM response pathetic as usual

CNN and the rest have resorted to questioning Trump's word ordering to find fault with him. They are upset that he mentioned the Russians before the Kurds and the Kurds before our special forces as if that mattered. He mentioned the Russians exactly once and only for the minor act of quietly giving us access to the airspace and our special forces at least a dozen times for the actual mission. These guys need therapy.

[Diana C]

I base my personal assessment of this man's evil nature on his treatment of his children in this situation. I remember that it was a practice when we were in Iraq--an engagement I was really not sure we needed to be in--on my memories of parents there getting financial bonuses for arming their children as suicide bombers.

There are religions and spiritual practices all across the world that accept behaviors and activities that are repugnant to me. But the parent-child relationship seems to me to be something that should be sacred everywhere in every religious system. Abraham's obedience to God was tested by his determination to do what he thought God wanted when he was going to sacrifice Isaac, but God accepted that willingness over the actual sacrifice of a child.

I am in awe of our military parents whose children go off to fight brutal wars which put them into grave danger for the sake of fighting for other people's hope that their children can live in peace.

[turcopolier]

Diana C

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi believed that he was taking his children to paradise with him. Your judgment on the validity of his belief in that is something I share, but it is irrelevant.

[Babak Makkinejad]

Is this idea of "sacred bond" supported by Christianity, as I do not recall seeing it?

Your last paragraph is mis-informed.

[helenk]

https://intelnews.org/2019/10/28/01-2656/

terrorist leaders replacement
I am not sure I have the right words for this article. I have an itchy feeling about it. are they downplaying the death of the terrorist saying that he was a hasbeen and not important anymore?
is it the truth or propaganda?

[Artemesia]

All things considered, I think it's naive not to comprehend a close relationship between US administration/Pentagon/State Department and publishers and writers of popular culture.

I've been studying this for >10 years; too much information for a 1.5" comment on another topic.
This interview of John Hench on his book, Books as Weapons, may serve as a starter for those interested
https://www.c-span.org/video/?293026-1/books-weapons&start=34

nb. One of Brad Thor's characters is a dwarf who keeps as pets/bodyguards two Ovcharkas - Caucasian sheep dogs.

[oldman22]

Juan Cole reflects on the rise of ISIL and the death of Baghdadi.
quote
But some journalists in prominent outlets reported silly things like that ISIL is “very, very Islamic.” Yes, and the Ku Klux Klan is “very, very Christian.” People reply that ISIL erected a state over some 5 million people. Well, the Ku Klux Klan ran Indiana.
Violent cults like ISIL grow out of social conditions. They tell you nothing about the character of the religion out of which they emerge. In East Africa, the Lord’s Resistance Army has terrorized Uganda and its neighbors, coming out of local interpretations of Christianity. In Japan, Om Shinrikyo put sarin gas in the Tokyo subway in 1995, sickening thousands (they were trying to commit mass murder). They are a Buddhist offshoot and were trying to provoke the advent of the next Buddha. Buddhists are often appalled to hear this, and protest that Om Shinrikyo is not Buddhism. Right. And ISIL is not Islam in exactly that sense
https://www.juancole.com/2019/10/militarism-provoked-baghdadi.html