Through the rhetoric, cowardly, crying, whimpering, he used to describe Al Baghdadi's final moments attempting to flee US specialist military forces, Trump attempted to paint himself as the tough guy. The irony here is that cowardly, crying and whimpering, are exactly the traits Trump himself displayed when fleeing the US military enlistment office.
17
Extraordinary that in Stephanie Grisham, Trump has found a spokesperson as absurd, vicious and detached from reality as he is.
12
This is the first time I have feared for my country and this fragile democracy we enjoy, we most of the time. Lately we, or some of us, feel free to attack the free press, to attack a person's character rather than demonstrated beliefs and actions.
This president does not leave much to the imagination, if you want to know who is the greatest, he would make Ali blush with the amount of braggadocio he puts on show.
He reminds us daily there is a sucker born every minute, and he is the barker at the circus, ready to make sure you know this is the greatest show on earth.
Now he promotes lying, avoidance of legal subpoenas, in addition to his normal "alternate facts".
When he is voted out of office will he leave? Or will he have "His Generals" protect him with his own forces? My greatest fear, he is like a tick hard to get rid of, never know what they have left behind.
4
There's nothing ignorant about Donald Trump's view. ISIS holds no territory. ISIS generates no revenue from taxes or oil. ISIS has no organization. ISIS has no head of state.
ISIS did have all those things when Donald Trump took office. Now it doesn't. Sure, ISIS cells still exist, and they can and probably will continue to terrorize. But the Islamic State is no longer an Islamic state.
That's a big deal. And Donald Trump is right to celebrate that.
3
Of the factors cited by T Friedman as facilitating Isis, I think the most important was the massive firing of the bureaucracy of Sadam Hussein. Under Sadam, everyone was, had to be, a Baathist, and notwithstanding their affiliation to a brutal regime, they ran an efficient bureaucracy. Being replaced, and by a rival Muslim sect was adding insult to injury and leaving the door open for their regrouping as outlined by TF. After WWII the Americans acquiesced to the pleas of Konrad Adenauer to leave in place practically all of the government employees who had been affiliated to the Nazi party. No matter how morally repugnant their previous status, it was either that or chaos, or the risk of something similar to what happened in Iraq.
1
As the President crows "Whose your Baghdadi now?" to everyone and anyone in the range of his press conference, Putin and Erdogan are carving up Syria while Iran and the Saudis do likewise in the rest of the Middle East... all on Trump's watch - which in all likelihood will last for 4+ more years.
3
As usual, incisive and logical. Mr. Friedman's voice of clarity and reason is to Donald Trump's ignorant prattle as a clear, sweet mountain stream is to fetid sewer water.
Would there were something we could do to get its author to run for President. :)
1
After close to 14,000 lies. How can you believe anything this ... ? ... man says.
He speaks with a crooked tongue.
The nation, our nation, is on the line.
2
Trump is incapable of any strategic planning for the Middle East, or, for that matter, any other region in the world. He is ignorant, intellectually lazy, and clearly doesn’t give a damn about anything other than turning a profit, and scoring polling points. Mr Friedman’s points are all well taken, but expecting a thoughtful approach to any foreign policy issue from Trump is like waiting for an elephant to fly. Can’t happen, and won’t happen.
2
Mr. Trump’s gloating will surely tweak some other low-level administrator into action of some sort to “teach us a lesson”.
I much prefer silent, low-key, unrelenting hunt of the bin Laden and al Baghdadis of the world.
Better to speak softly and carry (and use when necessary) a big stick rather than boast of your prowess and be found to be a toadstool.
23
Sorry Friedman, but the men and women of the intelligence community are Not the same as those who took part in the FISA abuse and the Russian hoax. The difference between Brennan, Clapper, Baker, Comey, Strzok, McCabe, etc., and the analysts and operators who made this happen is like comparing the Car Salesman to the guy that built the car. There are those that are truly experts, and those that are administrative or political appointees navigating above the work of the bureaucracy, but not truly ingrained in it.
Comey was an administrator, not a field agent.
It's extremely easy to praise one part of the equation and not the other, especially when the other is going to be indicted.
2
I often wonder is it just me I am becoming wary of Trump now the latest that we will continue hearing about yes the world is happy, ecstatic to see Al Baghdadi's one of the most prolific vile entities to walk the earth gone, but the grandiose committed by this President is only fueling the many followers living across many of our democratic countries, including the US and Canada therefore clearly making us unsafe, while the Kurds kept them under guard at their "refugee prisons" these ideologists and in their minds righteous fighters had no access to the internet, upon their escape, this access to the now dark web has once again evolved. anyone thinking that ISIS can easily be defeated as Trump claims lives more in the world of "Reality TV" than factual, once again they will amass, they will cause havoc, even though at one time they managed to make monetary gains by the oil fields the reason the Pentagon has given today to justify the presence of the US military as opposed to them actually protecting the Kurds, ISIS will find another way of regaining their losses, one need fear this group of terrorist and be more vigilant as they will now want to become as relevant as they once were and even more powerful, for in their minds they do not fear death listening to General Milley today he wonders where Trump got the information regarding the actions of this entity as he escaped with his children Trump needs know that even this entity as inhumane and deserving of his fate was human
2
Trump does say it like it is. We are in the Middle East to protect our interests in oil. End of Story. Morality does not come into it. Not when Bush, Obama and now Trump were in charge.
1
Al-Baghdadi Is Dead; or is he?
With an embattled President who might be impeached and who will do anything necessary to undermine the probe that is ongoing, are we to take his announcement at face value? The timing is interesting. Al-Baghdadi was wearing a suicide vest and blew himself up so confirming DNA is difficult or impossible. "He reached the end of the tunnel, as our dogs chased him down. He ignited his vest, killing himself and the three children. His body was mutilated by the blast. The tunnel had caved in on it in addition," Trump said. "his body was mutilated by the blast" -- and he openly mocked the terror leader, saying he died "whimpering and crying and screaming all the way."
What exactly is the evidence from a President who views facts as fungible. All Americans would hope that the story is real but this President has turned me into a skeptic.
6
According to Max Boot, former warhawk right-winger shown the light by Trump's presidency: "...according to U.S. intelligence and military officers, the Sunday raid 'occurred largely in spite of, and not because of, Mr. Trump’s actions.'”
6
Two days, and Trumps AlBaghdadi-"victory" is already for nothing - the new leader is in place, even bigger and badder than the old.
How can anyone but Trump call that an "important victory"?
2
This is required reading for President Trump. But we can bet that he won’t read it. The man who keeps boasting that his primary consultant on any issue is himself will not take advice from anyone else. Especially when the advice is in the form of an expose of his ignorance. Mr. Trump is ignorant of the intricacies of the Middle East and of how ISIS came into being, got strengthened and how its venomous ideology will continue to spread even with its founder gone -- which Mr. Friedman has ably laid out in this piece.
Trump will be very uncomfortable reading Friedman’s reminder to him that the intelligence agencies he praised for helping him track down and kill al-Baghdadi are the same agencies whom he railed against when they told him “that Russia intervened in our last election in an effort to tip the vote to you and against Hillary Clinton (and are still intervening)”; “who complained that you, Mr. Trump, abused the power of your office to get Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden...”; whom “your White House press secretary, Stephanie Grisham, just smeared as ‘radical unelected bureaucrats waging war on the Constitution’’’; and so on.
And how did Trump ‘reward’ the men and men and women of the intelligence agencies “who have been heroic in protecting us from those who want to attack our constitutional democracy from abroad”? He ordered his attorney general to appoint an investigator to investigate them. The ever-obeisant attorney general did it last week.
2
Just like everything else he does, be almost broke his arm patting himself on the back, all the while stumbling through a clown circus of a speech.
7
friedman repeats all the usual talking points, like a good propagandist would. there is no conclusion re who the russians trolled for, or against, or that it was even one vs the other. there is no evidence that the "whistleblowers" are what they say they are, and not partisan actors. there is no evidence either way, actually, because the country is prevented from hearing their testimony.
imagine a liberal like friedman championing the closed door politics of schiff and swalwell. it's literally laughable. were the shoe on the other foot, he'd be bleating bloody murder. the definition of a partisan, and a propagandist.
1
The President is boasting that His terrorist was badder and bigger than Obama's. I got the really bad guy. Osama Bin Laden was just child's play.
Deranged Donald needs to stop his fixation/obsessive compulsion disorder regarding Obama. His whole Presidency has been a show intended to 'take down' Obama and his achievements.
Trump ruins what would be a genuine Presidential moment for himself with his playground taunts, even used in victory.
Unfortunately, this exhibits how deep his thinking on the matter goes. Does he understand that ISIS constantly morphs as situations change and they will be around for a long time? No, he does not. All he cares about is sticking to Barry.
That is not a foundation for good foreign policy.
5
Russia interfered in our last election and the Intelligence agencies confirm that but not to 'tip the election' to Mr. Trump. Their one and only goal was to sow discord in our system. They accomplish that again every time someone writes a sentence saying they did it to help the current President. They had NO Reason to believe Clinton would not win. They spent a few hundred thousand in facebook ads. Hillary spent 2 Billion and LOST. Russia continues to Sow Discord through these types of false charges. It is how and why many consider this paper to be Fake News.
1
The intelligence agencies disagree with you.
4
ask him who the Sunnis and Shiites are. I'll bet all my fortune Trump has no clue.
2
The quid pro quos just keep on coming.
It’s quite likely that Turkey served the big daddy up like a side of gravy in exchange for getting the green light to go after Kurdish territory from our feckless leader, DjT.
2
This opinion is well written and clear. There is however one inaccurate statement. That President Bush "installed" Nuri Al Malaki. Mr. Malaki was in fact democratically elected by the Iraqi people. So, yes, democracy is not perfect. Under President Obama, American forces were pulled out too soon. This gave ISIS time and free reign to become powerful and entrenched too soon. Had American forces stayed, ISIS may not have become the menace that it is.
2
Killing the leader of a cult is easier than killing the ideology which created him. The democratic West does not now nor have they ever understood the politics of tribal ideology which has dominated the Middle East for thousands of years. Trump's lack of understanding of the factions which dominate the region'a politics is understandable given his pea brain.
2
ISIS was emerging well before UBL killing. That killing by Obama had zero to do with the rise of ISIS. Normally respect Friedman but he doesn't have his facts right here.
ISIS emerged out of the embittered Sunnis in Iraq who lost power under W and Paul Bremer with the ill-fated Iraq invasion in 2003. ISIS was the replacement for Al Qaeda in Iraq. Bush through all the disaffected Sunnis and the Islamic Radicals into the same prison around 2006 so they could all go to school together on how to commit terror.
Come on, Tom. You can do better.
1
Maybe I missed it, but is this consistent with what you wrote after OBL was dealt with under the great Obama? We all know it’s not over, Trump knows it’s not over, but how about a little unbiased commentary. It would help your credibility which, frankly, is pretty low at the moment.
3
I'm sure that the Islamic State has a new leader as nasty and competent as the one we just killed. When is the US Government going to understand that the way to destroy these hate groups is to make them useless by ending our policy of supporting right wing dictators.
2
Mr. Friedman,
IMHO you should stick to what you knows best, the Middle East and not wonder around the rest of the world and technology. This Opinion is BRILLIANT!! There is plenty of work you’ve outlined here – what are the step-wise way’s to implement a more Modern and Changing Middle East?
As a St. Louis Park-ite. I invite you present some of your ideas on how to Modernize specific Middle East countries to University of Minnesota OLLI Lifetime Learning program as your schedule permits. My contacts are available to NY Times.
1
The Islamic State doesn't end with the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, anymore than the Catholic Chucrh would disappears when a pope dies. His followers are committed to his doctrine and will be even more fanatical now that he is dead (if in fact he is dead).
Yes, good job that the raid succeeded in taking him out, but we are left with hordes of his demented followers, ready to fill the void.
To understand trumps policies simply follow the money. It leads back to the Kremlin. I am convinced Putin pays trump a huge sum for every disastrous policy he follows. Start looking through the Swiss banking system the Panamanian system and any other system where anonymity is prized. There we will find Trump’s new Money.
1
Trump exhibits what I would call "situational praise." He likely sees no contradiction in praising the very same counterintelligence officers who has he much denigrated in the past. At the moment, they are simply a way to reflect his "stable genius," the same "genius" that Stephanie Grisham so laughably touts lately. Today, tomorrow or the next day, he will revert to kicking them "where the sun don't shine." It's just a matter of time and mood.
So Trump heard the terrorist "whimper and cry”? Interesting, that.
There is no audio of the targets transmitted on these types of operations. The only audio is the encrypted man to man radio conversations, which are monitored by central command.
Why does Trump need to despoil the acts of our brave soldiers by lying about what actually happened?
2
My guess from his comments is that he's projecting how he would behave as it is consistent with everything else we know about Trump.
1
Unbelievable debt and thanks we owe to the service members and the painstaking efforts of intelligence and allies in this raid that killed Bagdadi. The dangers endured in this raid are only magnified as we learn now the increased risks the troops and allies faced as the President impulsively ordered moving troops out of Syria all while this operation was in the works.
Understanding the complexity of this raid only exemplifies the incompetence of this President.
Trump does not appreciate nuances of Presidential speeches. Bombastic and sensationalized words directed to an already radicalized enemy. Talk of guarding oil fields and suggesting a deal for oil further inciting the fundamental anger, the very seeds that sprouted ISIS.
1
Actually, the next “Baghdadi” is probably a teenager being held in one of the crowded prisons in Northern Syria that the NYT reported on last week. As Mr Friedman points out, and Sarah Chayes explains in depth in “Thieves of State”, movements like ISIS and al Qaeda arise when opportunism meets corruption and dehumanizing treatment of one ethnic group by another. Until the ruling elites in the Middle East understand this, there will be no peace.
Yes, only Trump would brag...
C'mon, Tom, really?
We all remember Obama and Joe - "Al Queda is on the run," "GM is saved, bin Laden is dead." Remember the "JV Team"?? That was one of Barack Obama's greatest, and most consequential miscalculations. The downside for the Middle East, the US, and all those worthy of US protection, was off the scale. He also got the the PKK Kurds to change their name to mask who they were, what they meant to Turkey. I trust in some past column you decried Obama's "ignorance."
So Trump celebrates a victory against ISIS. But let's not read his mind. It's fatuous to suggest that Trump is ignorant of the situation in the Middle East. No doubt, though, he sees things differently than you do.
4
The problem with our short-term political interests is that those regularly lead to the catastrophic long-term crises creating the gigantic costs.
It means we should never elect the people incapable of comprehending the world behind the tip of their nose and ego...
1
What I fear most is our leaders will not learn the lessons of the past, nor the present. I will exempt our current leader since his ability to comprehend the potential for downstream
effects or potential blow-back from his policies is not even worth intelligent consideration and at this juncture we should have the same expectations as a four-year-old to grasp quantum mechanics.
I fear consideration for corporate returns will overshadow sane if not democratic foreign policy imperatives. I fear that religion will slide backwards to be used as a tool for power and not just in the middle east. I fear that the inequities in the middle east will help to create many more jihadist movements that are even more violent and are more technologically advanced. I fear that in a decade that my grandson will be conscripted into an ever-growing military to correct the problems we fail to address in the Middle East and what become the worlds dwindling natural resources.
It is my hope that we heed Mr. Freidman's warnings and expand on them to address a myriad of other problems and it is my hope that the fears and trepidation's, I have will never be realized. But history does tend to repeat itself.
3
Trump stars in his own plays. He needs a more reliable writer/historian.
2
Did President Trump really have to "pile it on" after announcing Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's death?
Trump could have simply and concisely announced that an operation conducted by US Army Special Forces targeted al-Baghdadi in Syria and he was killed being pursued by our troops. He detonated a suicide vest, blowing up himself and his 3 children An on-site DNA test on the remains confirmed that it was al-Baghdadi. None of our troops were killed or injured.
Short, simple to the point.
But no, we and the world got more. Trump announced that al-Baghdadi was "whimpering and crying and screaming all the way” as he was pursued. "He died like a dog. He died like a coward." His followers are "losers" and "frightened puppies." Etc., etc., etc.
Unfortunately, Trump's language might result in ISIS attracting new recruits and followers, who will seek to take revenge against US interests here at home and abroad.
Words matter. So does needlessly poking people in the eye.
7
@Eugene Gorrin
There was a report that one of our troops was injured
a canine member of the Army, presumably.
Maybe Trump should have considered all the dogs that have served our military well before saying that Baghdadi "died like a dog."
Our president obviously failed to consider the many votes of dog lovers in this country. Count me as one of them.
1
So, are we supposed to believe Trump’s account of this episode?
After all, it was our “deep state" Intelligence Community and our ex-friends the Kurds who made this happen.
3
Unfortunately, as long as the people of the Middle East insist on dividing themselves based on a succession dispute 1400 years ago, and then dividing themselves into ethnic groups and tribes within that, there will never be stability there. The region is a constant jockeying for power between groups and endless grudge matches over atrocities both recent and distant. In the U.S. right now, we are seeing how tenacious and pernicious tribalism and ethnic resentment can be. How much worse is it in a place where these attitudes go back 1000 years or more? Sure, look at "islands of decency" to see examples of how the sectarian and ethnic problems can be contained, though not eliminated. But don't hold your breath waiting for peace.
3
It was the colonial powers of France and the UK that divided the ME after the collapse of the ‘sick man ‘ the Ottoman Empire that has lead to the constant strife of the ME today.
The shame that the US president wants to "take" the oil from a country that has suffered so much.
2
What we saw on the news was Emperor Trump announcing his latest WIN! Trump promised there will be so many wins that we will be bored with it. Well, he is certainly keeping that promise. Any chance he gets to downplay President Obama's achievements and puff himself up, he grabs it! What a wimp he is! I hope the American diplomats and intelligence communities keep their eyes open and focus on what Mr. Friedman recommends about islands of decency. America needs to make friends and not take sides as Trump does with Saudi Arabia and against Iran! It is just wrong for the long term security and welfare of this country.
4
Good news Tom! Trump just announced that the dog wounded in the raid (Cairo?) has been adopted as the new White House pet.
NOOOOT!
What's really interesting here, both in Dr. Tom's mindless essay, and in most of the comments, is the focus is on Trump. Trump this, Trump that, all Trump, all bad all the time. Makes no difference what the actual events were that happened. The focus should be on the events.
So, I'd say to all the snarky, sanctimonious commenters here -- what you should focus on is -- is it a good thing that Al-Baghdadi is dead? Is it good that the ISIS caliphate has been destroyed? Was it a good thing we could get Russia, Turkey, Syria to cooperate? Was it good that no Americans were killed. Is it a good thing that we got all sorts of potential intel by getting their computers? Is it a good thing that we sent a message to extremists that eventually, we'll get you.
Trump never said this was the end of terrorism or that he'd brought peace to the middle east. He said he understands that terrorism will still occur -- after all, it's been part of the way middle east business is conducted. But why in the world are you anti Trump whiners whining about this?
4
You need to read a few history books on the ME
@Ralphie
Isn't it Trump who makes sure that "the focus is always on him?
2
@Sylvia Severi I have. And quite frankly, you don't know to be an expert on the middle east to comment on Tom's column.
It's quite possible that we underestimate Trump at least as a schemer. It's quite possible that Trump in secret negotiated help from the Russians and the Turks in apprehending Al Baghdadi, a useful symbolic victory for Trump's reelection as Bin Laden was for Obama. France 24 indicated that U.S. special forces was getting help from the Turks. The Times reports that his general whereabouts was known since August. The Quid Pro Quo was our abandoning the Kurd's, Turkey's enemy. It would be good to have evidence one way or another as this is speculation. In any event, there was no clear explanation as to why we exited from Syria when we did especially as we are now taking oil fields in Syria.
2
If it were not for Consul PAUL Bremmer’s total mishandling of the US invasion of Iraq we would not have had the dreaded formation of ISIS.. killing the evil Al Baghdadi does not mean their end .. a new leader is probably already in place. The American support of the Al Saudi family since oil was first discovered is the real crux of the ME disasterous situation. Bon Ladin’s war was as much with this family as it was with America for supporting them.
The New York Times's columnists are stuck in the "Trump bad" groove. This reader wonders: what's the point of coughing up the monthly subscription (self-renewing, of course), if the daily menu is one dish served over and over? Boring. Predictable.
Worse, the publisher"s and editor's politics are now infusing just bout every corner of the news report. Lots of stories that "report" what should have happened versus what used to be--days long gone--of dispassionate fact-reporting, with the readers, bless 'em, left to make up their own minds.
This is not the new "contextualized" Times.
5
@richard cheverton spot on. What cracks me up is that Time's readers (based on comments) think that Fox news is biased, but somehow the NY Times presents reasoned, objective reporting. Not even close. I'd say the Times is actually more biased than Fox, particularly when you factor in that the Times is riding its historic record of reasonable objectivity (long ago and far away) and they have a readership that still (foolishly) believes they are getting the straight story from the Times. So yes, long ago and far away, the Times may have engaged in dispassionate reporting. And Fox News touts it's right tilted views (mostly in what are clearly opinion shows). But the Times presents more outrageous reporting than Fox could ever provide -- because it proclaims itself as objective.
4
@richard cheverton
This is an opinion piece, not hard news.
6
@Bombadil Opinion pieces still need to follow known facts, not cherry pick, conjecture, or make things up. And the bias pervades across all sections of the paper.
1
How refreshing to hear some fact based conclusions How tragic that our president is so naive or narcisstically inclined
1
Who is crazier here?
Trump who takes credit for anything good happening in the world?
Or his critics that blame him personally for everything bad?!
2
Where do you enter in the picture here?
1
Only one group of people is crazier than Trump...
Those who hate him and think he is the source of their troubles...
The best compliment he could have ever received.
That is far more worshiping in comparison to what he receives from his supporters...
2
Trump is bad because he says out loud what conglomerates say in private. Good to know.
1
Everyone said Trump didn't understand ISIS when he said during his campaign that his plan for ISIS was to "bomb the __ out of them." Back then, ISIS territory looked like a decent sized country. ISIS used this controlled territory to plan and finance terrorist attacks, lay taxes on the locals, raid oil and traffic woman into sexual slavery.
Trump did exactly what he said he would do with ISIS (i.e., vastly scaled up the bombing campaign). About a year into Trump's first term, ISIS controlled hardly any territory, and now they control none. No one would have thought at the time Trump made his remarks that in a little over one year, ISIS would be beaten nearly into oblivion, and yet that is exactly what happened. I know Obama made some progress in taking back ISIS territory during his last two years in office, but the difference between the territory held in January 2017 and January 2018 (i.e., Trump's first year in office) is really stark. Sometimes a very simple approach is all you need to solve a difficult problem.
So now, folks want to say Trump doesn't "get it" and shouldn't get credit for taking out the number one terrorist in the world. That's ridiculous. Obama got all kinds of credit for taking out Bin Laden, and during the 2016 election Hillary was touting her mere presence in the situation room during said killing as a major selling point in her being prepared for the job of commander in chief (i.e., the job Trump has been doing for the last three years).
6
Great article. Keep up the wonderful work. I wouldn't be surprised if the great intelligence work received an assist from the Putin/Assad/Shiite triumvirate.
And, Oh that the United States was an island of decency.
Does a man who blows himself (and three children) up "whimper and cry"? I doubt it.
10
There is a time line problem here. ISIS was founded by the Jordanian Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, former leader of AL Qaeda in Iraq. The Americans killed him in 2006. Read Black Flag, The Rise of ISIS.
3
Didn't Thomas Friedman and the NYT cheer for the 1st and 2nd American Gulf War?
How did that work out for American interests and values ?
What the al Qaeda and ISIS is going on here?
Why can't the Saudis defend themselves and their royal fossil fuel autocractic theocratic Kingdom with all of the American arms that they buy?
Why can't Egypt and Israel give divine natural equal certain unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness to every person living under their dominion with the arms that America gives to both nations?
7
Trump is a reality show star. Trump is the best recruiter for ISIS. What he graphically described with gusto is revenge porn. That should keep the internet humming with revenge plots, and security people sleepless.
6
October 28, 2019
Trump and Baghdadi are twins of disgrace as to interpretations of acts on events with consensus and support from the educated leaders. Well at lease one is gone and the other not soon enough by the wisdom of America's political class. And indeed with guidance herewith by the NYT columnist.
3
Are we supposed to think Trump is as good as Obama because he got Baghdadi just like Obama got bin Laden? Not going to happen. Obama deserves medals while Trump deserves impeachment.
The unusually graphic depiction of Baghdadi's end was unnecessary.
But another thought occurred to me. If he blew himself up, how do you identify the body? DNA of this man might not be available, because he's had multiple names and a shadowy past. And he's been reported killed before. If he shows up in a post-death video, who is going to take the blame for the blunder? Mr. Trump? No.
1
@cjg
What would you give a medal to Obama for?
For helping the Saudis to militarily crash the democratic uprising in Bahrain? For helping general Sisi overturn the results of democratic elections in Egypt? For arming the Saudis in order to start invasion of Yemen? For arming the rebels in Syria and Libya, thus cresting the extremely fertile ground for the rise of ISIS and launching the worst refugee crisis?
5
Illegal extra-judicial murders on our part just put us in the same moral/ethical position as our victims.
There has been no declaration of war, no invitation by the sovereign government of Syria, and the U.S. has no legal or moral basis for military action in Syria.
Over the last half-century, the world has become accustomed to unilateral, illegal warfare on the part of the United States.
That doesn't make it right. If we want to take the higher moral ground we need to do a lot better.
Using American military assets to murder "suspects" in sovereign countries with no legal basis is just another form of terrorism.
8
Maybe now's the time to ask how all this started.
The US has been doing whatever it wants globally for oil, gas, minerals, fruit, slaves and everything else it decided it deserved, for centuries.
And not just in Muslim lands. A day spent skimming the CIA's fabulously chicanerous history would be a start.
Quick summary: Virtually every non-Western nation (and a few of them, too) has been the 'beneficiary' of American interests, in the form of coups, election meddling, disinfo campaigns, false flag wars, fake WMD accusations, unprovoked attacks, baseless enemy-creation and so much more -- with apparently no lessons learned by your populace, let alone inclusion in your school curricula.
No other nation is so willfully, gleefully, ignorant of its own history -- a point rendered more egregious by the fact that all this information is readily available to any American who wants it.
Ya'll blather on endlessly about having the greatest country on earth, the land of opportunity, the fount of freedom. Please. Dozens of countries have better and infinitely less tainted versions of all that -- and built it without drafting young men to kill and torture innocents, installing dictators, overthrowing legit governments, etc.
The 9/11 attacks could've been Lesson 1, a new millennium of education for Americans about their history and its effects -- including that radical Islam is a US innovation. But no one was interested.
To answer 'Why do they hate us?', just start reading.
9
Killing Al-Baghdadi was a single high profile event. Far more important is the quieter extermination campaign against ISIS by our allies and Special Forces after revising our former rules of engagement. Our forces should not be there to be policemen - we are there to systematically and relentlessly do bad things to bad people. The rare convert to sanity should be encouraged - the rest given an express ticket to their maker. My understanding is that within 24 hours another significant player was taken out based on information gained. Hopefully many more will join them soon. What gives us the right ? Because we can, and it is in our best interest to do so.
2
Yes , still American policy is shallow and doesn’t address the roots of problems . It’s better for Americans to have the source of problems in middle east not radicalized more people. sure it is a lot of brain banking has been concluded but still Americana politics in the same corners for decades.
1
The death of Bin Laden did not stop Islamic terrorism, but was one of the factors inspiring Al Baghdadi's rise. Islamic terrorism has been around for a millenium and no one should gloat or boast over one more step in confronting this scourge. President Obama announced the long awaited down fall of Osama Bin Laden but knew enough not to declare the end of terrorism which still must be fought with every method at our disposal. Trump along with so many other bad traits is guilty of magical thinking if he thinks by this single action he has changed the basic threat of terrorism. As professionals our military and CIA know this and act responsibly as they plan for further actions. And what does Trump do with a moment of glory? Act like the fool he has been since he began his political travesty.
266
@just Robert ; Actually he is guilty of no thinking at all.
31
@just Robert
“Trump along with so many other bad traits is guilty of magical thinking if he thinks by this single action he has changed the basic threat of terrorism. “
No, he SAYS that he thinks something or other; his saying that something is so provides us with NO actual evidence of whatever it is that he actually thinks (if he actually “thinks” anything at all.
2
@just Robert
Thank you for a rational and sane voice out of North Carolina. Talk to your neighbors!!
4
I am very much with Mr. Friedman and his call to champion the "wells of decency" in the Middle East. And as Mr. Friedman surely knows, our track record has not been good. From Mubarak to el-Sisi, from Saddam to Maliki, from Sharon to Netanyahu and from the Shah to Khomeini, we have consistently let short range self-interest prevail over 'decency'. When it comes to the Middle East, 'America First' has carried the day pretty much forever. And successful missions against Bin Laden and Al Baghdadi are window dressing on otherwise failed diplomacy.
Trump is the worst. But we have been putting America First and ignoring decency for a long, long time.
205
@michjas
"Trump is the worst."
Really? And you can say that after watching Tommy Franks outsource the war against al-Qaeda to a bunch of war lords who let bin-Laden escape to Pakistan? After watching Bush invade Iraq to destroy all those weapons of mass destruction? After watching the Marines gloating over the statue of Saddam Hussein? After watching Paul Bremer announce "We got him" and proceed to oversee the destruction of Iraqi society? After looking at the pictures from Abu Ghraib prison? After watching Obama destroy Libya, pull out of Iraq and invite the remnants of the Republican Guard (ISIS) back in not to mention "bright lining" Assad in Syria with no back up plan?
Tell me. What's Trump done that makes him "the worst"?
11
@michjas
Don't forget Mossadegh (UK/BP/Shah of Iran installed which enabled Khomeini). I'm not familiar with the earlier history, but a European friend who is better informed about military history says European/American decisions about borders and rulers go back before him to the early 20th century as well.
4
@Susan Anderson The breakup of the Ottoman Empire and the arbitrary *lines in the sand* drawn by the French and the English to establish zones of *influence* contributed to some of the mess we are experiencing now. The Kurds were left without a homeland. Sunni and Shi'ia were forced into the same countries, without regard for tribe or religion. America had no say in the matter.
9
Trump's life is one long lie. It started when he learned to talk and it continues to this moment, and will continue for the time he has left.
7
This is important reading for all of us, and honestly appreciated by at least some of us. Thomas has a depth of understanding of the Mideast that would benefit the present administration greatly, but when once again the you know what inevitably hits the fan, because the conditions that gave us ISIS have not changed, we already know what Trump will do. He will point his finger of blame with one hand while simultaneously patting himself on the back with the other.
Suddenly the same intelligence agents that Trump was accusing of treason for doing their duty investigating him and whistle-blowing, are now heroic. And his over the top description of Baghdadi's final moments, true or not, will certainly not help our security, and will not be believed by Baghdadi's devotees. As always, Trump is all about Trump.
232
Thank you, Mr. Friedman for your clear explanation of the tumult in the middle east.
@JD
Isn't it amazing how Trump never pays the least bit of attention to any objective facts?
He just babbles on with his mind set on
his explanation of the facts and, what's more, he doesn't feel any shame for lying because he believes he isn't lying.
Enter the know-nothing republicans demonstrating against a lawful inquiry and, as the water heats up hotter and hotter, one wonders what Trump is going to ask his republicans backers to do? Will they comply?
9
@JD I agree with you completely! In addition, my first thoughts when watching Trump's announcement this morning were that his bragging and going into sickening details were totally unnecessary and would only serve to ignite Isis' fury and provoke even more terroristic attacks! Why, oh why, can't the president let our wonderful forces' actions speak for themselves without his unnecessary embellishments?
14
And his words, Mr Trump, are of ZERO VALUE. So it doesn’t matter what he says one way or the other.
3
Trump is in love with an imaginary version of himself that is all-powerful and all-knowing. He as much as says it, publicly and repeatedly. He is sustained by that self-worshiping love, and to keep his superhero self-image alive, in his blurry conflation of reality with his powerful imagination, he has to ascribe to himself responsibility for acts of bravery that others have performed.
He cannot face the fact he dodged the draft, and avoided serving in Vietnam, numerous times, with a note from a podiatrist. He cannot face the fact he suffered six huge bankruptcies.
Today he found another news item his superhero inner self badly needed, for the kind of self-brainwashing it needs to stay alive. There will be many more such self-aggrandizements. They work. They got him elected, because of the many millions of citizens who love to bask in his self-glorification, and because of election interference by foreign powers who know a manipulable, self-absorbed patsy when they see one.
322
@James Murrow ... excellent comment.
11
@James Murrow
Surprise, surprise, this ISIS development is suddenly all about Trump's ego and not about the massive team effort to vanquish evil.
Will the universe never put the man in his place? Yes, probably sooner rather than later, as he will soon die, like the rest of us
8
@James Murrow - I agree with Rufus ... outstanding!
5
While we know how al-Baghdadi’s life ended, do we know how and why he ended up as a '#1 terrorist'?
He is described as shy and inconsequential by those who knew him early in life. Taken into custody by American troops in 2004 he was categorized as a low level administrator and released.
He had not been in Iraq's military. He had attended college for Islamic studies. He'd been a scholar in a small mosque. Nothing here indicates a future terrorist mastermind.
What changed the course of his life?
US treatment of detainees in the early stages of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan was on occasion 'problematic'. Did something occur to him that inspired such rage?
This article talks of reasons for joining ISIS - foreign volunteers looking for adventure, former Iraqi military and 'ordinary Sunnis' reacting to treatment from Shiites. 'Bad local governance' is blamed but how much of that is caused by US efforts at regime change in the region?
When war erupts, ordinary people take up arms to get revenge for treatment they or their family received, deaths or injuries. They fight to defend their family.
How many enemies have we created by our own actions?
Have we even tried to find out WHY people hate us?
Do we not want to hear the answer?
It is easier to believe "they hate us for our freedoms" than they hate us for invading their country and killing their family.
I suspect al-Baghdadi would have remained 'inconsequential' if the US had never invaded Iraq.
304
@cynicalskeptic
Your last sentence is probably the strongest. WE killed an estimated 4.5 million non military people....those are not our enemy. But to give substance to your answer to why they hate us, we also are the cause of 4.5 million displaced Iraqis who not only have good reason to hate us, spread the hatred to others in the region. When I watched Bush's Shock and Awe" assault on Baghdad, I saw the writing on the wall. We keep doing it. War does not produce heroes, it teaches revenge and keeps hatred alive for generations in the future.
22
@cynicalskeptic Thank you.
Perhaps Thomas might answer your valid questions.
I was stunned to witness Thomas "admit" in a Sydney talk at the Opera House he thought invading Iraq was the right decision.
There are always options but using violence as one is a primitive's mindset.
8
@cynicalskeptic - Interesting how early life contrasted to his later life.
3
In reality I doubt if 99% of the populace ever heard of Al-Baghdadi while probably 99% had heard of Bin Laden..........This is because the only news events we read and see are anti-Trump impeachment stuff............Gee, give the guy credit for something and stop with these ingenuous op-eds which are geared toward slander, disrespect, and incivility. If you feel this way, join Altifa and see the abject truth of life on the left.
1
trump will doubtless hear of Friedman's thoughts, despite his silly order that federal agencies and the WH can no longer subscribe to the NYT and WP. That's an act of a moron who would prefer to think himself brilliant than to read well-considered opinions that prove the opposite.
3
And Stephanie Grisham is also one of those, “radical unelected bureaucrats waging war on the Constitution.’
4
“Which leads us back to Trump’s foreign policy.”
Are you kidding?
Bush blew up Iraq. Hillary/Obama blew up Syria. This is what gave ISIS space in which to grow.
So now our new goal is to protect “islands of decency”??
We should carve up countries and then install troops to protect certain “decent” ethnic factions? If so, what is the limiting factor to enter and remain in nearly every developing country in the world?
If that’s our new foreign policy, then let’s have an open and vigorous public debate about it. And then Congress can voted to authorize it, hopefully with significant additional taxes to fund it.
6
The Abel and Cain story pretty much covers America under Trump. Substitute oil well for porrage.
This column is excellent for its simple truth. We have a President that simply doesn't get it or even wants to get it supported by a political party that somewhere along the line put party before country and thinks that that was the right choice.
There is also a portion of a major news network that feels that if they don't defend the President's idiocy they are somehow doing a disservice to his and their base.
Like it is more important to sell a bar of soap then even be remotely honest with their viewers.
2
Cheney pushed George W. Bush into finishing what his daddy started in Iraq, and it opened the Pandora’s Box of the Middle East. Afghanistan necessitated an invasion to end the terror camps bin Laden built there, but there was no end strategy in place, no plan to stabilize and withdraw, so we’re still there. Our leadership has never understood what forces drive the Arab world, so we continue to stumble blindly and create new enemies at each turn. The cowards death of the ISIS leader is welcome news, but the way we got there isn’t. Abandoned allies, notification of hostile foreign leaders before our own leadership, and the bragging, cluelessness of the delivery of the news was like drunken trash talkers deriding the losing team. Our intelligence forces scored a huge victory, but there was no sign of intelligence in the delivery and assessment of the event. It’s no wonder he was booed when he took a victory lap at the World Series, and we can be sure that will be spun into something completely contrary to reality.
2
Another testament to Trump's ignorance and lack of empathy.... he said no military personnel were injured, yet the military dog who cornered Al-Baghdadi did indeed sustain severe injuries. He is an American hero, surely loved by his handler and honored by his fellow soldiers, and he deserves more respect from our president.
2
Thank you for the list of moderate Islam supporters. Perhaps they can write a new menu. 2019 is almost over, but there is still time to encourage a centennial re-drawing of Middle East boundaries- by Middle Eastern nations this time.
Saudi Arabia, Iran. You two must sit down and talk. Stop backing your extremist groups. Stop killing your children, their futures, their dreams. And for heaven sakes, ban those all-encompassing black shrouds for women. Make new boundaries, make new agreements to live together. If Protestants and Catholics can do it after centuries of fighting, so can you. The world will thank you. More importantly, your children will thank you. For a future.
1
Trump told them (military) I don't just want anybody.....only Al-Baghdadi. Trump - and the US will take control of the oil fields..... Why? They do not belong to us. Trump - and I'm going to make a deal with one of our oil companies to get that oil. Why? It does not belong to us. Meanwhile, let the fighting in the Middle East continue, Trump doesn't care, we have the oil. Unbelievable!!
2
First, Trump sells out the Kurds, who did the heavy lifting in defeating the Islamic State in Syria. Then, claims that HE has defeated the Islamic State when al-Baghdadi is killed on his watch. Of course 'the story doesn't end there'. al-Baghdadi's death is fairly meaningless. All it means is that the next man up takes his role, same as it was with bin-Laden.
That said, of course Trump is 'ignorant'. What's he ever been good at ? Business ? He's been bankrupt what, six times ? He's a reality TV personality. A beauty pageant host. 'Ignorant' ? Almost half of the American voters voted for this clown, and most still support him. That 'ignorant' hat belongs not just on Trump, but on all of our heads.
2
One thing that has officially "ended" is the life of ISIS' spiritual leader. Another is its caliphate in Syria. Two significant accomplishments.
6
A bad person is dead. Great. Happy about it. But lord that was a creepy speech by Trump in announcing the death. Only this president could further defile the office he holds even when doing a net positive thing.
2
So Trump rubs salt into the wound of the worst terrorist group on earth right now. Hang onto you're britches folks. Those people have a lot of patience and don't mind dying for their cause whatever that is on any particular day.
4
'But this story is far from over'
You got that right.
This is a story that has been going on since there is written history in the Middle East.
It will not end today, it will not end tomorrow. It will not end until the people in the Middle East decide to play a different game other than killing each other for tribal reasons.
This is a prime example of a game you win by never playing in the first place.
We unfortunately did get to play. The only way out is to not play their game.
Pull back, protect our staunchest ally in the world, Israel, and run operations that directly affect the USA or our allies.
But country building, bringing 'Democracy' and American Values to the region will never work. It has not worked when Europeans tried, or when Buddhists, Greeks and more tried, so let's not be delusional and think that we can make it happen.
It will not. And since this carousel does not end, just step off. We will be better off if we do.
1
Trump needs to suppress his ego when it comes to attacking the intel agencies that work for him ,they helped make us safer eliminating Al Baghdadi putting a feather in your cap much need at this time. These same intel agencies concluded the Russians interfered in our 2016 election and due to the electoral process you are the elected president and the democrats need to accept that fact. However our country was founded on a system of checks and balances and congress whether under democrats or republicans have oversight duties of the executive no executive likes to have oversight especially of the opposite party . The economy seems to be doing well not the best ever in history Trump/Barr needs to suspend their quest to investigate conspiracy theories and get back to the complicated difficult job of governing.
1
Trump loves dictators because his authoritarian mind set has much more in common with them than with the namby-pamby leaders of liberal democracies. But the truth is that our foreign policy, driven by corporate America, has always preferred known-quantity dictatorships where corruption is rife to fledgling democracies aiming for economic justice. We'd much rather sell arms to Saudi Arabia than build schools in Lebanon and Jordan. How will the "islands of decency" be doing in five years if Trump gets re-elected?
2
You missed something else Mr Friedman.
Trump's impulsive tweet to remove our soldiers from norther Syria (I deduce it is because Erdogan threatened his Turkish property) forced this operation to be accelerated. Because of that we don't have a man we can put on trial or interrogate to find the real power and money behind Daesh hiding in plain site in Iraq.
Once again he is trying to paint an unmitigated failure as a success and is using the official tools of his office to hide the truth.
1
Bush and Obama both had planned strategies in the Middle East which in hindsight contributed to some things that went right and some things that went wrong. The common thread though was a priority to protect our country.
Trump is a cherry-picker who has had the luxury of focusing on those perceived negative outcomes - after the fact - while discrediting his predecessors. All this for his lousy political purposes.
In our own hindsight how could such a noble country as ours have allowed one man so much power to ride roughshod over all things held to normality and protocol. Had it always been this way - just no one as audacious as Trump to take advantage? I really assumed it couldn't have been allowed to happen and am shocked daily by what comes out of this man's mouth.
The very first thing we have to change is this notion that the President IS the law.
Tomorrow would be a good day to start.
1
I can't think of one (not one) story to come out of Washington that wasn't altered in some major way as time went by and the facts brought to light. What we think happened to al-Baghdadi didn't happen to al-Baghdadi and taking Trump's word for any of the facts shows you haven't been listening.
3
I didn't see Trump thank the Kurds who supplied much of the intelligence about el Baghdadi's whereabouts.
3
I wish this were required reading everywhere as it contains the truths that were not self- evident in Trump's statement about the killing of al-Baghdadi. Trump should not be allowed to ramble on as he did; obviously he simply cannot be restrained so blathered on about his importance in all things. The statements about al-Baghdadi's body parts and his last noises were unseemly as though Trump was gloating. Most unseemly. We have killed innocents in hospitals and schools, people at weddings. The area is complicated and Trump should learn about it and not utter the nonsense he does about blood and sand, rather emphasize the real heroes, those in the military who carried out the expert knowledge from those in the deep state, career specialists in the region for intel and all that is involved in the successful outcome of the operation.
1
Too bad Trump won't read excellent column this since he cancelled the White House subscription, although he wouldn't understand it anyway. The only thing that he would get out of it is the sentence "good for you for ordering it."
1
As I recall, Tom, Obama boasted that terrorism was on the run after bin Laden was killed. He then had to tidy up the Benghazi episode by calling it a spontaneous reaction to an anti-Muslim film.
And you've got the prescription for who we should operate in the middle east? Gee, who knew? All this time administration after administration has plodded along, things haven't gotten any better, and each admin in turn seems to make bad decisions, but the only ones you identify are Trump's.
As far as our intel groups go, I think Trump has a very good case that Brennan, Clapper and Comey (plus some of their minions) undermined Trump's candidacy and have tried to undermine his presidency. The document produced primarily by Clapper, Brennan and Comey was a political document ordered by Obama in order to help protect his legacy. The intel agencies produced no public evidence (and the press didn't cry proof, they were quite willing to take the intel community's word for it) that Russia intervened to help elect Trump. First off, we have no evidence that the Russian government ordered hacking of the DNC -- and how do we know the intent? If it was Russia, couldn't it have been anti-HRC motives and any candidate would be fine to support?
Only the Times would immediately put out anti-Trump eds after he nailed the head of ISIS. Come on. You look ridiculous.
3
The biggest mistake was removing Saddam from Iraq. He was the only one capable of keeping a lid on this volatile powder keg. Basher Al-Assad is the Saddam of Syria, the west should ponder long and hard before thinking of removing him. Venezuela and Cuba are other powder kegs waiting to explode. The West should get out of the regime change business.
3
Trump's mentioning of the oil plays directly into the hands of those overseas who see all of our commitments in the Middle East as an attempt to pillage, steal, and profit from other peoples' resources. No stupider a comment could have been made than that. It will make things that much harder for diplomats (I am a retired Foreign Service officer) to convey the principles that guide U.S. Foreign Policy.
2
We decided a while ago to mute our TV each time Trump yelled himself into the news, given his Orwellian propaganda machine and demands on our collective will a la 1984, that we must “try harder to be sane”. So I’m glad we didn’t bother to tune in for his news charade about Baghdadi’s death, preferring Friedman’s excellent post-charade analysis.
1
I was home yesterday morning and in lieu of typical Sunday morning news coverage, ended up watching Trump's ridiculous new conference. About 6 hours later I watched an NFL post-game interview of a game winning coach and the similarities struck me - only the coach was way more eloquent.
The take-down of Al-Baghdadi is good. Trump is still bad.
Thomas - you are among the most knowledgable experts in the region and it is clear from you comments that there are in fact two Jihads taking place simultaneously.
One is in the Middle-East between Sunni and Shite. That will be a bloody mess.
The other is between the Muslim world and pretty much everyone else. It seems to me that the best game plan here is defense.
The two questions that I have are....
What might happen if the Sunni's and Shite's actually find common ground? Will that usher in a period of peace or will it simply unite a terrible enemy?
Second, is there any value in constantly rebalancing the scales between Sunni's and Shite's such that there constant waring helps to protect the west?
And for the record, as I don't have these answers, this comment is not about tactics, Trump's decisions, world opinion, EU or NATO responses, Russia, Turkey or the Kurds.
4
I have family in NYC and I hate to say I only felt fear for them and others in NYC as I read the words your President used to describe the death of al-Baghdadi. Trump sounded so crass and sounded like he was baiting and goading the next generation of terrorists with talk of “He died like a dog. He died like a coward."
Was that necessary? I just feel like retaliation is all but assured with those words and it was just so he can boost his own low self esteem. What a pathetic excuse for a leader!
19
Thomas, you share the serious case of Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) that has infected the entire Opinion section staff and most of the news reporters. Trump could walk on water and you would claim that he couldn’t swim.
5
@lgh Mr. Friedman is one of the most knowledgeable people with regards to this region of the world and you dare to compare him to trump! Shame on you.
2
Where's Tom when it comes to pointing out the obvious?
Barack Obama is the birth father of ISIS and yet to this day refuses to acknowledge paternity.
Truth be told, it doesn't matter.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/03/25/world/map-isis-attacks-around-the-world.html
If you don't accept the fact Obama made a mission critical mistake by abandoning Iraq and the Kurds when he pulled us out of Iraq, you don't really have any moral high ground to wax poetic about how evil Trump is for extracting a thousand U.S. troops and letting our CIA and NSA and Special Forces take care of the nasty business that Congress doesn't seem to have the stomach for.
3
"Showing how ignorant he is" is irrelevant to Trump. Exaggerations, lies, and ignorance are part of Trump's schtick and he's not yet had to be accountable for it. Sunday he was just playing to his base, and his base doesn't understand or care about effective long term strategy -- they just care that a bad guy is dead and Trump did the job. Yay America!!
2
Read Gary Gasporov's tweet--Baghdadi was Putin and Erdogan's gift to Trump for pulling out of Syria.
7
@Richard Horan
Well worth it. Our soldiers get out from underneath another military boondoggle, and the world is safer thanks to Baghdadi's death.
The head of this Cult said that he could shoot someone dead, on Fifth Avenue, & not lose a vote. And no one stopped him.
Isn't he the same as Al-Baghdadi?
4
"Trump’s effort to play down the significance of President Obama’s killing of bin Laden — while playing up his killing of al-Baghdadi as the key to creating the peace to end all peace — only shows how ignorant he is about the region."
While the president is working out his psychological grudge match with Obama he is leading us into a crevasse of darkness. Everything he does is in this tone...the biggest, the best, the most ignorant and the most vulgar. He cares about nothing but bragging rights, money and power.
He is a menace to our allies and to this country .
4
Ah, the desktop expert, who knows more than Trump about the Middle East and Isis. The same who loved Obama, who gave us ISIS. Obama also told the world that we would have to learn to live with ISIS, as it would take many years to defeat them. Trump did it in less than 2 years.
Face it. Liberals hate winners.
5
Of course hacks like Friedman decry Trump’s “win” over a brutal person who led ISIS.
Anti-Trumpers gotta Anti-Trump 24/7, with no days off. Except their consistency on prior positions are brought forward from past writings. Whoops.
4
To think, to think that a man of such intellect got booed at the ball game last night. Oh my!
3
Should have stopped after the first two paragraphs.
We know that Trump is challenged [that's an understatement] - but using this as an opportunity to continue to bash Trump only feeds into the narrative that got us to this place (Trump as President). And in case you need any reminding - Friedman SUPPORTED the WMD invasion of Iraq. Friedman - all you do is undermine credible efforts to address Trump's failures when you write an article like this. You are not credible in this arena. Anyway - just kind of sad that you have to write this and continue to undermine the media's ability to actually report on (and comment on) the news.
2
Excellent column, but now that Trump has cancelled the WH’s subscription to the NYT neither he nor his aides will read it. And because his press secretary is busier putting her head up his rear end instead of actually compiling information he may benefit from he will continue to be as ignorant as the column bemoans.
Oh, and because Fox & Friends will simply continue to fan Trump’s ego and Hannity, Pirro, Tucker and Ingraham will simply echo Trump’s “mission accomplished, we destroyed ISIS for good” blabbering the 40% of Americans still supporting Trump will go to bed thinking the world is safe and rose-smelling again.
1
Excellent column!
3
Ignorance breeds arrogance, Trump's case. What is galling is that the boasting ignorance displayed by this vulgar bully in-chief is entirely by choice, hence, malevolous. His boasting about killing Al Baghdadi is particularly offensive, given that the military forces' incursion in enemy's territory was successful in spite of Trump, not because of him. We would fail to do justice by not mentioning that this was done with essential Kurdish information...in spite of Trump's cowardly treasonous abandonment of these courageous Allies, that were instrumental in destroying ISIS' caliphate. Incidentally, did Trump have to rub it in, by saying that Al Baghdadi was a wheeping coward...while committing suicide?
1
Is that also the same intelligence that prompted President Obama to refer to ISIS (or ISIL) as the JV TEAM?
2
It’s very hard to take mr. Friedman seriously any more.
He knows a lot of facts about the Middle East, but continues to demonstrate an impervious lack of understanding about the main issues.
It is a perfect example of our arrogance that an American Jew portends to have all the answers on this extremely complex region.
He was wrong about the Iraq war. He was wrong about the Arab spring. He is wrong about Egypt and Sisi today.
Of course trump’s policies in the Mid East have been an unmitigated disaster, but mr. Friedman scolding him like an incorrigible child is rank hypocrisy.
4
My fantasy is someone places a copy of this editorial and its comments where Trump can find it.
2
I read that Trump canceled his subscription to the NY Times in a snit- and the Washington Post as well. So there's no chance that he will read (as if) this solid analysis by Mr Friedman. Too bad!
2
This column has reminded me that we’re all used to the dumbed down America of Trump. We’re subjected to endless loops of stupid Trump talk and rallies and talking heads explaining why he’s ignorant, corrupt or making America great again (Fox).
This thoughtful response by TF to the idiocy of DT’s announcement is thoughtful, insightful and balanced. Thanks for reminding me what discourse was like before the short fingered vulgarian dominated the Press and Media.
2
Tough to absorb any of Friedman's analysis since no journalist so completely misread Iraq in their advocacy for its invasion " war of choice".
4
Well done, Mr. President. You have my vote in 2020!
Kudos to every single person involved in this operation as well.
3
Here's the preview for upcoming attraction!!!
Newsflash!
He apparently said he will release the video of the raid...
"Watching the Raid Was Like a Movie, the President Said"
"Except There Was No Live Audio."
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/27/world/middleeast/trump-baghdadi-video-raid.html
No words for this atrocity...
2
The French, in a more clement time, wanted to humiliate the Islamist resistance in Algeria and claim that Algeria was French, taking its riches and controlling its people. One hundred and thirty years later, weakened by its collaboration with the Nazis, it capitulated after a bloody 8-year civil war during which it lost whatever remained of its moral authority and clout. That laid the groundwork for its almost completer loss of empire and influence in all of its Africa colonies. It is now a mid-size country, pretty but toothless and decaying.
It didn't matter that Emir Abdulkader was a fundamentalist or a "moderate;" his epic resistance movement, terrorizing French soldiers in the Algerian hinterland for over a dozen years, fired up the succeeding generations of fighters for a long and bloody century.
America attacked and destroyed Iraq, Syria and Yemen in a grotesque act of hubris not unlike the French attempt to attack and destroy Algeria. Disunited and weakened by the corruption of its civic, educational and government institutions, it will eventually face similar humiliation and capitulation when the Arab and Muslim peoples finally overcome the last of the 20th century beni oui-oui (yes-men) across the Middle East that America spent a good part of a century arming and supporting, from Morrocco to the Persian, and through Egypt, Jordan and Arabia.
Whether it's an ISIS clone or something else that will lead the fight, we shall see.
1
Have we not seen all we need to see of his ignorance? Enough already!
"President Trump boasts of defeating the Islamic State. He’s only showing how ignorant he is."
He's only showing the broadly informed how ignorant he is. The rest of the folks, made up to a great degree by Trump's base, aren't getting this message - they have no clue.
1
In my humble opinion this death will inspire, encourage and enrage many of terrorist to take revenge on Trump in any way they can. His rant and name calling was absurd and will cause more trouble and revenge!
"This is disgusting talk, and again, a prescription for trouble in the future. If America has any role in the Middle East today, it is not to protect the oil wells, but to protect and enhance what I call the “islands of decency.”
Expecting "decency" from the most indecent ignorant sick grifter that ever stalked this country is like asking his supporters to become full fledged human beings.
1
As expected, Trump sticks his narcissistic foot in his big mouth. Describing the details of how the leader of ISIS died and then call him a dog---this kind of language and ridicule does not go down well for the dispossessed in the region.
'The world is certainly a better place with Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi dead and a measure of justice meted out on behalf of all the women ISIS raped, all the journalists ISIS beheaded and the tens of thousands of Syrians and Iraqis it abused. Good for President Trump for ordering it, for the intelligence agents who set it up, for the allies who aided in it and for the Special Forces who executed it.'
Dear Thomas L. Friedman - Well said, 'but' why wasn't this enough for you ? Why didn't you just said a job well done - thank you Mr President - let's celebrate the good news, giving him credit and leaving it at that ? Why launch into an immediate BUT ??
3
Making religious leaders into martyrs that die for their cause can backfire. Be careful what you wish for, Christians.
2
All the skills displayed by DJT in the Apprentice, and through multiple bankruptcies were present in his speech about Bagdadi’s demise...
... arrogance, ignorance, gloating, distortion, and garbled reasoning.
1
Sometimes you wonder how to explain the problems to the world. You use the sound logic and the facts but the professional columnists just can’t get it. For a couple of decades they stubbornly keep writing the useless columns but learn nothing. Those incapable of learning shouldn’t be in teacher’s position.
Russia didn’t intervene in the US elections! They might have created hundreds of fake Facebook or Tweeter accounts and launched many incorrect stories, but that’s not intervention in our elections.
The prerequisite for it would be that we swallowed those phony stories. Did you learn of any US citizen publicly admitting that he or she fell for the Russian tricks?
If nobody fell as a victim of cheating, then there was no foreign meddling in our elections.
If it were easy to accomplish such a goal, Hillary Clinton would be the US president thanks to several billion dollars spent by her campaign on influencing the public opinion and the unison support of all the mainstream media 24/7 for a full year.
If all those efforst failed to change the minds of fellow Americans, how could have Putin done it?
"ISIS emerged in 2014 ...".
Ummm, no. Per Wikipedia, "ISIL [a.k.a. ISIS] originated as Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad in 1999, which pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda and participated in the Iraqi insurgency following the 2003 invasion of Iraq by Western forces at the behest of the United States. "
In other words, ISIS got started as part of the local response to our criminal, largely unprovoked invasion of a sovereign country, an invasion that you supported at the time. Readers of your columns --- not to mention hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqis --- are still waiting for an apology.
Sure he killed one bad guy but 100 or more disappeared into the desert when they escaped from prison. I certainly feel safer, don't you?
With insight like Trump's on Middle Eastern affairs, Richard the Lionheart could've used his help at the time of the Crusades!
Bravo Mr. Friedman! What an excellent "Opinion" piece. I congratulate you sir, on your understanding of the Middle East and your perfect portayal of the man who occupies the WH (I refuse to refer to him as "President").
A small digression. If Obama Barack received the Nobel Peace Prize, then Egyptian General El-Sisi should recieve it too. For God's sake, as close allies they together killed several thousands protesters on the Cairo streets trying to defend their democratically elected government...
Then by the writer's logic, Trump and Obama should be clinking champagne glasses together, as they saved the world from OBL and now the Isis leader and, as all the great presidential warriors--Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush II--they bring salvation, safety and security to America.
Thank you Mr. Friedman and NYT for a column that paints the bigger picture.
Thank you, Mr. Friedman, for the breakdown of ISIS. Very informative.
I didn't hear a single word in this column about how women must be empowered to become leaders in the middle East (but given this is a male journalist, it's not surprising). Until we realize that male-dominated governments and theocracies can never provide what their citizens need, we will continuously do what the writer does here -- just mete out the details and strategies of the next militant and military moves and plays. Bush's insistence on entering Iraq created this ISIS monster, and there were plenty of intelligent foreign analysts who warned that Shite versus Sunni frictions would be unleashed, before the war. (By the way, when do we get an explicit apology from President Bush? Or is it too "womanly" to show contrition?) But then Bush's policies were similarly just a reflection of his party's repudiation of women's interests. Let's start seeing the forest for the trees, fellas.
I'm tired of this nonsense. bring em home.
1
Trump said that al-Baghdadi “died like a dog”. If you feel worried
it’s worth noting that dogs very rarely wear a suicide belt.
1
I didn't hear that at all Mr. Friedman? Even President Trump knows these Islamic terrorists are multi-headed snakes. People in glass houses...
As informed commentator Juan Cole points out, Abu Bakr was hardly an "Islamic ideologue." A more astute commentary here: https://www.juancole.com/2019/10/militarism-provoked-baghdadi.html
1
The parents of Kayla Mueller, after whom Trump named the operation, just declared that if Obama had shown the decisiveness of Trump, their daughter would be alive now.
1
@otroad grieving parents lash out for blood. Yeah, I'm certain their opinion is based on an objective analysis of the situation.
Trump's disgusting, disgraceful, and self aggrandizing description of the killing of the Isis leader and his children may please some number of his supporters and others, but it is also powerful recruitment to further jihad.And he may have marked himself like Cain or Salman Rushdie , all for naught.
...this does bring to mind the mythical hydra...cut off one head and two grow back...
Trump just recruited 1000 more Bagdadi’s.
1
A very sincere thank you to our military for risking their lives to stop truly evil people like al-baghdadi.
1
Mr Friedman,
Are we not allowed to have a victory dance without you throwing a wet blanket on it ?
A Trump supporter
2
Just say “stupid”. Ignorant means you tried, somewhat.
1
ISIS is a Hydra, cut one head off many more remain.
1
“Stop congratulating Obama for killing Bin Laden. The Navy Seals killed Bin Laden...All he did is say O.K.” (October 23, 2012-Donald Trump)
3
The greatest threat to our Democracy is internal. It's the GOP, Trump, white supremacists and the NRA.
2
Wow you can't give him credit for anything can you?
2
Trump's braying about the way that al-Baghdadi died was a hideous display of how stupid and unfit Trump is. Every word he spoke, every slur, every ugly image he invoked will be part of ISIS propaganda going forward and at some point we'll see videos of the murders of people, possibly some of our own military members should they fall into the hands of ISIS being tortured and dismembered as revenge for the words of the braying fool in the White House. Of course putting others in danger won't bother Trump because he could care less about the people who will die as the result of his ignorant words. He is beyond repulsive.
4
“But perfect is not on the menu in the Middle East right now.”
Why not?
If you don’t dare to dream and fly, sir, you shouldn’t be a columnist but a banker, a clerk or a politician…
1
Bankers dream plenty, Sir!
1
This is one time that I agree with Trump’s gloating. We want any Isis followers or would be followers to feel humiliated. Cowardly and whimpering leaders are hardly the stuff of heroes to die for.
1
I have been told that al Baghdadi is dead by Mr Trump. I believe that everyone else believes this is so from the same source. Therefore, I do not KNOW that al-Baghdadi is dead.
1
How does Friedman write a column about ISIS and the Middle East and not mention Saudi Arabia and Wahhabism? The main ideological foundation (but not the only ideological foundation) for both ISIS and Al Qaeda is Saudi Wahhabism.
2
Thanks for the clearly presented analysis Mr Friedman !
1
The biggest supporter of the Iraqi wars in the Times roster of pundits, you should also know that ISIS (which doesn’t even call itself that) is a direct outcome of those idiotic wars. Saddam created a powerful army that he maintained and kept happy using oil wealth for years. Including those when he was our ally against the fanatics in Iran. As an expert in the region you of course know all this. When we didn’t need him anymore after he crossed us by invading our satellite Kuwait, we went after him big time. Bush Jr was conned by Cheney and his buddies to get rid of him. We did. But his army remained. What do you do with such a huge army, armed to the teeth (but us and some European allies — the pictures of Saddam with the recently “late” President Chirac make good copy)? Well, they formed the backbone of Daesh (or as we like to call them ISIS like the Egyptian goddess of death (among other things).
Just wanted to add to your story. The parts you conveniently left out.
The comment won’t make it to print with a high probability.
3
It did after a whole day!
1
Excellent column mr Friedman- too bad no one will read it to the stable genius - probably too many words to keep his attention
2
Democrats and Liberals message to Trump:
‘You got the bad guy, we still hate you’.
Our enemies abroad:
‘Democrats and Liberals understand us, we both hate the same dude’
Now who is playing for what team?
The #DeepState & the Kurds were responsible for finding Baghdadi. Donald Trump was responsible for betraying the Kurds & befriending the dictators who create more monsters like Baghdadi.
What our illegitmate president lacks in common sense he more than makes up for in self esteem.
Is he Trying to wreck this country?
Or just pretending to?
1
Al-baghdadi was apparently vicious and violent but only a bit more than Trump, who has incited violence against journalists,protestors and by white supremacists.
This column exhibits a heavy dose of influence by the President's "what about-ism." It goes out of its way to festoon one clear objective - to employ the term, "disgusting" - with tangential "an' annutherthings" to fill out the space. Much Trumpery.
From the perspective of the extremists, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is a martyr and hero of the Islamic State, because he killed himself. Always, the suicide of an extremist leader has two readings.
1
Nonsense.
Friedman supported the invasion of Kuwait during the 1st Gulf war and the invasion and occupation of Iraq in the second.
Freidman's most favorite foreign nation is Zionist Jewish Israel. And his second is any nation that serves Israeli interests no matter how brutal and tyrannical. From the military dictators in Cairo Egypt to the royal rulers in Riyadh , Saudi Arabia to the military-industrial complex in the District of Columbia.
The 1st folly to eject Saddam Hussein from Kuwait led to stationing American troops inside of Saudi Arabia to defend the kingdom's autocratic royal fossil theocracy that drove Osama bin Laden to found al Qaeda.
While the myth of Iraqi WMD's and an Iraqi connection to 9/11/01 that led to the mission to topple Saddam Hussein motivated Abu Musab al-Zarqawi to found and foment the ideology of ISIS.
Thus both al Qaeda and ISIS are 'gifts' from the President's Bush. Ethnic sectarian supremacist terrorist cleansing organizations thrive and defy any 'leader' death.
Neither al Qaeda nor ISIS are existential threats to America. Magnifying both of them diminishes America. They should be treated as akin to pest control or inoculation vaccine against disease. Or more law enforcement than war.
Strict reading of the Quran and any understanding of the nature of Islam and the duties of Muslims marks both al Qaeda and ISIS as blasphemous sacrilege apostates by nature. Killing innocents along with terrorism and suicide bombings is sinful.
3
Speculation:
Erdogan! How about we carve up Syria? I want the oil. Oh, not until the Kurds are destroyed? Ok, no problem. But we'd need something more from you. Oh, you know where Baghdadi is? We'll agree to preserve Russian mediterranean access. Putin will reward us both. Deal.
1
Yes, Tom, we know you’d prefer a U.S. President who authorized a video of himself watching a terrorist killing; acceded to every Iranian demand including abandoning Iraq. Praise be those days are over.
1
I bet he turns up alive.
Ben Laden killed, Al-Baghdadi destroyed, the Jihadist revenge will take on an new and ominous turn, especially in Europe and of course the Americans, wherever they are found in the world...revenge is the sui generis of the jihadists...it is in their blood!
Nobody likes to be a party pooper but somebody has to do it if we want to speak the truth.
Please let me say once again something I told to Mr Friedman 17 years ago.
Nobody is fighting either the Al Qaeda or the ISIS.
We are just bombing them instead of confronting them.
I explain the best way hot to dismantle the terrorist ideology to the NYT dozens of time but this publication either can't comprehend the essence or refuses to share it with the readers.
To stop the terrorism the prerequisite is to separate the faith from the human-created culture, habits, dogmas, arhitecture, profession, language, clothing or nationality...
1
Maybe you should take a walk and get some fresh air. You have a gazillion comments in and they are not making much sense.
@Blunt
Ask Freedman what I told him 17 years ago. Verify it makes more sense today. BTW, his initial reaction was identical to yours...
Our idiotic invasion of Iraq ultimately created Daesh and its fanatical leaders such as al-Baghdadi. His time spent in US prisons (torture centers) helped shape his sick and evil mind. Many stupid Americans thought our invasion of Iraq was successful when Saddam Hussein was found and imprisoned. Once again, the neutralization of a leader will NOT stop a movement. There will be some other horrible person to take al-Baghdadi's place and Trump's betrayal of the Kurds is a vastly more significant event.
2
Fake news. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was a fake. ISIS and/or U.S. propaganda. No one on the ground in the Middle-East believe he is dead or that he ever really existed.
By boasting about this execution, Mr. Trump has spit upon and jammed his thumb into the eyes of ISIS. One wonders how they will respond to this supreme insult. Only a fool who cannot keep his mouth shut would commit such a mistake.
3
Trump is so profoundly uninformed on worldly affairs that don't affect his bank account that he probably believes terrorist organizations consist of a finite number of disgruntled individuals and to kill one is to reduce their membership. He's positively clueless that his actions abroad, predicated on his own ignorance of cause-and-effect, breeds terrorists, infusing them with willing disciples for generations to come. Trump completes the narrative of all that is so vile about America to many folks in that region of the world that have been on the receiving end of Americanism over the decades.
2
It's too bad Mr. Friedman's excellent column will never reach Trump, because Trump doesn't read anything, and the people who read to him select only praise.
His aides need to repeat his name frequently so his short attention span won't drift away.
The mad king. We've got another one now. We'll need a second American Revolution to get rid of him.
And so it is that Trump remains largely fact-free and friendly with dictators around the world, while trashing his own institutions and intelligence services here in the United States.
Every time Trump shouts "fake news" he's also shouting "fake president".
Only a carnival barker faking to be president could have extended the formal announcement of al Baghdadi's killing into a fifty-minute preening session subjecting ISIS to school yard insults.
ISIS lives for hatred and Trump's performance-art number only fed that hatred. It takes a fake president to put personal bragging before country.
It's a daily disaster to let the immense power of the United States remain in the hands of such arrogant ineptitude.
The arrows of wisdom will keep hitting the rock of stupid, without even making a dent.
Ignorance ignores that it ignores.
oz.
6
“And that brings me back to Syria. Syrian Sunnis supported ISIS for the same reason Iraqi Sunnis did. Iran, the pro-Iranian Hezbollah militia, the Shiite-Alawite Syrian regime of Bashar Assad and Russia have all collaborated to create a pro-Iranian Shiite minority government in Damascus. Of course they gave Trump a free pass to kill Baghdadi! His death just makes it that much easier for them to rule Syria without sharing power with the Sunnis. As long as that’s the case, there will be no stability there.”
I actually have the solution exactly for that problem, but unfortunately nobody in the world needs it…
The place that needs the most attention to re-gain its reputation of an "island of decency" is the United States of America.
As long as a fake president resides in the WH, we will have only shame and sadness.
1
Is someone going to explain to the president what “impugn” means?
1
Mr. Friedman, Ok point taken. But from where we are right now today this commentary is way too over the top high brow. Our country is currently down in the nasty and scary nitty gritty. We cannot afford such long in the tooth analyses. The time has come for commentary that is plain and to the point so that lots of people can get it. The time has come to win over the populace, not for commentary that speaks to intellectuals. Aside from that, yeah Trump does show his ignorance, once again. He’s dumber than a door nail.
2
It's too bad Mr. Friedman's excellent column will never reach Trump, because Trump doesn't read anything, and the people who read to him select only praise.
His aides need repeat his name frequently to prevent his short attention span from drifting away.
The idiot king. We've got one now. We'll need a second American Revolution to get rid of him.
And so it is that Trump remains largely fact-free and friendly with dictators around the world, while trashing his own institutions and intelligence services here in the United States.
Every time Trump shouts "fake news" he's also shouting "fake president".
Only a carnival barker faking to be president could have extended the formal announcement of al Baghdadi's killing into a fifty-minute preening session subjecting ISIS to school yard insults.
ISIS lives for hatred and Trump's performance-art number only fed that hatred. It takes a fake president to put personal bragging before country.
It's a daily disaster to let the immense power of the United States remain in the hands of such arrogant ineptitude.
The arrows of wisdom will keep hitting the rock of stupid, without even making a dent.
Ignorance ignores that it ignores.
oz.
I am extremely disappointed in the NY Times. The 'transcript' of the President's speech was edited to make him sound more normal. Gone was his self-congratulation of his Internet skills and his repeated glee over Baghdadi's distress. Don't make him sound saner than he is.
1
So DJT feels he has to tell Russia about the raid before telling congressional Gang of 8 intel leaders?
Why do all roads with him lead the Putin?
1
Is al-Baghdadi dead? When Trump heralds this accomplishment, I have grave doubts. He claims credit wrongly. This is a guy who could not tell the truth about the time of day.
1
Can't you people give it a rest for 24 hours? Something really good happened for America not more than a dozen hours ago, and all you can do is rush into print to lambast the president who seemed to be bragging about it and taking some of the credit. Obama took some of the credit for killing bin-Ladin, and Kennedy basked in a heroic mold after the Cuban Missile Crisis, even though he pretty much caused it by his administration's fiasco of inaction in the Bay of Pigs situation. To read a perpetual litany of hatred (the only proper term for it) of the president from your board of directors, opinion columnists, guest op-ed writers, reporters, etc. day after day, month after month, for some three years now does rather pall on readers after a while and invalidates your claim to anything even approaching impartial, fair or balanced journalism. You come over like a modern American version of Pravda!
1
In other news, Trump doesn't have the guts to stand out in front of people and throw the first pitch in a world series game. Other presidents have done it, and looked pretty foolish -- but they were willing to keep the tradition because they weren't scared little boys.
1
When Osama bin Laden was killed, trump said "Obama did nothing". "It was Navy Seals who killed bin Laden". Now, trump took 50 minutes to congratulate himself. This, after notifying the Russians about the raid but not Congress. The Nationals fans are right, "Impeach him now!"
1
I just want to know if the dog that chased Baghdadi down the tunnel is safe and unharmed. Baghdadi blew up himself and three children. Where was the dog at the time? If Trump couldn’t kill Baghdadi in a tunnel without harming a dog, that should be an article of impeachment by itself.
1
Tom Friedman --There is a lot of material in this articlet hat I have not seen elsewhere; Thaanks for outlining the composition and the prospects and the misunderstandings and willful ignorance about ISIS.
Mr. Friedman: Thank you for that insightful analysis of a very complicated area of the world. When Trump reads and understands this column...oh, never mind.
1
even though spot on, unfortunately Mr Friedman's unrepentative cheerleading for the destruction of Iraq also led to chaos and a fertile ground for groups such as IS. Maybe we should admit this mistake and at least apologize or something like that.
The United States has succeeded in killing Abū Bakr al-Baghdadi, the latest in a long line of red-headed stepchildren that have fallen victim to their progenitor.
ISIS is the creation of the West, and especially the United States, rising in response to a century of oppression, occupation, and exploitation by foreigners (we are foreigners, Dorothy, when we're not in Kansas.)
There is no satisfaction to be found in this latest bit of news, only shame that our pride, greed, and ignorance have turned us into monsters more terrible than those we claim to have vanquished.
"These plunderers of the world, after exhausting the land by their devastations, are rifling the ocean: stimulated by avarice, if their enemy be rich; by ambition, if poor; unsatiated by the East and by the West: the only people who behold wealth and indigence with equal avidity. To ravage, to slaughter, to usurp under false titles, they call empire; and where they make a desert, they call it peace." - Tacitus
Does the Mr. Friedman honestly believe that Trump is interested establishing a cohesive foreign or military policy for Syria? ? Or doing anything that would demonstrate productive foreign or military policy that would strengthen our country?
Seriously? Three years on, in this train wreck of an administration? So why does this newspaper continue to treat Trump as if he were a sane, intelligent, decent man? He is none of these things.
What's worse - his voters know this, and they simply do not care. Trump has been able to careen this nation to the very edges of disaster - more than once - for only one reason: his base.
So let's skip with trying to manufacture some reasoned assessment of Trump's "policy". These kinds of columns do nothing but enable Trump. Enable his "administration". Enable his rabid base. Because these columns assume, and continue with the fiction that Trump and his base care about any of the foreign policy or military issues facing us in the Middle East.
News flash: They don't. The only things motivating Trump are: his racism, his insane hatred for his predecessor, and his desperation to stay out of prison. So for these past three years, he has done exactly what he's needed to do to keep his base. Keep feeding them his bigoted racist screeds. Keep telling them that all their problems are caused by "those brown people", here or abroad. By these columns, the NYTimes is continuing to enable a mentally deranged tyrant. And it is way past time to stop.
1
Trump, like so many others, sees the world through a mirror. As Louis XIV did, he believes 'L'etat c'est moi', I am the state. Thus he sees Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in the same light. Kill al-Baghdadi and you've killed ISIS.
If he believed that there was any state left that could function and reach out and hurt us after the death of its leader, even he would not gloat, taunt, or ridicule the state or its now leader. One can take satisfaction and even pride in the defeat of the enemy without giving it the power to "hit back harder" as he likes to say.
Why wasn't Gina Haspel in the picture? The CIA was certainly responsible for the success of this latest mission yet Trump, in his infinite lack of wisdom, did not include her in the room when it all went down. He did not even mention her name nor did Lindsay Graham who felt it was his job to come before reporters to congratulate his pompous leader. Shame on both of them.
1
The manner in which Trump announced this terrorist's death was disgusting, he almost gloated. Other Presidents have made a brief announcement and left some details up to the Defense Department or the Joint Chiefs of Staff. I guess that Trump could hear the screams and shouts from the tunnel by the terrorist. Trump has a vivid imagination when he is not lying.
“Only Trump would boast of defeating ISIS and thinking that all that needs to be done now is to protect the Middle East’s oil wells and America’s favorite dictators — and not its wells of decency.”
Now Mr. Friedman, in the very end you have made me proud.
See that you know what should be fixed and corrected!
I like these pinpoint operations.
Next I'd like to see the ayatola and his moolas taken out in Iran plus Nassaralla in Lebanon. That should do it.
1
Putting together all the reporting that is in today's Times shows just how Trump did nothing to help the raid, but then attempts to take all the credit. Or compares it to a film rather than real life. Disgusting man is all I can say. The Pentagon and Intelligence Agencies need to blow their own horns and diminish him.
Congratulations to the CIA!
This, Mr. Trump, is why we have and need the CIA, your past falsehoods about them and their motives not withstanding. They and the brave people of the Special Forces did this. Too bad your bonespurs kept you out, or you could be a hero, too.
Realpolitik - Ok, good strike back at Trump, who will, no doubt take credit for the murder of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
But creation of martyrs among apocalyptic sects is a great way to set off a new violence committed in his name.
ISIL (let’s eliminate a slur offensive to close-to-tip-point Muslims, using an English acronym - the name of one of many Pharaonic Egypt’s goddesses) is now a guerrilla organization, pushed there by local opponents now without critical aid from the US.
People of the region, possibly US citizens at home and around the world will suffer, now that the Company’s back in the public extra-judicial murder biz.
Bad for the CIA too, which had been winning support from former opponents like me, when it went back into the spy business and gave up on “wetwork”.
What is the difference between Putin’s orders to kill former KGB operatives in Great Britain, or the Saudi’s carefully planned murder of a US resident and fellow columnist?
Absolutely nothing.
A man seen as a “threat” to the world, (like the Obama project that ended in the death, rather than capture and trial of our #1 Most Wanted Terrorist- who, at least, organized attacks in the US and was killed in a military operation) is dead. Others will take his place or be pushed into joining his band because we used Russian/Saudi tactics to kill a guy we “didn’t like”.
I’m sorry you don’t feel or smell the fresh blood on your hands, and on all who cherish the Rule of Law.
While the Ultimate Fool took up almost an hour of my time all I could think of was one thing, one moment one person.
Obama took pain to speak of the enemy in measured words. The disposal of the body was researched and respected according to Muslim law.
The Ultimate Fool has angered our enemy in ways that cannot be imagined with his words.
Dear Mr. Friedman.
You tried to diminish ISIS problem in the beginning. It’s not upon you to judge (even rightfully) now.
Same as you diminished the influence of globalization on the working class.
Don’t pretend you know everything. It’s not even close to be true.
2
Why does Freidman skip the important fact that Saudi Arabians funded most of the money needed by Al-Queda and ISIS?
Yet we continue to sell them hundreds of billions of dollars of weapons.
1
"Some Amercan closest allies administer
In-your-face corruption and injustice to their people"
What about us
Why would they not follow the exemple of America where officials are de facto elected by the billonaires, and social services are deeemed to be an undue assistance to lazy people?
Here is another part of the picture which I found on the Wall Street Journal and which does not appear here in the NYT.
"...we know jihadist forces can reorganize under new leadership. That’s what Baghdadi did after President Obama ordered all U.S. forces out of Iraq in 2011. He founded an Islamic “caliphate” across Syria and western Iraq, terrorizing minorities and other Muslims, beheading Americans and Arab Christians on camera, and inspiring terror attacks on the West."
Mr. Obama's role in allowing the creation of ISIS is not going to be mentioned in the middle of this cacophony of attacks on Mr. Trump for an operation which, after all, was successful.
When the NYT gives us only half the picture, it does not serve the cause of truth.
Trump never misses an opportunity to celebrate his, mostly fictional, greatness. Every dictator and tyrant is crafting ways to capitalize on his insatiable ego.
"Only Trump would boast of defeating ISIS and thinking that all that needs to be done now is to protect the Middle East’s oil wells and America’s favorite dictators — and not its wells of decency."
Are sure? It seems "W" had a bit of the same flair yes? Sending home Saudi relatives almost the same day the World Trade Centers came down after begin bombed by Saudi's.
ISIS? Well, was this not a creation of our own doing born out of the idiocy of invading a stable, sovereign country Iraq for no reason at all?
Baghdadi was not fighting anyone until we showed up, enabled his ejection from his own country, and, then, he decided he wanted his country back.
How many modest, peaceable, American men would do the same thing upon watching a foreign arm destroy their entire hometown for nothing?
I recommend, Thomas, you write a few history lessons for those who never knew, or forgot, that ISIS was created by the USA.
ISIS did not exist before our illegal invasion of Iraq.
Go ahead. Write the truth.
1
Fanatics are a fact of life. Check out the modern GOP which is busy placing fanatics into the judiciary.
The latest is a woman ( Wendy Vitter) who has never heard a case before, or even tried a case, but did lead the false charge against Planned Parenthood for "selling baby parts."
The Middle East is the least of our problems.
“As for the future of the Middle East, let’s not forget that ISIS was the Sunni Muslim jihadist organization that emerged after President Barack Obama’s administration eliminated the previous holder of the worst-person-in-the-world title, Osama bin Laden.”
Let’s not forget that almost 17 years ago in a private email to Tom Friedman I offered him a shortcut to defeating the middle-eastern terrorism. He blocked my email account afterwards…
The shocking part is that my previous email regarding the different topic (Bulgaria’s support for Bush’ invasion of Iraq) Mr. Friedman found to be brilliant and replied that he might use it in one of his columns…
Mr. Friedman, the invitation is still valid…
Visit me at your earliest convenience…
By the way, I presented the same idea earlier to the FBI. I guaranteed it to be a thousand times cheaper and ten times faster than the official strategy the White House deployed right after the 9/11/2001…
Of course, the government didn’t need it then because it was planning to wrap up the Afghan War within 6 months by bringing all the troops back home…
Mr.Friedman, you are right that the killer General Sisi is no better than Abu Bakar the killed Isis leader. I hope USA goes after Sisi next to remove him from power. If Trump does that, I will salute him with utmost respect.
1
Donald Trump couldn't find his own feet if the world depended on it.
"Syrian Sunnis supported ISIS for the same reason Iraqi Sunnis did. Iran, the pro-Iranian Hezbollah militia, the Shiite-Alawite Syrian regime of Bashar Assad and Russia have all collaborated to create a pro-Iranian Shiite minority government in Damascus. Of course they gave Trump a free pass to kill Baghdadi! His death just makes it that much easier for them to rule Syria without sharing power with the Sunnis. As long as that’s the case, there will be no stability there."
At the beginning of the Syrain revolt, the Sunnis were killing Alawites by the droves, Christians too. The Sunni support for something as beastly and 4th century as DAESH is at best disappointing, Freidman thinks it's excusable.
There was no reason for Assad to share power with the Sunnis, such an expectation is like expecting Democrats to share power in NYC with Republicans- the stuff of childish schema.
That speech was for the endless soundbites and Ads that he’ll be testing and running on Facebook for the next 12 months
Heaven help us all
Such a gracious man our president is, always willing to give credit where credit is due, to himself, always to himself and then to himself again for extra measure in case you've miss the point. The point is lost in his myriad of self congratulation. In fact the dog that got wounded in the action against Al-Baghdadi has more direct knowledge of how the actual events unfolded then you. So grovel in your self proclaimed glory Mr. President. I expect we will soon see a photo-op with this canine hero next to you so you can score a few extra minutes of the next news cycle because that's what really counts in your world.
1
– Thanks, Vladimir, those props will go a long way toward my re-election as your buddy in DC 2020. - DJT
We may not get tired of winning, but we will definately get tired of Al-Baghdadi. Every time the president gets caught doing something wrong, he will remind us of Al-Baghdadi. In fairness, president Bush used Khalid Sheikh Mohammed endlessly, and as justification for just about anything.
There is no point in talking any further about tRump's ignorance, hypocrisy, corruption and disloyal to our Constitution.
Only action matters now, and that action is impeachment in the House and conviction n the Senate.
It's a sad day in America when the good news that a wanted terrorist has been killed is tempered by the hyperbole and infantility of the messenger.
1
Opportunism, arrogance, double-dealing, etc, etc, etc. the devil normally embraces with open arms. But this entrant he will reject as well beneath his standards.
1
Thank you, Mr. Friedman, for a bit of clarification on the Muddle East, where serpents thrive and too often rule.
It is most instructive to consider how that remote and barren habitation of dragons, to quote Isaiah,
has attracted the worst of the reptilians among us to to drag our nation into joining the pursuit of their insane lusts.
Many of the consequences of the facts in your summary are on neat, orderly display to be counted ... but too seldom understood. That is what leaves so many at Arlington staring at those stones in grief agonized by the first and final question; Why?
Yet, even in the honorable defense of innocents, we have watched aghast as a reptilian mind has abandoned them.
Such is the behavior that gives humans a bad name in the animal kingdom. But it makes the serpents smile.
This is too complicated for this president who has no knowledge, no understanding, no judgement about the job he was
(illegitimately) elected to do. He does not understand American domestic and foreign policies, American institutions. He does not know how to speak and behave when addressing the nation. On top of it he did not warn the Democrats on the Hill about his plan to take on the ISIS leader but he did tell his sycophant Republican buddies as well as Vladimir Putin and co. This is too complicated for him. Every day he self impeaches, incriminates himself, and makes a mockery of this country. If he thinks this so called heroic action is going to save him from impeachment, he is definitely clueless.
An incompetent and insecure leader always takes credit for the achievements of others. Other than sanctioning the raid, Trump had nothing to do with killing al-Baghdadi.
My opinion may not be valid: but this is my basic belief in
The Fourth Estate: and I am hopeful that Pulitzer did not
die with his honorifics buried under the greed of mass media.
You, Tom Friedman are standing ...all alone...; have the desire
to keep the honor of The Fourth Estate in tack ; unsullied by
commercial greed...and I remember FDR and WWII; and all
the history; I am 85 yrs old; I remember.
Stay the course as you vow to do: tell the truth; and value
yes value the honor of your role to not cheapen or degrade
what are the facts: you never do...so I/we depend on you
Tom: to lead the way for younger more ambitious journalists.
Trump who is mentally ill should be removed from office;
So Tom make the case; Amendment 25: Section 4.
and the rest of The Swamp can get kicked out of office.
Trump's cultural ignorance is bottomless. With his bravado and bragging, he created another generation of hatred towards Americans. He turned Baghdadi into a martyr. Trump insulted Islam. Again. For every action, there's an equal and opposition reaction, a reaction now inflamed an amplified by Trump's unnecessary insults. This day will come. Hatred is one of mankind's most powerful forces.
Al-Baghdadi was alive due to inaction by the Obama administration. Syria policy? What Syria policy? There had to be a policy before you could comment upon it. I hope the travesty of his inaction(s) haunts his legacy forever. In fact, it already has in the form of the fetid corpses of the innocents.
1
Thomas Friedman is generally a pretty good source, but this statement is not correct:
"ISIS was the Sunni Muslim jihadist organization that emerged after President Barack Obama’s administration eliminated the previous holder of the worst-person-in-the-world title, Osama bin Laden"
ISIS (Daesh) grew out of Al-Qaeda in Iraq. That group first started in a small way in 1999, but really came into prominence in 2006. ISIS is the outgrowth of an internal political struggle in Al-Qaeda in Iraq.
1
I long for the day when Donald Trump no longer dominates the media. Tired of his face, voice, vulgar persona, narcissism and limited intellect. We deserve and desperately need better, a lot better.
Mission accomplished!
(Where have I heard this before?)
Zarqawi, not Baghdadi, was the founder of ISIS. The latter simply took over after the former was assassinated.
Trump insisted that Obama was the founder of ISIS, until Sunday, when he had to play up the dead Baghdadi's importance to prove what a big man he himself was.
Zarqawi had very little power with Al Qaeda, until Cheney and Bush invaded Iraq. The anarchy that followed allowed Zarqawi to recruit angry, disenfranchised Sunni's and other misfits and eventually morph into the more extreme ISIS.
Trump and all Republicans endlessly repeat the lie that the withdrawal from Iraq by Obama was what precipitated the founding of ISIS and other other forms of extremism. But he began the withdrawal on the date in 2011 that G.W. Bush and the Iraqi leader, Malaki had agreed upon while Bush was president.
Republicans get everything wrong, usually on purpose, and then repeat it a million times. No wonder a sociopathic liar is their revered Dear Leader.
Mr. Friedman, I have tremendous respect for you, but this line of reasoning is counter productive. This composition is a knee jerk reaction. If you do yet realize it then I trust you will when the sage wisdom of great age settles upon you.
2
Classic Trump.
Stumble onto something successful and smear your name across it while taking credit.
Had this gone the other way he'd be blaming the very same people and organizations he is today lauding for patriotism and bravery.
Sad, predictable, dotard.
Our bone spurs President.
Likes everything about the military except to serve.
Oh, Mr. Friedman. It just irks you to no end that Trump achieved this during his Presidency.
Trump honored the good and hardworking intelligence people. They're the norm. Mr. Friedman here conflates the many good intelligence people with Clapper, Comey, Brennan, Strzok, Ohr, McCabe, Rosenstein and many others in the intelligence leadership who acted disloyally to our nation. The loyal intellegence people are likely livid. Those others who misused the intelligence powers deserve reproach, including prison. Wait for the IG's report, Mr. Friedman. You are risking a serious fall, being too far out over your own skis. Why defend these disloyalists? SMH.
If somebody set out to fire up ISIS for time immemorial, they couldn't do better than Trump's comments today. He gave them a ton of recruitment material in his psycopathic press conference. He really enjoys death and destruction.
BRAVO!!!!!! In particular in reference to your evaluation of Trumpty-Dumb's treatment of the intelligence agents who worked hard, long, and loyally in the midst of his continued barrage of negativity for the past two plus years. I hope they all enjoyed a day of basking in the praise, because I'm sure it will all go back to "business as usual" tomorrow as far as Trumpty-Dumb is concerned. BUT JOB WELL DONE!!!!!
This solidifies Trump's reputation as the toughest and wisest President ever. You liberals thought you had him on the ropes and he comes back with his six shooters blazing. Forget about impeachment, that is now off the table. Watch Trump's approval rating soar. It all goes to prove you can't keep a good man down. God bless America.
Of course Trump thinks that one man’s death will end ISIS. He believes in leaders, and that, on a grander stage, he, Trump, is the ultimate leader, and without him the USA would perish — In fact, he, Trump, IS the chosen one, and no-one else anywhere matters.
1
Even when announcing something this serious, Trump remains a childish bully. Our fighting forces killed a terrorist today. Isn’t that enough?
But Trump in his “great and unmatched wisdom” has to preen, bully and name-call. He didn’t ”die like a dog.” Baghdadi died like a man who knew his time on earth was up. Taking three of his children with him was his final heinous act. We can figure that out without the inflammatory language. Nothing like firing up ISIS, Mr. Trump.
So now we enter a very dangerous period. I predict Trump will continue to stir the pot, inciting violence and hate. He is the guy who is supposed to lead us if anything dire happens here in our homeland. He’s certainly not my choice. Genuine leaders have gravitas. Trump, windbag that he is, has only hot empty air. God help the United States of America.
1
In essence, ISIS, (Islamic State In Iraq and Syria), was created by one of our dumbest presidents ever, George W. Bush, who went into Iraq and got rid of Saddam based upon the false premises that Iraq had something to do with 9/11 and that Iraq harbored WMD's. As vile as Saddam was, he helped keep a lid on the region and held Iran in check.
How is it that Bush has still not been tried for his crimes which resulted in the needless deaths of over 7,000 American kids, plus the maiming of about 50,000, not to mention the the untold numbers of dead and destruction in Iraq, plus the cost and the consequences which we live with now. How is he still walking free?
1
Trump is ignorant? Perhaps Thomas, you need to look in the mirror?
Friedman was the biggest advocate of the Arab Spring in Egypt. He predicted there would be democracy not only in Egypt but throughout the Middle East.
Friedman has consistently been wrong about Israel too. First, he vilified Sharon. Sharon had Bush under "house arrest". Blatantly anti-Semitic and ignoring that perhaps Bush agreed with Sharon's assessment of Israel's security needs? Inconceivable that anyone could disagree with some messianic two-state nonsense which consistently required Israel to make concessions which jeopardized its security.
Now, it's vilification of Natanyahu. It seems to me that Israel has accomplished unprecedent economic success, security, and international recognition by doing the opposite of what Friedman recommends. Namely Israel has been pursuing its own national sovereign issues as determined by its population. If that includes settlements, than so be it. This plan works better than Friedman's suggestions. Israel's accomplishments are not because it negotiates with the Palestinians but because it does not negotiate with the Palestinians.
Now he criticizes Trump after a major intelligence coup? I don't like Trump. I think the withdrawal from Syria is a disaster which undoes much of what he's accomplished, like getting out of the Iran Deal. But Friedman and his minions are in no position to call him ignorant.
Give the man his due. Then take a look in the mirror.
1
Poorly educated con president for everyone to watch in a bright day light.
It's the same refrain, over and over again...
Don't know much about history,
Don't know much about geography...
How long this wonderful world will last!
1
The correct response to the killing of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, is "who?". The right answer to that is, literally, "father of young camel from Baghdad". It's a pseudonym, not the name the guy was born with, and it's an incredibly basic, everyday type of pseudonym. Yes, Bakr really means 'young camel', but the original Abu Bakr (father of young camel) was the pseudonym of a buddy of Mohammed's. Shiites don't like him for obscure reasons so it's a specifically Sunni pseudonym, and this particular guy from Baghdad probably doesn't even have a son named Bakr.
Anyway, he's just some anonymous terrorist. Sure he founded ISIS, the most recent and catastrophically disorganized terrorist group in the region. His killing does nothing much to that group (except infuriate them, of course), and eliminating that entire group would do nothing about the fundamentalism, holy wars, autocracies, and climate change disaster that spells doom for the entire Middle East.
Remember when we killed Osama bin Laden, the grandaddy of all Islamist terrorists (to the U.S. viewpoint)? He was the worst of the worst, and we shot him and dumped him in the ocean. Remember how Islamist terrorism vanished completely? Right, even killing him did nothing, so killing this guy with the basic, made-up name, will do nothing either.
Trump tried to make this operation more difficult with his bonehead pullout. Of course he reversed himself when some billlionaire complained about the Syrian oil being undefended. Fortunately, not all those unelected radical beaurocrats have left yet and the operation was successful.
The bloodlust and puerile revenge drama emoted by the president in his announcement has all the impact of the ayatollah ranting about dead Americans. trump is not helping, but it's the arm chair chickenhawks who always thrill to the sight of someone else's blood.
"He (=Trump) is blind to the fact that the next al-Baghdadi is being incubated today in some prison in Egypt"
Egypt already has its own terrorist organization, one that ran the country, democratically elected. It is called the Muslim Brotherhood. Their philosophy and theology:
" the Quran and Sunnah constitute a perfect way of life and social and political organization that God has set out for man. Islamic governments must be based on this system and eventually unified in a Caliphate. ... reclaim Islam's manifest destiny—an empire, stretching from Spain to Indonesia."
Sound familiar? Long predates ISIS and Al-Qaeda.
At least Mr. el-Sisi does not want to rule beyond Egypt.
ISIS is entrenched in Sinai and fights against el-Sisi's forces there all the time.
One might ask what is it that breeds these terrorist organization and allows them to grow where they do.
Theology? Corruption? Combination?
Please provide, Mr. Friedman one example in the (Arab) Middle East of one country whose "wells of decency" have ever prevailed, under any US president, any time.
3
Total sour grapes. You just can’t stand it when Mr. Trump succeeds.
1
I too am glad that Al-Baghdadi is no longer walking the Earth; good for our intelligence agencies, our military and the allies we still have in the region in getting the job done. However, as Trump has done all his life, he has a pathetic need to boast about himself while diminishing the accomplishments of others.
Oh, and what are the chances that the ISIS fighters still out there have listened to Trump call their former leader a coward multiple times during his press conference. Think maybe that will inspire them to attempt more terrorist attacks against the U.S. and our allies? Nah, I’m sure we have nothing to worry about...
"Pelosi says Trump notified Russians of Baghdadi raid before telling congressional leaders."
The Russians know what Trump is doing before Congress does? You bet the story doesn't end here. Trump, who was golfing during the raid, is our largest national security risk. Telling Putin before Pelosi or McConnell? The word for that isn't patriot.
My sense is that killing any leader of a terrorist group is akin to killing the alpha wolf in a pack, as so often happens in an attempt to control depredation in this part of the US. Same thing with the drug cartels. We cut off the head, a vacuum is created, and fools rush in where angels fear to tread, engaging in more heinous acts to bolster their cred. At least wolves do it only to survive and feed their young. Not so the various human back fill. We can expect more of the same as the also rans do what they can to work their way up a rung or two on the terror ladder.
It's odd to see a repeated draft dodger and coward extolling the heroism of US troops on the ground risking their lives, and claiming the a large portion of the victory for himself. Perhaps a Bronze Star in this for Trump? No? Too soon?
Thomas Friedman has made quite the career off of generating hysteria. Thank you to President Trump. You have my vote in 2020.
2
Great column.
And please add Israel to the list of Middle East democracies.
1
The truth is that it was like watching a movie. In fact much of what we see is little more than life imitating art. And art does it much more honestly.
We need more military people to speak out about what a dangerous president Trump is.
1
This raid definitely falls into the "strategery" category. Really needed a distraction...
But - on the positive side - maybe all those insidious US intelligence agencies can demonstrate that Trump is a Russian stooge and that Putin got him elected.
Thomas Friedman's exquisitely expressive and compellingly convincing Opinion graphically illuminates the hypocritical landscape the Vietnam War draft dodger presented today in rose coloured glasses. ISIS is alive and well, prospering, committed, and its efforts now redoubled, in the aftermath of this alleged murder of its leader. i say alleged since the Russian government today registered official skepticism and extreme distrust of the pronouncement by the United States government that such an operation in fact occurred. I believe the Russians. What is aptly demonstrated by the draft dodger is the continuous underlaying racial connotation of superior might in sordidly describing the demise of the ISIS leader. "Dog" and "coward' are the terms more appropriate for characterizing the chief executive. Disparaging and maligning President Barack Hussein Obama's highly planned, brilliantly intelligent, well executed planned operation to kill Osama bin Laden reveals characteristically confirms the intense self loathing, racially motivated, vituperative angst towards a man of colour wielding significant power that affects both the domestic and international communities. Racial denigration and malignant colourism practiced by the draft dodger are required to keep the GOP base in line. The reason for the graphic violence is to educate less than college educated, blue collar he is the Great White Hope. The chickens are coming home to roost, circa, November, 1963, Malcom X. Race matters.
The President’s very poor choice of words when referring to the ignominious and certainly deserved death of a ruthless leader will likely instigate reprisal commensurate to his gloating description of his death. How terrifying and very unfortunate!
Mr. Friedman writes: "If America has any role in the Middle East today, it is ... to protect and enhance ,,, the 'islands of decency.' These are places like Iraqi and Syrian Kurdistan .... "
This is absolutely right. Which is why Trump's abandonment of the Kurds is so tragically wrong -- and idiotic. Shortly after W's war in Iraq began, a wise person (forget who) said: "The problem with Iraq is the lack of Iraqis." This accurately summed up the history of a country which was never (and still isn't) a nation -- cobbled together out of disparate components by British imperialism after the break up of the Ottoman empire. Our best bet in this part of the world was always to get behind one of these components, the Kurds -- secular, democratic, and well organized -- and support an independent Kurdistan. Forge a close and enduring alliance with them, and base ourselves within territory under the control of their military might.
The endlessly stupid Trump has now destroyed this strategic possibility. The Kurds, like all much oppressed peoples, have long memories; they don't forget betrayal.
1
Trump is ignorant but who said this: Friedman supported the 2003 invasion of Iraq, writing that the establishment of a democratic state in the Middle East would force other countries in the region to liberalize and modernize.
Own it.
1
A very thoughtful column.
Intelligence is no guarantee of success. Ignorance is a near certain guarantee of failure.
I'm truly surprised that Trump didn't boast that he secretly flew to the Middle East and personally led the search for al-Baghdadi. But then there's his Monday lies to come.
The current Commander-in-Chief can only think in the present tense. Any historical reference or contemplation of the future effects of current actions are beyond him.
Yesterday's performance was done to show how tough he is, how smart he is and how inadequate ANYONE who came before him was.
Remember he is the person who thinks Jared Kushner will bring peace to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. Let that sink in.......Jared Kushner for God's sake!!
Someone who picks oil fields to defend over allies whom he denigrates and abandons shows his sick values and his total lack of decency. Time for a respectable leader!
For a warrior with bone spurs that could not walk to the first tee without an assist by a chauffeured golf cart this is his moment to beat the drums, his chest and other such things.
The tilted angle of the photo seems like some sort of editorializing...a capsizing administration or Trump's topsy turvy world.
I don't like it.
Like I said before and not to mean I told you so. Russia sanctioned the attacks on U.S. soil on 9/11. Now Russia gave President Donald Trump and his Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley, permission for the United States to go into where Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was located in Northwest Syria to kill him. Unfortunately, al-Baghdadi took three of his children with him when he self denotated his vest with explosives.
However, it does not end there like Thomas L. Friedman points out in this New York Times, Sunday, October 27, 2019, Op Ed "Al-Baghdadi Is Dead. The Story Doesn't End Here." Nor should it.
I listened to President Donald Trump's video today online of his announcement that Al-Baghdadi is dead. And his facial expressions. He's a very proud man that on occasion does not know his self-worth. Especially, as U.S. President since he was elected by the American people in 2016. But maybe that is what the American people want a showman. Not a politically correct politician. Too bad.
To bad that the C.I.A. who confirmed with tape or audio of the murder of a Washington Post journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi dissident isn't a priority for President Donald Trump? Isn't that what President Donald Trump wants here in the U.S. to weed out dissidents, imprison them and "Lock Her Up" as he said in his campaign with Democratic rival Hillary Clinton?
Russia knows Trump.
All about him, all lies and puffery and morbid delight in death, with more gratuitous, alarming pandering to Putin.
A result based on work of our intelligence agencies and Kurdish allies - which he seeks to destroy.
Lock him up soon, or vote him out 11-3-2020. For the sake of us and the world.
1
...And from Russian media:
“The Russian Defense Ministry has no reliable information about U.S. servicemen conducting an operation for [‘yet another’] elimination of the former Daesh leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in the Turkish-controlled part of the Idlib de-escalation zone.”
This ought to be interesting.
America and the West have generally made nothing but mistake after mistake in the Middle East for decades. The track record is brutal. The latest folly and capitulation of Syrian territory to Russia and Turkey is just profoundly wrong.
I wonder what "deals" were made to enrich America's ruling family?
Now Trump's openly touting that our troops will stay only to "save the oil". I cannot think of a better recruitment video for terrorists.
Last but not leas this won't stop the mental midget in the White House from incessant bloviating and outright lies.
This long running reality tv series is long overdue to be cancelled.
1
I don't know where to post this comment, so here is better than nowhere.
Trump's boasting, calling al-Baghdadi a cowardly dog and other sneering taunts, is typical of the bone spur bully. I suppose the world is better off without al-Baghdadi, but gruesome death should never be cause for buoyant bragging.
What makes this entirely disgusting is that all news reports indicate that at least 3 of al-Baghdadi's children where killed too. Perhaps as many as another dozen children died in our "heroic" mission. One report states that several women died as well.
There should be no cheering. The killing may be justified, it may have been a grim necessity, but neither Trump nor journalists should report this with anything but a somber, sober, regretful tone, as noble presidents have done.
It is shameful to casually dismiss the death of children as collateral damage.
1
It is patently obvious that both Russia and Turkey knew where Al-Bagdhadi was, and traded that information for a Trump withdrawal. Trump essentially betrayed the Kurds and condemned them to death, betrayed Israel and betrayed our honor to glorify himself. It is literally incomprehensible how we continue to allow this corrupt man to rule over our country.
1
Exactly. When they can further his power and make him look like a big man, Trump loves our intelligence officers. But when he feels threatened by what they might find out, he rakes them over the coals. The intelligence community has been enduring Trump’s verbal abuse for three years now and it must be demoralizing....not to mention embarrassing for our country. To hear him brag about them today when it suited him was sickening to me.
1
An excellent analysis, but one that few in Trump's base will ever read or understand. Instead it will just be: "He got Al-Baghdadi and destroyed ISIS"
I read a comment below that millions of Muslims want peace and I am sure that this is indeed the case. To be picky, "millions" out of 1.7 billion may not be sufficiently significant.
But my real issue is that in almost all Muslim countries, the cultural and religious education continues to be biased against the other, whether the other is Sunni, Shia, Christian, Jewish, Yazidi or Kurdish.
So called moderate Muslim leaders often have one discourse in English and another in Arabic, Persian, or whatever their language may be. Muslim preachers, in their home country, as well as those abroad and paid by wealthy Muslim countries, often stir up hatred.
Yes, we need to work with Muslims to come to a much better relationship, but we should do so with our eyes open and not be afraid of (perceived) political incorrectness when our Muslim friends-to-be continue their message of hate towards us and our allies.
How is this entire story the least bit relevant? Trump has ordered the return of US troops from that region. He has no plan for the region unless they build him a hotel there. If ISIS were to take over Syria he will immediately begin to praise them for their 'tough' leadership. He has shown he is willing to abandon any ally at the drop of a hat, even attack long standing allies just to puff up his own ego. He will happily let the middle east devolve into chaos and hand it all over to Russia without a thought. The entire exercise is just so the cowardly draft dodger can pretend to be a tough guy on TV in front of his rabidly insane base, who will delusionally eat it all up. If this occurred under any other administration it could play some part in foreign policy planning but with this administration it's just sound and fury.
1
That would also be the same intelligence agencies that told the world that Iraq had Weapons of Mass Destruction at the ready, right? Does Thomas Friedman even entertain the possibility that an intelligence agency might reach a correct conclusion about one matter while being incorrect abiut others?
Tom Friedman does a nice job of framing the situation, but leaves out one significant factor. Saudi Arabia is birthplace to the Sunni Wahhabist ideology al-Baghdadi and his followers adhere to.
It is Saudi Arabia that funds madrassas throughout the Middle East preaching hate of America, the West and all "infidels." 15 of the 9/11 hijackers were Saudis, and it is Saudi Arabia prosecuting a genocidal war against Shi'ite Houthis in Yemen using U.S. weapons.
Saudi Arabia is not our friend. They smile, take our oil money and buy sophisticated American arms, but behind closed doors they wish us death.
1
I thought the President's failure to be high minded in victory, his childish insistence on calling the defeated foe "a loser" who "cried and whimpered like a baby" among other demeaning adjectives will do much damage. First, gloating makes us look pathetic. Second, calling the fallen enemy a list of derogatory names is likely to fan the flames of ISIS hatred more effectively than anything else Trump has done. Can't this man push the pause button on his narcissism even when it will benefit him?
Trump lives in a closed universe where facts and truth are irrelevant and unknown. All that matters to an extreme narcissist like Trump are the fantasies he creates to make himself appear bigger than life. Trump's adoring fans live in this same universe. Sad and dangerous for the rest of the nation.
1
What still puzzles me is how the GOP, which gives Trump his oxygen, can so captivate nearly half of US citizenry into swooning over his every word or tweet. I live amongst a more wealthy slice of his supporters who are less vocal. They're educated, have good jobs, raise their kids to do well in school, sports. extra curricular, dance, ballet, etc, whose friends are pretty much like themselves. They're mostly in the energy business and live in the upper middle class master community suburbs of Houston and Dallas. But they'll vote for him in 2020 and every GOP down ballot candidate because, to them, any Democrat is a socialist and an atheist. God help us! From my perspective Texas is still Red, still Christian and still has enough white conservatives, joined by wealthy Asians and Latinos to keep it in power for another 10 years or so. This is like Saddam's Iraq: led by a minority which will go down in flames before it relinquishes its power.
Thank you for telling it like it was, is and by inference, always will be in Donald TRUMP land. You know, America -- or at least you ought to know it by now -- unless you've swooned to Trump's "courage" [he --uh-hem-- courageously sent our boys over there; guess that means he deserves all the bowing and scraping he apparently craves.]
We ought to feel sorry for the kid, right?
WRONG!
GONG SHOW TIME.
I wonder how Pres. Trump will react when the hounds of impeachment chase him down some deep metaphorical cave?
Well, not as ignorant as some commentators were when they predicted a cake-walk and easy victory followed by 'democratic' reconfiguration of the whole Middle East after the Iraq invasion they so enthusiastically cheered for. Just saying. Mr. Friedman should be the last to throw stones at anyone trying his hand in predicting anything.
1
al-Baghdadi was/is not ONLY flesh & blood - it is an idea, a concept, an ideal, it is a weltanschauung. The idea started as a movement by people wanting THEIR rulers to devote national resources to the development of the people they were purporting to serve. It was DISCOVERED that the local rulers were not only installed by foreign powers, but were enslaved to those foreign powers. The foreign powers help the usurping local ‘rulers’ by providing them with PROTECTION against local uprisings. It is large scale Mafia-like PROTECTION RACKET, operated by America and its European allies.
It is a supply-chain of riches from corrupt local rulers, to rich countries through CONTRACTS. The corrupt local rulers are SOLD out of date defense equipment (which they do not even know how to operate), they are sold Cadillacs while the natives do not have affordable transport, the rulers come to America to get a pimple lanced, while the natives no not have the means to afford medical treatment, while the rulers partake haute cuisine, the bevoelkerungen have food scarcity. Such is the tale of TWO CIVILIZATIONS: the rich perpetrating poverty.
‘It’s the money, stupid’. As long as the above described scenario persists, even if one Bagdadi is dead, others are in the pipeline. No way can the prevailing lack of balance be maintained. Europe has had its 100 years war, America is heading to a 1000 years one.
Anyone who assumes that ISIS is defeated with the death of al-Baghdadi hasn't been paying attention to how ISIS and al-Qaeda are built to function.
al-Qaeda in Iraq suffered a large number of casualties in both the rank-and-file and leadership...and each cell came back to strike at Iraqi, American, and coalition forces. When a cell was destroyed...two more were created in its place. How else did al-Qaeda hang around for so long? Cell organizations are designed specifically to counter losses of leadership and losses of members.
Couple this basic information with the additional fact that ISIS carried out a massive bombing in Sri Lanka (a significant distance away from where they operate) when ol' Donnie said ISIS was defeated, and what you hear is the sound of the Pentagon and Joint Chiefs grinding their teeth in frustration and annoyance at this oaf calling himself "President".
Having infidel troops in Saudi Arabia was the match that ignited Al Queda. Trumps boastful speech will help fill depleted ranks.
All of this raid information leaking out compromises assets.
I give Trump zero credit. While it's true that he gave the green light for the mission, the miliary commanders and all those brave men and women who risked their lives deserve all the credit. If Trump were a decent person, he'd have given credit to those who deserve it instead of using the "I" word over and over again. I find Trump's narcissism and bragging disrespectful and obnoxious.
In fact, Trump nearly destroyed the mission. By pulling troops out of Syria he jeopardized this mission. The Kurds played an essential role DESPITE Trump's betrayal! And if Republicans and Democrats didn't come down on Trump like a ton of bricks immediately, he would have done a complete evacuation of all US troops -- that was his plan. If Trump had evacuated all troops from Syria it's very questionable whether this raid could have happened at all.
Trump MUST be removed from office ASAP. He's a treasonous president who keeps doing Putin's bidding. Trump puts self interest ahead of US interest. Trump has massive financial stakes in Turkey (twin towers brings him $ millions a year, and he has 219 other investments there), in Saudi Arabia (Jared gets loans from the Saudis) and Trump plans to do business in Moscow, Istanbul and Saudi Arabia after he's no longer in the Oval Office.
EVERYTHING Trump does is for himself and his family... Russia, Turkey and Saudi Arabia are second, and the US is last! Remember Helsinki! Trump is treasonous disgrace to the USA!
1
Trump and his cronies either don’t understand the Middle East and its intricate and complex make up, or they are doing a very good job to play dumb.
Killing Bin Laden and Al Baghdadi, though very important accomplishments, by no means they are even remotely close to the end of our troubles and involvement in the Mid East.
Trump is lost in his own ego. He is a transitional individual and seeks transactions that only suit him and his ego. Killing of Al Baghdadi is no exception.
Obama got bin laden and now trump got the leader of ISIS. This all makes for great talking points. Unfortunately it’s tough to kill an idea and some other zealot will take his place.
The US needs to actually help these impoverished populations and set an example by our behavior in the world in order for real change to occur. Our current leader doesn’t set a good example.
Leadership is more than just killing one awful person no matter how well deserved.
>>>“Nothing feeds extremism more than the in-your-face corruption and injustice” that some of America’s closest Middle East allies administer daily to their people.<<<
An accurate assessment, and let us consider the rather large dose of in-your-face, tough-beans-if-you-don't-like-it corruption and injustice, both economic and political, that we are dealing with here at home, and how this has fueled our own internal extremism. Not direct civil war (yet) but a drawing of sides with uncompromising and vitriolic rhetoric, lack of empathy for the other side, despair about economic conditions (including the opioid crisis); the list goes on.
Yes, we have a democracy, still, but it is under grave attack from within, through continual extreme untenable positions which are incompatible with that democracy, and exploitation of citizen fear and unrest. The quote above is a serious and sobering cautionary note to ourselves.
That speech trump gave was for the lying ads he’ll be testing and spending millions on to run on Facebook for the next twelve months
Heaven help us all
4
Tampering with Destruction to Ameliorate Past Tampering with Destruction. Over and Over and Over
2
If the old saying, "Cut the head off and another grows in its place," has any roots, it must be in the Middle East. In wars of religious and tribal hatreds, you can kill the enemy but you will not kill the "idea." We lost Vietnam with that concept. We've been losing the Middle East the same way.
Religious zealots with a passion for bloody revenge can attack, hide and attack again. They meld into the villages, strike at will and disappear. They are not a uniformed enemy easily spotted amongst hedgerows and pastures. That is what makes it hard to win against them, along with their belief God is on their side.
In a way, VP Mike Pence may understand their faith-based motivation. In a May 2018 issue of "Harper's", journalist Meghan O'Gieblyn wrote of Pence in her story, "Exiled." In Pence's pursuit of the presidency, she reminds us that, if Pence were to become president, he wouldn't be the first to believe in God. The problem is, those close to him contend, Pence thinks God believes in him.
ISIS and Taliban leaders and followers feel the same way about their God. Which is why, even in defeat, it is usually only temporary. Faith-based warriors keep rising up to fight another day, with a new leader to inspire bloodshed for God.
Abandoning our allies in the Middle East is a recipe for defeat. And more than 100 years of needless meddling in Middle Eastern politics has brought us to this juncture. It may take another 100 years to learn who won.
6
Friedman writes, "President Trump boasts of defeating the Islamic State. He’s only showing how ignorant he is." As far as I am concerned this statement could have been applied to Obama in the wake of his administration assassination of bin Laden, especially after Obama called ISIS the "J.V." and basically allowed it to grow in strength. Its all a matter of political perspective, Thank you.
1
Not that I agree with your assessment, but for the sake of argument: Trying to defend Trump’s actions by comparing them to Obama’s of which you’re critical is not the best way to do it.
Basically what you claim is:
My guy may not be good at what he does. But neither is yours.
Not exactly a ringing endorsement or one that inspires confidence.
Here’s the Politifact evaluation. From three years after bin Laden’s death.
https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2014/sep/07/barack-obama/what-obama-said-about-islamic-state-jv-team/
It’s quite clear that Obama was generally referring to ISILrather than just calling them names, that it was pretty accurate but kind of a dumb thing to say, that he politicianed his way backwards, and that he followed up with the strategy and actions that ended up smashing ISIL pretty good. In other words, he learned and did better.
You won’t admit this, of course, any more than you’ll admit that Trump says dumber things twenty times a week, and doesn’t learn jack. Yesterday perfectly showed this, from the “we,” bit to the bragging to the infantile insults to the “Oh, we’ll just take their oil, ha ha,” insanity.
For which we’ll pay, and you won’t admit that either.
A favorite tv program of ours is "CBS Sunday Morning", a show that engages, entertains and educates in a lovely, rich fashion - and is a soothing antidote for the bad news on news shows.
The raid on and elimination of the head of ISIS was a great achievement, and the multitude of people who pulled it off are dedicated patriots to be thanked.
However, when Trump took the stage, we knew the show was a goner because he stood in front of what looked like every flag but the Boy Scouts, and we knew with certainty that he would bloviate the details, and his own preening fabulousness, like the windbag he is. We were not disappointed, which meant that we were incredibly disappointed. I shudder when I see his face on the screen; therefore, I shudder a lot.
6
For years before, and following after the assassination of Osama bin Laden by our special forces, there were frequent reports of the killing of "the #2 El Queda/ISIS leader".
So much so that the "killing of the #2 commander" became a trope worthy of The Onion, and the source of jokes that the world's most dangerous job with the shortest life expectancy was the "#2 leader of El Queda".
The point perhaps being that, as opposed to small cell groups of terrorists like those responsible for 9/11, movements with thousands of armed militia capable of holding large territories like ISIS are going to survive the death of a top leader, or a dozen top leaders.
2
Another brilliant effort led by Jared Kushner. Congratulations to the entire Trump family.
1
Trump never said many of the things you claim he did in that press conference! He never claimed that this was “the peace to end all peace” and the idea you stated that it is at once great that we killed this brutal terrorist yet bad because it will make power sharing between Sunnis and Shiites harder simply contradictory and nonsensical because it implies that ISIS and Sunnis are the same, which clearly they are not. Is it possible to have a coherent column absent a blind hatred of Trump? This column fails to acknowledge that taking ISIS down is good for everyone, both Sunnis and Shiites and Islam in general, doing so while drawing down US troops with the cooperation of regional powers with no US casualties is ideal. Trump never claimed all the problems in the region were over but that this was a good result. Having read the author’s work regularly for years, I can only consider this one of the poorer examples of his output.
2
Let us not forget that ISIS exists due to the invasion of Iraq under false pretense by George W. Bush, Richard Chaney, Donald Rumsfeld, and Condolence Rice; each of you take a bow.
At the same time, you, Thomas Friedman, publicly supported this invasion, resulting in disastrous consequences for the Iraqi people, and this country.
3
@Bob Newman
Yes.
But ISIS also exists because Hillary/Obama blew up Syria.
Isis exists because of apocalyptic Islamist ideology. Read Graeme Wood, “What Isis Really Wants”, The Atlantic, March 2015.
1
A majority of Americans, including Trump, supported that imbecelic invasion. At this point the question is, who learned from their colossal mistake, and who didn’t.
How can you expect Trump to protect and enhance Islands of Decency, he is devoid of any decency and hateful to the core without any effort to understand the world around the USA.
4
In announcing Osama Bin Laden's death President Obama was careful to speak with gravity and to point out the body had been respectfully disposed of following Muslim religious traditions. What fury has Trump now unleashed with his unbridled announcement? Surely the troops now being sent to protect the oil are more endangered than they were before. And so might be Americans everywhere.
4
For the moment put aside the chaotic dictatorial Middle East and let's not forget that democracy in America hangs by a thread thanks to would be dictator Donald Trump and a Republican party absolutely willing to accommodate him.
4
Yes, the world is a better place without this terrorist but DT came across as boasting to me and when he openly thanked countries like Russia, I was disappointed but not surprised.
The bottom line, even this was all about him.
2
There was nothing so special about this raid that it required Trump to go on television to gloat about it. Other raids have occurred and other ISIS leaders have been killed and the president has not had to go on TV. But, Trump's insatiable need for attention and admiration got the better of him this time. With all the impeachment stuff going on, he's been needing a shot in the arm that his rallies just haven't provided. So, stop the presses, make an announcement that there's going to be an announcement, go on TV, talk about how entertaining it all was and feel real good about yourself, and pretend you planned it. And, Trump supporters feel bad that he wasn't praised enough. It's all just crazytime.
1
30 years fighting Kurdish terrorists in Turkey , did not end the movement
50 years of fighting Palestinian terrorists in Israel did not end the movement
60 years of fighting Kashmiri terrorists in Indian Kashmir did not end the movement
500 years of fighting Irish terrorists by England in Northern Ireland has not yet completely ended the movement
One persons terrorist is an other persons freedom fighter
Hard at it is for Americans to understand, ISIS is the response to Western Suppression.
2
Yeah, just a buncha innocent freedom fighters, with no lusts nor greeds nor hatred of their own. Why, no doubt this guys just want free electionsand social justice, so that they may go home and live quietly, at peace.
Hot tip: don’t cheer for anybody who puts people in steel cages, pours gas on them, and throws in a match. Also avoid beheaders and rapists.
1
Good job American Commandos putting you life at risk.
Now we are hearing and would hear hundreds and millions of times of times by trump and his own version.
2
I'm sure that Turks and Arabs are now very impressed - if not just as offended - by tough guy Trump. They respect brute force and utterances that involve the word dog. Let's not forget that the dog is man's best friend, a product of human domestication. Trump would surely go out much like Al-Baghdadi - not as a cloud of protoplasm, but whimpering and screaming - if and when he is impeached. As the title of this article says the story doesn't end here. Let's go back a hundred years, to a time when people were being marched into the deserts of Syria to the tune of yürü köpek or walk, dog! The US House vote on Armenian Genocide Resolution is set for Tuesday 10/29. Yesterday America delivered one punch in the name of Justice. Tomorrow it can deliver a second punch, long overdue. America surely wants to land on the right side of history as it moves on towards the end of the story.
Trump's predilection for self-congratulation knows no bounds. His short term memory failures are legion. He will be back attacking major US institutions in short order. As for the lying and distortion, they never stop.
He will no doubt get some political mileage out of this, until he sticks another foot (just how many does he have?) in his mouth. How much is there left to say? It is nice to know he appreciates the cinematic value of the raid and the killing.
2
Let's be honest. ISIS and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, a Wahhabist, are the creation of Saudi Arabia as were the perpetrators of the 9/11 attack on America. It is built into the price of oil.
Here is some Wikipedia info:
"Wahhabi mission, or Dawah Wahhabiyya, is the idea of spreading Wahhabism throughout the world. Tens of billions of dollars have been spent by the Saudi government and charities on mosques, schools, education materials, scholarships, throughout the world to promote Islam and the Wahhabi interpretation of it. Tens of thousands of volunteers and several billion dollars also went in support of the jihad against the atheist communist regime governing Afghanistan."
"Starting in the mid-1970s and 1980s, conservative/strict/puritanical interpretations of Sunni Islam favored by the conservative oil-exporting Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, (and to a lesser extent by other Gulf monarchies) have achieved what political scientist Gilles Kepel calls a "preeminent position of strength in the global expression of Islam." The interpretations included not only "Wahhabi" Islam of Saudi Arabia, but Islamist/revivalist Islam, and a "hybrid" of the two interpretations."
1
A good column.
A thought. Trump’s way of referring to the death of a fellow human being—however heinous and despicable the acts of that person—was itself dishonorable. Calling a dead person a “dog”, and speaking of him “whimpering” with his kids as a “coward”, that had to come from some Batman movie, or an old western Trump has seen. He cannot be human even in victory.
But here is more point. You speak in this column of this radicalized Islamist Sunni ideology which lives on, which it sadly and surely does. You also speak of the US interest of creating islands of decency in the ME.
Well, killing this guy was necessary. But this description of his death by Trump was crudely inflammatory. Might it not reverberate in the streets of the ME as a new call to arms?
It was like shooting guns in the air, or banging his sword on the presidential podium.
Trump’s vast reservoir of indecent inhuman turns even victory into defeat,
6
Ah, to live such a simple life. . . Trump, like all dictators, believes the sun rises and sets on the whims of whoever is the head of state for a country. His hero's, Putin, Kim Jong-un in North Korea, and Erdogan in Turkey, set the roadmap for his narcissism. He really believes he is America. Hence, in his logic, remove the leader, and you've removed the entire problem. However, like vampires, these problems live to see another day. Life is far more complicated than this. Focus on nation building. Focus on feeding people. Focus on helping. Focus on health. Turn the tide through hard and constructive work. Sadly, we've got the wrong people in the White House for anything like that to be even a tiny possibility. I salute our troops for their work in removing this horrible man, but there is much more to do.
1
Congratulations! I read this article! Why? I read it because I had read your book about Lebanon and knew you as a student of the area. News without hyperbole is becoming harder and harder to find. Today the cable TV stays on mute and I scan the headlines faster. America has become a culture that craves celebrity more than facts. We're in trouble!
2
For the USA, it has always been about getting the oil. The lies that were told to the UN General Assembly about invading Iraq and 'weapons of mass destruction', the kowtowing to Saudi slaughter in Yemen and the wheeling and dealing in Ukraine - it's all about the oil, folks. Mass consumption in the USA needs oil and leads to mass murder in the Middle East. Thus, the gods of Amazon and the entire American economy can have enough gasoline to make the money flow and live the American dream.
1
I keep thinking about Superman and his defense of Truth, Justice, and the American Way. What we are now living with is Lies, Corruption, and the Russian Way.
2
I can not believe it but it's true. Trump didn't brag about it before it was done he kept his trap shut.
1
Good riddance to Abu Bakr al-Bagdadi in Syria, and thanks to the U.S. commando service for risking their lives to make this happen.
Donald Trump, however, instead of acting like a hero, should apologize to the Kurds who held ISIS in check, for abandoning them.
Trump should also apologize to the U.S. Intelligence agencies for slandering them, and he should tell his minions, starting with his outrageous communications director, his pseudo-Attorney General, Bill Barr, his Secretary of State and his Chief of Staff to shut up.
Finally, if Donald Trump wants to demonstrate some wisdom (a tall order for him), he should stop acting like a puppy dog or a puppet for every cruel dictator he considers his friend, and that includes Vladimir Putin and Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey.
4
I just can’t imagine the bungling narcissist in chief tearing himself away from his six hour a day Fox habit to consider an operation like this. I suspect it actually took place under the direction of capable government officials and when al-Baghdadi was assumed dead his crayons were taken away so the situation could be explained. Never one to miss a chance at self-aggrandizement, he seized the moment to spin the story as the real heroes cringed In silence.
3
Amusing to see all the bitter defeated leftists here nitpick and quibble over Trump's takedown of Baghdadi. Give him credit.
Yes, the mideast has been at war with itself for a thousand years. Our policy should be to stay out of it as much as possible, but when our national security or vital interests are in jeopardy, do what we have to do without sacrificing our lives.
I might be an anachronism, but I still believe in the presumption of innocence, trial by jury, and the despicableness of capital punishment. Neither Baghdadi or Bin Laden before him received anything except the latter. Praise the intelligence community and Special Forces as much as one may want, but killing high profile suspects hardly engenders any sense of regular justice that should be afforded, especially when trying to score a victory in an ideological war. Trying, convicting, and imprisoning a terrorist does not create a martyr, it displays a criminal. Killing a suspect only mirrors the violence in America’s streets at the hands of brutal, trigger happy, cowardly, law enforcement.
Someone will say that both men deserve death. I’m no apologist for terrorists, I fought them myself as a soldier in Northern Ireland, but I am an apologist for justice and principle. I cannot see any victory in this event, only foreboding of vengeful wrath. Surely, to capture not kill high value suspects and expose their crimes to the world would help disempower terrorist agencies like IS? The Blind Sheikh, imprisoned ignominiously, is a prime example. What following does he have now?
Trump is now a killer. Think about how easy it was for him to become one, how guiltless it probably feels. Think about his crimes and excesses thus far, think of what may come.
2
It is astonishing to me that six years after this group began taking control of territory in Iraq and Syria, we’re still getting basic facts wrong.
It is factually incorrect to say that ISIS “emerged in 2014.” It was taking control of territory in Iraq and Syria by late 2013, and it began mounting coordinated insurgent campaigns in Iraq almost immediately after the US departure in late 2011.
But more importantly, ISIS evolved out of a group that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi founded in anticipation of the the 2003 invasion of Iraq. It is crucial for Americans to know that this group, which eventually became the Al Qaeda franchise in Iraq, was formed and maintained because of our invasion and occupation of Iraq. There is a direct line from that group to ISIS in terms of personnel, ideology, strategy, and tactics. US military power forced that group underground, but it was never able to destroy it.
It is amazing how narratives proposed in the wake of shocking news events — like the fall of Mosul to ISIS in 2014 — become cemented in the public discourse. One of those was the totally misinformed assertion that ISIS insurgents invaded Syria from Iraq, which went essentially unquestioned in most reporting on ISIS.
Someone with a foreign affairs column in the New York Times should be able to break down that kind of misleading narrative and provide us with an impression that transcends the mandate of daily reporting and analysis — but first they need to get basic facts right.
*invaded Iraq from Syria.
(Their base of operations was Iraq)
As long as the current president keeps breathing, rest assured, this story is never going to end.
4
That portrait of George Washington high (very high) above Trump's head says it all. What is Trump doing in the White House?
3
Trump was at his best flip flop during the announcement. All the scorn, derision, denigration, petty comments and cheap shots at the intelligence services that he has used over the past two years suddenly disappeared and he was singing their praises. It was a sad display.
3
It is time for all of us observers to step back. Let a fairy wave her magic wand and turn use into flying creatures. Then watch us take to the air where we can get a perspective on contemporary human warfare. We instantly spot a control center that has an inventory of all 7.3 billion humans with their global position. Then we see a secret launch site with precision missiles ready at a command to take out any individual on earth. Then we see another site, a hugh computer center which monitors the location of every firearm which is equipped with global position devices and cell phone transmission capabilities. The purpose of the center is to call into service any firearm as quickly as sending a text message. The removal of Al-Baghdadi and others sends the message that war making has changed dramatically in the age of the transistor. Humans need to put a lot of thought on this new world that makes 1984 look so ancient.
What were the causes of ISIS Mr Friedman? I recall you were a big supporter of the invasion of Iraq for bogus WMDs and fighting Saddam who for all his brutality had nothing to do with 9-11. I wonder if you see a connection between those two events? Or is that all forgotten now? Trump has gotten one thing right: that war was an unmitigated disaster. The fallout has been far worse than Saddam.
Don't first blame Trump, start with Bush and Cheney, who unleashed this demon with their cynical neo-conservative regime-change voluntary war to remake the Middle East, or not. OK so that blew up in our face, but they tried, as is the right of the US to meddle into foreign countries affairs as it suits it and then leave with its tail between its leg, like in Vietnam, when it fails. And it always fails.
Now blame Trump, who hasn't clue in the Middle East. He thanked Russia today for having helped kill a Sunni extremist who checked and balanced the Shiite Iranians. And he blew up the nuke deal w Iran with nothing to replace it. Such strategist. Or not.
So far, US is par for the course: no real clue coupled with lots of firepower and bravado.
2
I read that a replacement leader has already been named. Seems like they have a continuous list of new leaders - bit like a virus or super bug you can't get rid of.
3
There is no winning for the U.S. in the ME. Our efforts to be helpful to encouraging liberal democracy and the rule of law and human rights have been ham-handed and disastrous in Iraq and Afghanistan.
For cultures and people who have memories of 1,000 year-old injustices that guide their every day thinking and actions, the memories of Mosadegh's overthrow in Iraq, British and French colonial intrigues in the Suez in 1956 and a lengthy list of racist insults administered by the West are ever present.
The U.S. and Europe have eliminated themselves as legitimate players in this region, thanks to Bush and Cheney. Just as many will suffer and die with us or without us. The death toll under Saddam Hussein and Assad or the Taliban or Qaddafi in those countries without our regime-change wars would look about the same or less .
It would be easier for the West to abandon our dependency on oil --which is no easy lift--then to try and broker or influence humane outcomes here. 18 years of abysmal failure lnation-building" in Afghanistan is the lesson. Just get out.
And if you trust that Trump isn't running a scam to help his friends in the energy industry with his phony talk of troop withdrawals you are a fool.
2
Once again, your thoughtful, insightful column has clearly explained what I now choose to miss by muting or turning off that disgusting occupant in our (not his) White House. Thank you.
3
So far it's only... "Trump says..."
How sad that a vast majority of We The People assume our lying president is again lying.
1
I just want to point out that White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham, is one of Donald Trump's "Best And Brightest." So when Stephanie Grisham smeared civil servants as “radical unelected bureaucrats waging war on the Constitution’’ we need to take into account her vast knowledge of the constitution. Of course her elite education does not include college or university, but it does includes having graduated from high school in East Wenatchee, WA... Home of the Wildcats.
1
@Son Of Liberty
NICE!!!
Please make sure, very sure, that President Trump does not get any credit in his leadership for the elimination of al-Baghdadi. You see, he did not personally pull the trigger, hence he contributed nothing.
That tactic should please millions of Democrats in the US.
I honestly do not trust my government to tell me that the leader of ISIS was killed in a raid, precisely at a moment in time when the President was losing massive support amongst his base for retreating in Syria and selling out our ally there. Not for a minute do I believe this story. Would this leader really blow himself up with a suicide vest? How then could you confirm the kill? How convenient for Trump. When this evil man emerges in a few months with proof of life photos and recordings, I will not in the least be surprised.
3
"wells of decency"
Nice ring to that.
Killing a single person is meaningless in the overall scheme of things.
How long before one of Al-Baghdadi's lieutenants steps up to replace him?
89
@Matt correctly notes "Killing a single person is meaningless..."
Trump does not understand management, organizational structure, or bureaucracy at a fundamental level. As the unary executive in his business, nothing happens without his approval. It's why he thought firing Comey would end the Russia investigation.
His failure to understand that the unary executive model doesn't scale up to the Federal level contributes heavily to his incompetence as President.
5
@Matt already he is in place
2
Right on, Mr Friedman , in explaining nicely why we yet do not understand the enmity between the Sunni's and Shiites. At our peril for a long time.
3
Perpetual fawning, flattery, and adulation is Trump's magic potion -- but it is also his poison. He needs this fix so frequently that he accelerates an already frenetic news cycle with an endless barrage of bombast and lies. Rest assured this morning's hit of attention will quickly fade and, within days, he'll be scrounging around for another dose of attention. What he hasn't counted on is a base now conditioned for his quick fixes of insults and tweets. Needing more, this mission will fade from their collective memories as well. Meanwhile, the steady stream of multiple investigations will continue, will lead to his impeachment and, ultimately, will lead to his removal from office -- either courtesy of the Senate or the American people.
2
Trump is ignorant about Middle East policy, but so are most of his Democratic critics.
Bush sold the idea that we were at war against terrorism. Go to any of our military academies and they will tell you that terrorism is a tactic, not an entity, not a nation state and not an organization.
So who, or what have we been at war with for the last 18 years? Al Qaeda used terror tactics to punish the US for occupying sacred Muslim land. So we established an even bigger footprint in the region.
"The insurgents" in Iraq employed terrorism as a tactic to get us to leave the country. So we stayed and expanded our presence. In the process we killed over a million people and displaced several millions.
ISIS and al-Baghdadi were simply an outgrowth of "the insurgents." They were fanatical and ruthless but their goal was once again to get American troops out of Iraq.
That happened to be the same goal of the elected Iraqi government and they forced Bush to sign an agreement to remove our troops. Ten years later they're still there. Why?
Since 2003 our military presence in the Middle East has been a reaction to those who were reacting to our presence in the Middle East.
This is called circular logic. It justifies itself, but ultimately leads nowhere.
There will be praise and criticism for this military raid but there will be little or no serious discussion of our Middle East policy or the lack of one.
We have spent countless lives and trillions of dollars. We deserve better.
3
Dissing the dead is always bad karma. Surely the ISIS regime was heinous, but we will get absolutely no respect for donning their cloak of barbarity. We used to be better than that. Suicide bombers are not deterred by barbarity, rather it feeds their hearts with revenge.
1
Once again trump made it to the end of the checker board and is asking the AMERICAN people to “king him” while everyone else is in the region is playing three dimensional checkers and he has no clue what the next three moves are going to be.
2
After three years Trump finally gets a victory, however small. By next week this will be forgotten, ISIS will have a new leader, and Dirty Donnie will be back in the news, fighting for his political life for many good reasons.
3
Not alerting the whole Congress is a very large step in the takeover to complete power. A humiliating slap at most of our lawmakers and we, the American citizens.
2
A student doing a philosopher’s profile for a humanities course in prison many years ago did one on Tom Friedman. I told him Mr.. Friedman wasn’t a philosopher, but a commentator-opinion writer. The student was unimpressed by my distinction.
He might have been right.
The clarity and thoughtfulness of this and other Friedman pieces helps sort through the complications of historical fact and the foolishness of this president’s every articulation of his grandiose egoistic narratives.
I’m painfully uncertain of anything Mr Trump says. On the other hand, I note with attention what Mr. Friedman writes. May the latter long write on. And may the former just stop saying anything out loud.
3
Not all members of the intelligence community are blatant partisans.
2
Tom,
"Our troubles in the Middle East" are not over? Are you talking about our problems in Ohio (between the midwest and East coast?)
But you talk about SW Asia countries, sure they have problems, glad to help a bit with poverty but how are they our problems?
If we own their problems, aren't we to blame for them? And (moral hazard) they can resist change because Big Brother US has their back?
And if anything goes wrong with "our" solution to "our" problem, isn't that the only source of asymmetric attack?
Or do you have evidence that Osama or Al-Baghdi were aiming to, invade, overthrow and rule US from the White House?
We're still in a reality TV show, as Trump offered a cliff hanger about an announcement.
Sort of like, "tune in tomorrow!".
3
It's all about the oil; the long saga continues. Remember it was the Neocon Paul Wolfowitz who thought Iraq should pay for the damage the US invasion had caused using oil revenues. When the US invaded, they guarded the oil ministry, and left the museums to be looted.
3
What are the chances that Mr Trump will read this? Or that any of his folks who might will report on it to him?
2
An ideology does not end with the death of one person, as we have witnessed multiple times in the war against Al Queda and ISIS.
Unfortunately, the U.S. continues to fuel the Islamic fire, rather than quenching it by ending their presence and interference in the Middle East..
1
I'm glad Trump trusted this country's intelligence services and military specialists enough to get this done. But I continue to be distressed at the specter of such a thoughtless and shallow person at the helm of our nation. Baghdadi was brutal and evil, but he was a substantial, even formidable, enemy. If we claim he was a crying, terrified dog, we lose the ability to figure out how he succeeded, even though it was so temporary. If we get some sort of understanding for why so many apparently sincere people created so much cruelty and misery, we may be able to use it to protect ourselves. A wise man can learn from anybody, but a fool learns from no one.
2
Great article very telling, my take away is that over the years there have been so many half truth, so many puppet regimes, so many lies and greeds that we do not nor can not follow half of what is going on over there. All we seem to be doing is creating a deeper state by driving the worst of the worst underground and making them even more jihadist or perceived jihadist. Time to get off the oil band wagon
2
Tom Friedman has done a great service putting the al-Baghdadi demise in perspective. Trump is incapable of seeing any big picture or complex system. Aside from his towering ego, which blinds him to listening to anyone except himself or his echo chamber, he has the tiniest, narrowest focus in the universe. Everything is point to point transactional. Trump sees the Al-Baghdadi matter as an election asset. He can't see how deficient he is--how the rest of his Middle East "relationships", (al-SisI, Putin, Netanyahu, MBS) are destabilizing the region. I'm glad al-Baghdadi is gone, but how are we going to stop Trump from continuing to wreak havoc.
1
Although I am not your biggest fan, this one is well done. Thank you for this. This one might deserve a Pulitzer.
1
Freidman says, "Iraq has a much better government today," in his opinion and unsupported by any facts. Iraq's government now is so corrupt and useless at providing basic services that its citizens have been protesting in the streets and getting gunned down for doing so. Iraq now requires the US to prop it up financially and militarily, probably in perpetuity, a virtual US Territory. And Iraq's government is now spiritually aligned with Iran's theocracy. So Tom I really don't see how Iraq (or the USA for that matter) is any better today than before the invasion of 2003 that you supported.
For a second i thought that you. Mr. Friedman, from all commentators who cover the Middle East, will hail president Trump for eliminating Al-Baghdadi but instead you write an article to show how ignorant the president is. Following you since your book "From Beirut to Jerusalem" was published i must tell you that if presidents would have listen to you comments and advise on how to handle the Middle East situation the outcome would be worth than it is today. Of course ISIS is not finished but this murderous organization, as all its radical "relatives", from Al-Qaeda to Boko Haram and the Taliban, will continue to exist not because the USA policies are wrong or because democracy does not exist in the Muslim world but because the continuous hate between Sunnis and Shiites and because of the tribal society there. The president strategy to get out of the Middle-East but continue to fight terror makes more sense than to send thousands of American to try to "force" democracy in this area
Didn’t Dick Cheney and others say that Iraqi oil was going to pay for the 1st Gulf war? Good luck Trump with your oil idea. I’m sure American military families would love the thought that the lives of their loved ones would be put in harms way over oil that Trump’s buddies would make money on.
1
Ah, I know. Trump is now a great man. All is forgiven. No, not quite, not by a long shot.
1
Trump’s juvenile crowing about the death of a U.S. enemy is unseemly, cowardly and insipid. Unfortunately, he is going to repeat his vile description ad nauseam. While U.S. aid could be used to help fledgling democracies in the Middle East, these are probably poor countries with no oil or desire to purchase armaments from us. We tend to bring on corruption. I’d rather the UN or an alliance of countries work together to help countries that need it. Otherwise, fine article and review of how we got where we are.
1
I’m not really surprised by many of the comments.
Let Trump have his moment. His speech about whimpering, screaming, and dogs may have been over the top, but this political assassination was important.
And although I admire Pelosi and Schiff very much, he was probably right to keep them out of the loop. If the information had been leaked, the whole operation would have been put in danger or canceled.
So let Trump gloat. It doesn’t erase his horrible behavior in almost every other matter.
1
When the leader of a group of thugs like ISIS is killed it is a major step in defeating ISIS. It is too bad that Mr. Friedman cannot accept something positive that President Trump achieves. The successor was killed a day or so later. Another step forward. President Trump along with allies in the region have destroyed ISIS. We need to remember that ISIS came to power and started beheading people when Obama was President and his policies put the region under the control of ISIS.
I mean, did you really have even a shred of hope for Trump to demonstrate a comprehensive, nuanced version of events in the ME? He did exactly as expected - demonstrated ignorance of a situation, took credit for others' work, and made himself look vicious and petty by crowing, in an effort to distract from impeachment proceedings.
1
I though ISIS was defeated two weeks ago when Trump pulled out of Syria. How can this be a bigly victory for Trump, if they are already defeated. Why isn’t anyone pointing this inconsistency out?
1
I agree that these groups are bigger than any one individual. I disagree with Mr. Friedman’s assessment of the religious ideologues. Until we find a way to root out religious and racial idologies that claim theirs is the only way and that promote martyrdom in “service” to that way, we will see more bin Ladens, more Baghdadis, and more Timothy McVeighs.
Thomas the pressing problem in America there is no Gerald Ford waiting in the wings to unite and restore the nation.
Tom, let the man, Trump, enjoy this success, though, instead of piling insults on him right away. The man deserves kudos, like it or not.
Of course, the story does not end here. The story is Radical Islam. Until there is massive international pressure against it, political, economic, and cultural (global mass media), nothing will force or speed up the Secularization or at least the Enlightenment of the Muslim faith.
But the press is coddling Radical Islam and place it above criticism instead of harsh scrutiny for its treatment of women and gays, for beheadings, child weddings, and other barbaric practices. Instead of retreating, it has spread its dark wings in Europe.
I wish the press will follow Radical Islam with half the intransigence they reserve for 45.
This article is mostly accurate but omits one key trouble makers - Saudi Arabia and minimizes or ignore three other relevant events as described below.
The Saudis produced Bin Laden as well as 15 of the 19 hijackers who attacked us in 2001 . They also spread around the world, through their Madressas- Islamic Schools, the same apocalyptic version of Islam advanced by Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's.
Moreover , they fought the Shia sect of Islam directly in Yemen and indirectly through their supported terrorists in Iraq , Bahrain & Lebanon.
If el-Sisi is Trump's favorite dictator , MBS must be his favorite Prince. Let's recall that the same intel agencies Trump is now praising where the ones who told him that MBS ordered the murder & dismembering of an American resident & journalist, while visiting their Consulate in Istanbul .
Three other points :
1. stealing other Country's Oil, that Trump has been advancing since 2003, is not just just gibberish but actually against International law.
2. in 2012 Trump asked his twitter readers to stop congratulating Obama for killing Bin Laden because our special forces did it . Well the same forces caused the death of al-Baghdadi.
3. According to various Middle East shortwave radio stations , Iraq & its intel agencies were the ones that pinpointed al-Baghdadi's last hiding place and passed along that intel to Trump . Yet , Trump was effusive in his praise of Russia's role and as an afterthought mentioned Iraq .
2
"Trump’s effort to play down the significance of President Obama’s killing of bin Laden — while playing up his killing of al-Baghdadi as the key to creating the peace to end all peace — only shows how ignorant he is about the region."
Trump's crowing over the killing of al-Baghdadi has nothing to do with his knowledge of the Middle East, or lack of it. It is about exploiting a moment of favorable media attention to counteract a prior tsunami of bad publicity.
Trump sees the world, both foreign and domestic, as a series of WWE Friday Night Smackdowns. Each occasion is a separate media event, each with its own heroes and villains. The goal for every episode is to create a Trump triumph.
As with WWE, the dramatic logic of the event will often require last week's villain to become this week's hero, and vice-versa. This week the national security careerists are heroes of the al-Baghdadi takedown. Next week they will go back to playing the villains of the Ukrainian fiasco. Different week, different show, different plot.
"Only Trump would boast of defeating ISIS and thinking that all that needs to be done now is to protect the Middle East’s oil wells and America’s favorite dictators — and not its wells of decency."
Scroll back sixteen years:
"Only Bush would boast of defeating Saddam and thinking that all that needs to be done now is to protect the Middle East’s oil wells and America’s favorite dictators — and not its wells of decency."
Same Smackdown, neo-con cut.
3
The president’s abrupt decision to pull forces from northern Syria disrupted planning for the raid and forced the Pentagon to press ahead with a risky night operation, military officials said.
He may have well declared, “ It was the most beautiful” perfect undercover raid EVER, with the most bad evil guys killed in the fastest time, quicker than when we got Osama Bin Ladin”.
1
Trump is not talking about "protecting" the oil. He is not even talking about securing lucrative contracts to pump the oil. He is literally talking about stealing it, as he has done since before he was elected.
The left accused Bush of wanting to steal the oil--this was always a misinformed, oversimplified critique that betrayed a misunderstanding of the reasons for our involvement in the Iraq war and the Middle East. Yet it's completely, uncomplicatedly true of Trump--he wants to steal the oil.
Why is the media not dwelling on this obvious criminal intent?
Killing the gruesome and evil head of ISIS is undoubtedly a good thing. But of course Trump has no understanding of the history of the region, its nuances or how one event, like this one, may set off a chain of others. That would require strategic thinking and planning. Not his strong suit. What is his strong suit is declaring how great and wise he is, announcing a “victory” that he and only he could bring about, and denigrating other leaders who came before him.
So I hope Trump enjoys his few hours of self-congratulation. Then the military and “deep state” of our intelligence apparatus he frequently slanders can return to the job of figuring out what to do about the thousands of ISIS fighters who will return to freedom because of his abandonment of the Kurds. Because surely Trump won’t worry about them. After all, there’s no photo op or NRA mailer in that.
1
Trump's loyalists I'm sure are impressed with the Baghdadi kill. People who are not fools will know that the real question is not, 'Can we get a known terrorist leader today, after five years or so of Kurdish help?' but rather, 'Can we get an as yet unknown terrorist leader five years from today without the help of allies like the Kurds?' Not to mention that we have no idea as to what will be the disposition of the local state actors like Russia, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, etc. toward said future terrorist. Will they be our allies because of a common foe? Will they be in league with the terrorist a la Pakistani Intelligence?
1
Thomas L. Friedman continues to fail to appreciate the full dimensions of 14 centuries of Islam’s War Against the West upon the current 21 failing mid-east Muslim nations. See for example
“Sword and Scimitar” by Abraham Ibrahim. Both Al Queda and ISIS have strong historical antecedents in the complexities of Muslim history. And there’s every reason to expect “radical Islam” will remain an enduring feature of mid-east Muslim nations wrestling with the challenges of modernity and the demands of western civil institutions and rights at variance with well established Muslim precepts. For the foreseeable future there are few if any reasonable prospects for any of the mid-east Muslim nations to secure modern democratic governance with its bevy of civil rights and freedoms at variance with long established Muslim precepts. It’s not “failed governance” at Mr. Friedman claims. Rather its the unacceptable demands of “modernity” upon the very foundations of Islam. Even the astonishing oil and natural gas wealth of some mid-east Muslim nations has not encouraged their trajectory into western democratic norms of behavior.
1
It must be understood that everything Trump says is aimed at his gullible base. By skilled brainwashing and propaganda, this base has become so locked into him that no amount of reasoning can reach them. His impeachment or defeat in the next election is the only way we can restore the Presidency to decency. Only in America.
1
The Middle East will be the playground for Russia, China, terrorists, and the unstable autocracies. Then Trump will leave office and we will have to clean up the chaos.
Republicans have become a Party for illiberalism, right wing Christian dominance over society, xenophobia, divided power and privileges according to private wealth and power, and law and government serving their kind of Americans. They ignore five thousand years of human history in some fantasy that God or nature made them special so that they can safely live and prosper without doing anything but focus upon themselves. Trump is the symbol of what they believe is real and best, and will keep them the greatest people on Earth.
This country was inspired by thousands of years of recorded history but came into existence in less than twenty. The typical polity in human history is oligarchy, a group of powerful individuals controlling what everyone does. We could become like that rather quickly, no longer than it took to found this country.
1
Who would have believed that Mideast Politics was so complicated?
Since Mr. Trump does not like to read, perhaps an elementary school teacher should try and explain the content of this column to him, in simple language.
It's a long shot, but maybe he'll learn something.
This is a superb analysis, Mr. Friedman.
1
"Good for President Trump for ordering it..." you mean going along with what was set up and presented to him.
1
Affirmation after affirmation why Trump needs to be impeached and/or voted out of office. A mind is a terrible thing to waste and an uninformed mind is a danger to itself and those around it.
1
Why now? Out of the blue after all this time, as if Trump has pulled a rabbit out of his hat, as the IMPEACHMENT inquiry is heating up.
More wool over the American people's eyes? Especially his base? Don't believe any of it until all the necessary detail is published, may take months, years. Is Trump a lesser threat to humanity than Al Bagdadi? Absolutely not.
1
Maybe this isn't the right forum for this comment, but does anyone else find it chilling that in his gloating, Trump didn't have a single thought for the three child noncombatants? I almost get the sense that he is thrilled they died -- and in such a horrible way -- because it adds color to his narrative.
If the military and intelligence agencies had had the time to pursue the operation as they saw fit, would they have been able to take him when he was clear?
Dare I ask, was al-Baghdadi's death worth it? He was an administrative-type leader, not a cultish demagogue. What change do we expect we are going to see now?
For that matter, why are we supposed to feel pleasure at these execution raids? What happened to the courage and big-ness we showed at Nuremberg? We learned a lot from that experience and it allowed the rehabilitation and reconciliation of cursed enemies.
1
Listening to the vulgar bragging of Trump this weekend was indeed disturbing especially coming from a man who with Daddy’s and the doctor’s help manufactured the “bone spurs” excuse. A real soldier would be very quiet about the details and there would be no bragging.
Clearly, withdrawing our troops from Syria and abandoning the Kurds was on the list Putin has for Trump. Putin knows what’s coming. Through impeachment or an election loss, he will loose his agent in the US.
1
When you learn to sword fight for the Shakespearean stage, you are taught that knights treat the dead, no matter how hated the enemy, with respect. No grinning in the battle scene.
Trump’s end-zone dance was ignoble and nauseating. He dishonors the work of our intelligence and Delta Force warriors. He diminishes America with his hideous behavior. He adds insult to injury to the Kurds who helped us with this mission even though he’d abandoned them.
Not in our name.
1
So Trumpster isn’t the self proclaimed stable genius and chosen one after all? Say it isn’t so Tom. I’m crushed, I’ll tell you. It’s all been one big reality television show to him. At least our former President Ronald Reagan was a decent B movie actor before his political ambitions took flight. Donald J. Trump can’t even read or talk properly in any intelligent coherent manner, so it’s to no one’s surprise that you have detailed his deficiencies in foreign affairs in the Middle East so adequately. His press conference to announce the successful secret mission, had failed miserably. For one thing it was too long. If the situation wasn’t such a serious matter, it would all be outright comical.
Elect these bunch of misfits and clowns, except a circus!
1
Only his base, listens to or believes what he says anyway.
2
Mr. Friedman, I believe you were for the Bush invasion of Iraq. How did that work out?. We don’t need Saudi oil and, consequently, Israel. We better start taking care of America and Americans. That’s probably why Trump will be re-elected.
As Mr. Friedman fails to acknowledge, the storming of the compound has provided an enormous trove of documents on funding, names, actions.
Moreover, since al Baghdadi was given no time to anoint a successor, various local leaders will compete with each other, making them easier to take down.
But most of all, the Trump destruction of the ISIS territory, which Obama never managed to achieve, will stop all those young people from coming to join. And with the leader gone, the momentum is gone as well...
1
@otroad dId our "allies" the Kurds have any role in the Trump destruction of ISIS territory?
Oh please, from you lips to God’s ears
It's important to note that Kurds played prominent roles in the location of & the successful US action against not only Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, head of the Islamic State, but also Abu Hassan al-Muhajir, another senior figure in the Islamic State hierarchy & reputed to be high in line to succeed al-Baghdadi.
This important cooperation by the Kurds occurred at the very time that the Trump Administration was actively complicit in actions by Turkey that will result in abrupt & unplanned for ethnic cleansing of Kurds from a large area of North-East Syria & the forced relocation of more than a million Syrian Arab refugees in Turkey to take the Kurds' place in that area.
This was not a case where one hand of the Trump Administration did not know what the other hand was doing.
This was cold-blooded & cannot be reassuring to US allies around the world.
3
Big win. I still feel it was not necessary to be that graphic or to threaten to release the video "like a movie". Not only for national security reasons. Displaying equipment, strategies and, tactics to the enemy is not smart.
But we are not ISIS. ISIS beheads people calling them horrible things. They tape it and publish the videos on the internet. We should no do that. We should not go on TV saying "like a dog", "screaming", and the name-calling. We are not the mafia either.
Additionally, that behavior only promotes new levels of hatred for the next Al-Baghdadi who, like you pointed out, is already in the making.
5
No, the death of Al-Baghdadi is not the end. Trump, who knows more about the military than the Generals does not realize that there is a chain of command and the next man might even be worse.
3
A person can be killed but the idea will outlast more than a life span. The Roman crucify Christ but his idea lives on. Marks, Engels, Adam Smith passed on long ago but their ideas live on in all forms of modern society. The idea of ISIS can be rekindled wherever a similar chaotic social condition in a war-torn country rises again.
3
History may someday show more differences than now are apparent in the operations that killed Asama bin Ladin in the Obama Era and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in the Trump Era. Operational security in both cases was very tight --- Trump's maybe a bit more so than Obama's. Obama kept the Pakistani's in the dark; Trump seems to have kept the Turks and Kurds in the dark After-action reports by Obama and Trump have been condemned by their critics for revealing operational details the Pentagon preferred to be kept secret. Obama's briefing was modest in length and character; Trump's was effusive and boastful.
3
And tomorrow, or the day after, King trump's base will jump back onto the "anti-deep state" bandwagon. They'll disparage the CIA and FBI as soon as His highness starts griping about witch hunts and the like. That's the most frustrating aspect of this; how typically law abiding, and allegedly law respecting citizens can so quickly turn against the law by a conman and grifter.
2
While ISIS had territory it attracted young people from all over the world, it was the promised caliphate. It had begun, and it was supposed to grow and take over the world.
All that is gone now, after the Trump administration destroyed its territory. It still takes some actions, but it's nowhere near the same.
Trump has acknowledged that ISIS may still inspire scattered actions.
I would reserve the disdain for the Obama administration, which minimized ISIS as JV, and was unable to finish off their caliphate.
2
Foremost among my thoughts about our "president" is that he cannot be trusted with state secrets. For this reason, I cannot believe that he was given the information about the raid on Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi very far ahead of the actual happening. Otherwise, he would have been busy contacting others to let them know about what was in the works --perhaps people like Putin or Erdogan or MBS in Saudi Arabia.
I also worry about state secrets after Trump is out of office. (Which will be soon, I hope. I like to think of him as "Don of a Thousand Days.") Our Dear Leader will most likely need to be sequestered in a secure space so that he will not reveal any classified information that he has -- no doubt inadvertently -- learned while in office.
Has America ever before needed to worry about this topic in our history? Seriously. A president with "loose lips"?
2
My wild guess is that what happened in Syria will have less impact on the election than what happened at the baseball game.
Heaven forbid all those Trump supporters start to worry that he isn't cool anymore. Getting booed at a baseball game, that's serious stuff.
Nobody cares about Syria. At least not in the Trump crowd.
4
@David Martin
Trump supporters probably will not worry that Their Stable Genius isn't cool any more, because of the booing at the baseball game.
They will chalk it up to "The Hostile Washington, D.C. Crowd", and defend Trump..............until the impact of his tariff wars or other missteps bites them.
I watched some of the announcement but had to shut it off after a few minutes. The reason? Our president has zero credibility.
3
Mr. Friedman, this opinion piece is an enlightening brief history of"Battleground Middle East". With SO much knowledge of this topic I wonder why you were so obsequious to MBS, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia in an interview on the PBS program, FRONTLINE. My husband and I recently viewed this informative program. For me to trust you as a journalist I have to come to an understanding on your relationship to the crown prince and Saudi Arabia. Please, go ahead inform me. Thank you, Jean Allen
2
Trump could not even give us the good news that a fearful terrorist had been killed without indulging in self congratulation and way too much gory information.He transformed a serious moment into a tasteless and controversial recitation of his admiration for dictators,his wish for oil in payment for our effort and his naive implication that Isis is wiped out.His praise for the Intelligence Agencies, the Army Delta Team and the Kurds was muted in comparison to his lavish praise to Russia and Turkey for allowing use of air space.He was gleeful in his recitation of events-Obama was solemn and appropriate when he announced the death of Osama bin Laden.Trump always proves that it is all about Trump!
5
@JANET MICHAEL
I think Trump deserves the same accolades as those given by conservatives to Obama when the Seals killed bin Laden.
Of course, the game show host sees things exclusively through the tunnel-vision of immediate ego gratification.
It is impossible to defeat any idea by killing an individual.
The idea only can be destroyed and defeated theoretically, not by a physical violence, the shock and awe, massive bombardment or a war…
3
@Kenan Porobic
The next terrorists are children orphaned in Yemen by the Saudi air force dropping American bombs.
Tom, let the man, Trump, enjoy this success though, instead of piling insults on him right away. The man deserves kudos, like it or not.
Of course, the story does not end here. The story is Radical Islam, and until there is massive international pressure against it, political, economic, and cultural (international mass media), nothing will force or speed up the secularization pr or at leas Enlightenment of the Muslim faith.
But the media is coddling Radical Islam and place it above criticism instead of harsh scrutiny for its treatment of women and gays, for beheadings, child weddings, and other barbaric practices. Instead of retreating, it has spread its dark wings in Europe.
Just like removing Baghdadi will not make ISIS and other extremists vanish neither will removing Trump get rid of Trumpism in this country. It is a necessary step but there is much more work to be done to decrease the rot in the present US government:
the Trump enablers need to lose elections, some way must be found to reset the moral compass of Trump supporters. You can never reach them all but decreasing their number is essential if for the US to become again a leader of the civilized world rather than a provider of chaos and mistrust.
3
It could be the end if the US wants it to be.
There is ZERO point ZERO chance of the middle east becoming a modern, liberal, libertarian, or just plain sane region, and now that the US is energy sufficient (more so with the the upcoming advancements in green energy), there is nothing that the middle east produces that we want.
Other than protecting Israel, the only functioning democracy, what is it that the US wants? Europe is a different story -they need the energy exports, and they are the ones that face the immigration issue.
If you want a humanitarian mission - there are many places in Africa that would be much more hospitable to US effort. Heck - how about Mexico and Central America? How about Guatemalans, Salvadorians, Nicaraguans that are living in war zones.
3
The criticism of the president for giving Syria to Russia has obviously penetrated that thin skin of his. Thanking the Russians for their help in the raid (Russians don't appear to know what he's talking about) was his first order of business in that speech. He wants us to believe that the Russians are our allies and are always willing to jump in and help America.
So, of course, I believe it.
1
"When (45) praises Baghdadi as his favorite victim and el-Sisi as his favorite dictator, all he is doing is walking in place. We're actually getting nowhere." Nowhere man in the WH infected and disoriented staff members like Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham. She recently sent a tweet disparaging the competence of General John Kelley. Before leaving the WH General Kelley advised the President not to hire "yes men" or he would be impeached. John Kelley's distinguished career in the Marines included service in many different places both combat and peace time at home and abroad and a variety of educational settings until he became a Four Star General. Stephanie Grisham's response to General Kelley might as well have been by Kim Jung-un's press secretary, "John Kelley (was) totally unequipped to handle the genius of our great president." John Kelley's fear came to pass in the form of a "Yes- Woman"! We will go nowhere from here if the wisdom and experience of our best Generals are diminished, ignored, and maligned.
5
@craig80st
It’s discouraging to watch fellow humans debase themselves like Trump’s sycophants regularly do in embracing the myth of Trump’s competence.
From that sickening first Cabinet meeting, the die was cast.
Kelly knows that the only people who will be “yes men” are those deficient in either competence or integrity.
2
I love how “pro-Iranian” is mentioned only negatively throughout the article while pro-Iranian soldiers were the main people fighting ISIS on the ground along side Kurds. There is even one place where an equivalency is made between pro-Iranian forces and ISIS. Love the journalistic tactiques and the misinformation.
It's a safe bet that Al-Baghdadi has already been replaced by someone just as bad or worse. Friedman is right; if the conditions that produced Al-Baghdadi aren't changed, the snake will always grow another head. Trump has done what he could to promote and preserve those conditions.
I think once more, Putin is smiling.
8
Did anyone notice during his televised announcement that Trump referred to himself as “Commander in Chief of the United States,” rather than of the U.S. armed forces? In my opinion, the nuance of omission is telling.
4
Trump is once again using his ignorance of history to whip the news cycle away from the impeachment storm about to engulf him. Ever the master of the media, he’s using the death of a wanted man to demonstrate that the means of utter corruption justifies the ends, as if it’s proof of his genius. All we need to know about this episode is the first person he thanked was Vladimir Putin. He’s confirmed for all to see that he had to know tow to Putin by trading the loyalty and dedication of our Kurdish allies for “walk-on part in the war for a lead role in a cage” (yes I’m quoting Pink Floyd). It’s great he’s dead, but there’s really no way this ends well.
4
The only action that Trump took was to cancel NYT and WAPO subscriptions that he can’t comprehend anyway let alone Tom Friedman’s analysis of how Trump has further emboldened dictators and weakened democracies.
Our intelligence agencies and forces eliminated the ISIS leader despite Trump not because of him. He cares not a whit for the human cost of his latest moves, his only greedy instincts to protect the oil fields. If he wants to hog all the credit, he can also receive all the fall out for leaving the Kurds defenseless.
2
Nobody should forget that this country created ISIS. After George W. Bush ordered the invasion of Iraq in 2003, the Sunni military leaders and soldiers were disbanded and replaced by untrained Shiite soldiers and their leaders. The disbanded Sunni soldiers and their officers, seeking revenge for their disbandment, joined the emerging ISIS movement and became their military might. Without them, ISIS would only have been a fledging jihadist movement.
5
Casting this as a war for oil, and and a “glorious victory” because of the death of one head of the hydra, reminds me of Napoleon marching into Moscow, only to be confronted by an empty city. No people, no riches, just a frozen march backward. Tolstoy (and I’m doing a closer reading of his great work as an anti-war novel here) was exactly right- peace outweighs war!
2
Of course we are all glad that al-Baghdadi is dead. Good riddance.
But since I don't trust anything that Trump says, I wonder about the timing.
Perhaps our intel people convinced Trump that, since he pulled most of our troops out of Syria and left the Kurds to die, this would probably be our last best chance at al-Baghdadi?
And, of course, there is his need to divert attention from impeachment.
Things that I would never have thought about under Obama or even Bush.
2
I have lived as a mature adult and now a senior though all of our military operations in the Middle East since Ronald Reagan sent troops to Lebanon and George HW Bush ousted Saddam Hussein from Kuwait. Mr. Friedman is right to call out Trump as ignorant about the Middle East. However, he is in good company since every President from GHW Bush to Trump has attempted to solve the Middle East problems without much success and with a lot of bravado about peace initiatives, ephemeral success against radical Islamic jihadists, and prior to Trump, an invasion of Iraq, an Arab Spring, Red Lines in the Sand and a debacle in Libya and a premature military withdrawal from Iraq.
Personally, I think there is plenty of ignorance of the Middle East at the President level and that every President from Reagan to Trump reeks of hubris and ignorance about the subjects Mr. Friedman discusses in his article. I hope Trump is a one-term President, however, he is no worse than his predecessors with respect to the Middle East and Mr. Friedman has conveniently forgotten his many articles scolding prior Presidents for their lack of competence in dealing with the Middle East.
1
Very good Dr. Friedman. Sometimes I find your columns over the top and slanted. This one was right on. Perhaps you would consider a guest appearance on the Fox site, with this article. Many of the Trump followers have no idea of the well explained situation, you have described.
2
It used to be we always said we were fighting over there in the name of democracy. We have always wanted dictators friendly to the U.S. who made sure the oil kept flowing. Trump removes the politically correctness to that and comes right out and says "We want your oil". Well if and when the war in Syria ends, who will pay to rebuild that country? Where will the money come from? Their oil? Not if Trump has any say about it. Do we need their oil? No. Wouldn't it be far better to help Syria get back on it's feet and be able to pay for it's own reconstruction using it's own oil resources? Or is it better to ask the world for help so Trump can say no. Ah yes going in there, leaving the place a mess, and then taking the oil. Who would ever have a problem with that? Destroy the caliphate and help another rise from the ashes. And when it does, who will they blame? Russia? Nope. Trump. A guy who can't stop gloating and rubbing it in that the leader of ISIS is dead and died 'whimpering and crying'. I'm sure that just makes the ISIS folks want to lay down their arms and go home.
1
For some reason Friedman's "islands of decency" reminds me of President Carter's "island of stability". Guess which country in the middle east he was referring to. (Hint: the second largest country in the middle east and Friedman's favourite boogyman.)
I listened to President Donald Trump's video today online of his announcement that Al-Baghdadi is dead. And his facial expressions. He's a very proud man that on occasion does not know his self-worth. Especially, as U.S. President since he was elected by the American people in 2016. But maybe that is what the American people want a showman. Not a politically correct politician. Too bad.
To bad that the C.I.A. who confirmed with tape or audio of the murder of a Washington Post journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi dissident isn't a priority for President Donald Trump? Isn't that what President Donald Trump wants here in the U.S. to weed out dissidents, imprison them and "Lock Her Up" as he said in his campaign with Democratic rival Hillary Clinton?
Russia knows Trump. Hence, the U.S. had to get permission beforehand? They didn't have to when the U.S. gave Turkey free reign in Syria against the Kurds and the Free Syrian Army.
2
How does the media not realize they've being played by trump AGAIN?!
On a daily basis trump decides the shiny object and the press chases it.
What do you think will happen once the democrats have a nominee?
The press should have treated this like a trump rally. Broadcast the initial announcement and then leave once he starts on. his unstable narcissist rant.
If the press is going to behave in 2020 like they did in 2016, trump's going to have smooth sailing.
3
I’m a Democrat.
Probably an Independent.
I reluctantly voted for Hillary because both candidates nauseated me.
Obviously I did not vote for Trump.
I did not vote for Bush. Either one.
I voted for Obama then Romney.
I always wanted MY president to be successful. It sickened me in 2008 when Rush Limbaugh said “I hope Obama fails. He’s not my president!”
Pray for the president’s successes for the country, whoever occupies the White House. Move onto the 2020 election and let the voters decide.
Let the true little people (Adam, Nancy, Mitch and Lindsey, to name a few) duke it out in the hallways, not the chamber and back channels. I’m not asking for civility, just the behavior expected from any B minus 7th grader. Electorate included.
Tom’s comments, as usual, are cogent and educational.
However, I’m still reeling from listening to Trump Sunday morning. I do my best not to read his tweets or listen to his “speeches”. But the event seemed important enough for my wife and I to listen, at least to the first 10 minutes.
To put it mildly, I was sickened by his language, by his obvious delight in twisting the knife, describing a scene in which a bad man died—but died with three terrified children. All I could think about was the children. And about who in our country was rubbing their hands and delighting in this moment. If any one act showed who Trump is at his core, it was this disgusting display.
3
I'm sure that from now until election dat that President Trump will be bragging about how "HE" got al-Baghdadi. Of course the minor detail that all He did was approve the raid will be totally ignored. The real heroes are the soldiers that participated in the raid and the members of the Intelligence Agencies that provided the crucial logistics that allowed this raid to even happen. Let us not also forget that if President Obama had not initiated a policy of finding and killing the Military Leaders of ISIS that President Trump never would have had the opportunity to approve this raid.
3
We are past analysis. The facts are known and the results are in. While the House of Representatives must continue its work, the Senate has already told us all that they will shun theirs. Trump will either be re-elected in November 2020 or he will be ousted. Ousting him will not be easy.
We are past analysis. Now is the time for action or apathy. Action means voter registration and education. Apathy is a vote to re-elect.
3
Friedman's argument -- that Trump's praise for the CIA agents who helped in this attack somehow requires Trump to ignore the fact that political appointees at the top of the CIA plotted against him during his campaign and after his election-- is specious and a straw man. As the upcoming report from the Inspector General and the upcoming indictments from DOJ will show.
“President Trump was effusive in his praise for the U.S. intelligence agencies who found and tracked al-Baghdadi to the lair in Syria where he blew himself up to avoid being captured. In his news conference, Trump went on and on about just how good the men and women in our intelligence agencies are.”
Trump was more effusive about taking credit for the mission himself as if he alone mastermind and orchestrated the entire mission. Truly, the world is a better place without someone as ruthless as Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. With that said, Trump did not go far enough in commending our soldiers/military people. It was our brave men and women who risk their lives in this monumental mission who deserve all of the credit….bar none. However, Trump and the Republicans do not see this as a victory for the security of the Nation or the World but as a victory for the President and his run for re-election.
123
@A.A.F. The world would be a much better place without the likes of Donald Trump, too!
8
And note that in his statement before he thanked our brave servicemen who pulled off the raid he had to stop and give a big shout-out to his murderous dictator masters from Russia, Turkey, Syria, and Iraq. It’s as though we’ve joined their club! How could our once-great country have fallen so low?
10
Very informative article. I learned a lot about the complexities behind my own simplistic view of ISIS by reading this column's many paragraphs, to the end, with attention and focus.
I'm so glad the people you see in the background at President Trump's rallies will be doing the same!
5
You mention that the current situation in Egypt is pretty much the worst case a scenario. I agree with that whole heartedly, but what good in Egypt look like? If you were Pharaoh for year, with no mission but to organize elections and build institutions what could or could not be done. It has a population approaching one hundred million, very low levels of education, low levels of industrialization, and a massive grain bill. My back of the envelope calculation is that tourism, and the Suez canal provide at most 20% of the foreign exchange it needs to function. To reiterate, it cannot feed itself, indeed all climate trends point to lower food production instead of more. So what does good look like?
3
The framers of the Constitution no doubt had people like Trump in mind when they added an impeachment clause to the Constitution. Their mistake was in thinking that the politicians would have enough spine to use it.
11
why did he mention and thank russia more than the american servicemen/women and intelligence agencies?
nancy pelosi has it right - everything leads back to russia
and - he knew about the planned operation before giving the order to take american troops out of the picture. that surely put more pressure on military planners and operators that carried out the mission.
it's as if he did what he could so it might not work out, but the training, skill and capabilities of the special forces enabled them to complete the mission despite the less than optimal situation.
15
Excellent, Mr. Friedman. Thank you.
Now the bad news: Trump's hollow victory cry will be enough to keep the crazed view of his voters. Since Democrats are not talking about foreign policy and only about expanding Medicare, it may be just enough to re-elect him.
4
Oh, perfect example of corruption leading to extremism - 70% of the people support Medicare for all, but let’s talk about foreign policy.
1
Even when Trump is right -- to withdraw American troops from the Middle East -- he's wrong in the way he does it. He does not care about consequences, short term or long term, because he cannot think too far far beyond his next TV appearance. He is all about his infinite wisdom and winning big.
In truth, the American military presence in the middle east, with bases in countries like Saudi Arabia, helped give rise to radical Islamic violence. Saudi Arabia's support of radical schools all over the Muslim world did not help.
The only positive role for America in the Middle East is to promote peace between Israel and her neighbors. And that means an end to the occupation and illegal settlements. Trump and his wiz kid negotiator ought to listen to J Street rather than AIPAC in formulating policy.
It is 14 months and counting to the end of his Presidency, unless 20 Republican Senators find the courage to end it sooner. The world cannot wait.
8
Thomas Friedman, THANK YOU for your brilliant explanation of the mess in the Middle East and the ignorance of our current president. And, @David Potenziani , Durham, NC (commenter) Thank you for shining a light on the underpinnings of our problem here in the USA. Trump is just the superficial anti-governance “Figure Head” that obscures many structural defects in the foundations of our government. By electing this “Reality TV Actor/Hospitality Host/Simpleton” who encourages the idea that Ignorance is Bliss, we have also, hopefully, spotlighted the numerous corrections that need to be implemented in order to strengthen our own democracy. The light at the end of this long tunnel is not only to get rid of Trump in 2020, but to elect a highly regarded, well educated, intelligent, human being with integrity, fealty, and dedication to the separation and Balance of Powers, to the American Constitution, Democracy and the Rule of Law.
14
A raid of this sort, masterminded by intelligence professionals, was a win-win, low-risk proposition for Trump. Now that it is successful he can take credit, but if it had failed he could blame intelligence and the military, bolstering his claims about the deep state domestically.
14
Thank you for this analysis. The Republican political class places all of the blame for the formation of ISIS on Barack Obama, and gives Trump all of the credit for reducing its footprint. As stated in the column, it was Bush Administration policies that led to ISIS: invading and removing the government of Iraq in the first place; excluding former Baathists from government and the military in Iraq's new government; and negotiating a withdrawal of U.S. troops before the government had stabilized (Obama just carried it out). It was President Obama who organized a coalition to fight ISIS, which Trump inherited. Trump did not single-handedly destroy ISIS, which is not even destroyed.
It would be so refreshing if Congressional Republicans would tell the truth, instead constantly trying to cast Democrats in a negative light.
9
And to keep suggesting, as our POTUS does, that we're staying there only to protect the oil fields won't help diffuse the attitude in Syria, Iraq, Iran, ... that we're only there to take their oil.
6
It's interesting that Trump used the Diplomatic Reception Room for his announcement. Normally, Presidents use Cross Hall to make important announcements, as Obama did when Bin Laden was taken out. Perhaps Trump wanted to associate himself with George Washington, who's picture was on the wall behind him. At least, that would be better than his regular backdrop, Andrew Jackson. But the best association with Washington Trump could make is that Washington is out of office. Now, that's a change we can live with.
6
The point of Mr. Friedman’s column is that removing one evil person will not remove evil. The wellsprings of sectarian enmity remain. The corruption that frustrates and injures the people remains. The pain of the conflicts in the Middle East continues.
Let us not forget this lesson as we consider the removal of Trump through constitutional means. While he may be the focus of our attention, he is not the only cause of our troubles. Propped up by GOP members of Congress who live in fear of their gerrymandered electorate, our domestic corruption and folly will remain when Trump leaves. Fueled by super PACs of secret money from the top tenth of a percent, they will continue to deliver disproportionate benefits to their benefactors.
We need to school ourselves not to just see the evil person, but to see the evil policy that injures us. Not to focus just on the evil results, but to understand the system that produces them. We need to do more than change personnel. We need to change our political focus to align with our values.
866
@David Potenziani - Trump has had a lot of help getting into high office, and even more keeping him there. That cabal that protects Trump is our evil to deal with hopefully by constitutional processes.
By all means lets use constitutional mechanisms to remove Donald Trump from office.
There is a lot of voter suppression going on that is eroding our constitutional mechanisms.
So, very sad over that.
64
@David Potenziani
Thank you for an important comment that emphasizes the underlying theme of Mr. Friedman's piece and underlines the absolutely crucial task that lies ahead - reform of the system that has allowed such abuse of power to flourish in our country.
41
@David Potenziani Great analysis. As Pogo said in the 1960's about the Vietnam war, "We have met the enemy, and he is us." Eric Sevareid, CBS newsman of the same era, said it in a different way about that war in 1969, I paraphrase, "There is nothing wrong with America, but there is something currently wrong with American values." Over the last 50 years our values have eroded to the point where a "Trump" can be elected and people cannot see the evil. Where are the marches in the streets? The protests?
56
This was a successful operation and am inclined to give most of the credit to the career military and civilian experts who pulled it off. Some credit is indeed due to the President and whichever of his political appointees helped give it the green light.
I cashed government pay checks for thirty-eight years of military and civilian service. It was my job to achieve things that made the political people look good. I watched the President's announcement this morning and it didn't bother me that he was taking credit for the work of people that were far below his pay grade. What bothered me was the vulgar and unprofessional gloating. The people who took risks to achieve this success were professionals. He announced their victory like the rankest of amateurs.
1602
@Ralph
I cannot believe that POTUS' colorful description of this successful military operation was completely accurate. His record on veracity is rather poor.
What you "vulgar and unprofessional gloating," does not help our goals, America's goals, not POTUS' in the Middle East.
50
Well said! Let’s hope our future is one without DJT!
105
@Ralph
Last week Trump gave ISIS their biggest win in ages when he abandoned our allies in Syria. Thing is, that fiasco actually made this mission harder not easier--as reported here and elsewhere. In my book, he gets credit only for making the mission more risky for our young men and women.
102
The future of democracy in the world bound up with concepts such as "Deep States", "Islands of Decency", "Intelligence Agencies", emerging counter organizations to the fluid organizations known as Criminal and/or Terrorist in the world today?
Living in America is really weird these days. It appears relatively easy to identify bad people, everybody from far away terrorist organizations to President Trump, and the good appears more and more remote, concealed, couched: Deep State, neutral, non-partisan government actors defending our Constitution, etc. It's weird because the names of the bad and the numberless ways of branding them are front page news, but the good is nameless, composed of whistleblowers, the anonymous, elite and secretive units, intelligence agencies, etc.
It's strange because there's no obvious model of the good (how do you find non-partisan, honorable people not to mention join the Deep State? Is it not as remote, surreal as joining comic book heroes, the Justice League of America?). In fact the good seems an elite, exclusive affair, so mysterious you have to wonder if you are more likely to end up on the list of the harmful to democracy, etc. than be admitted to the Deep State.
It's as if both good and evil are crawling away from the average person, finding places to hide. Hope is in the secretive: Terrorists hope to find a place of own, ideally unknown, and the good does the same. No one trusts state of visible existence in the world.
1
Don’t be so discouraged! There are all sorts of good people and organizations in the US, in your town, and in your community. Watch less TV, get off your IPhone and get engaged with your community.
As long as there is oil, there will be strife in the Middle East. This tribal part of the world relies on whoever controls the black gold. America has always been complicit in this. It powers our economy so we still need it in friendly hands and within our control. Climate change is starting to throw another wrench in the works, but with no real leadership, we continue to only put out small fires and remain locked in this vicious cycle of events.
5
Well, nobody has it right, or it wouldn’t be the mess it is, and they certainly don’t need a third party protecting their oil, or do they? Isn’t that what Saddam marched into Kuwait about, which started this whole mess? Wasn’t his country in financial trouble because of the price of oil? Haven’t other wars been started because one country or another found themselves in financial hot water? How about, next time a country is in trouble, the world work to mitigate the problem, being completely honest with the people, because most are inherently good and will pitch in and help if they know and understand. Instead, we witness what you spoke of - corruption and how it leads to extremism.
3
I keep repeating that Trump's followers are the Friday nite bar crowd. It is obvious that Trump himself has as much understanding of world affairs as anyone sitting at the bar.
8
Despite the 1-man victory, we are all entrenched. For or Against Trump.
My concern is how much Trump will "trade" to get to his goal of 2020. This situation may have been due to such a "trade" with Putin. Open airspace for...
Be careful America....we have a single-minded TV evangelist in our midst.
7
Watching Trump squinting while haltingly reading off of the Teleprompter was painful to watch. It reminded me of watching fourth graders being screened for remedial reading classes.
11
I listened on the radio but came away with the same impression - this is someone reading words but not really knowing what he was saying. Kind of like how I can pronounce Spanish - I know how to make the sounds - but can actually only comprehend a small fraction of what I’m reading . So the affect is flat; it does not betray comprehension.
What I heard was a speech someone else wrote to mimic the rhythms and vocabulary of Trump. It was an almost comically distilled version of his favorite words and phrases.
2
Excellent commentary, particularly the lesson on recent Middle East history.
Trump says Al-Bagdhadi is dead, confirmed by a rapid-DNA identification of the blown up remains. Perhaps. But this Administration is known for its lies, and dictates what its military and Cabinet officials can say. It would be good to have independent verification of Bagdhadi's death.
Not that his death would bring peace to the Middle East. There is the power vacuum left by al-Bagdhadi and the various terrorist factions to fight for leadership.
But primarily, with American influence gone in Syria, Russia has happily stepped in to replace it. While wanting influence in the Middle East for a long time, their true goal is to take back parts of the former Soviet Union that are now E.U. countries.
Putin could put eager anti-West ISIS terrorists to work for him, attacking Europe and any other "islands of peace" in the Middle East. Putin wants to crush democracy and the West. He wants to dominate. In this, he and Middle Eastern religious leaders are in agreement.
Trump's loyalty to Putin puts Europe, and then the U.S., squarely in Putin's crosshairs.
6
Right. We'll have a hard time finding any allies in the Middle East after Trump's betrayal of the Kurds, should we need such allies to protect American interests or go after another high-value terrorist target like Al-Baghdadi. And by American interests I do not mean guarding Syrian oil fields. Since Trump made a point of bragging that we are now energy self-sufficient, what's he doing sending troops to guard Mideast oil? And if he's serious about bringing our troops home, why has he sent more troops to Saudi Arabia, boosting our military presence in the Middle East to 14,000 soldiers?
7
Let's not forget that three children were blown to bits along with Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Trump adding a sensational spin on this is revolting. Many kudos go out to the actual operatives that worked so hard to pull this off. They are the boots on the ground and in the air that possibly have been working on this long before you know who was elected. Brave brave patriots that probably even have heel spurs, yet do exceptional things.
12
Excellent analysis; succinctly stated. I Tweeted it. However, please take note w/r/t gender: "...they do empower their women and they do encourage modern education." Remove "their" from women to correct the depiction women not as passive subjects of male power, but agents in this and all parts of the world. Which of course they and/or must be if there is to be positive political change.
4
I dislike Trump as much as the next guy but he still gets credit for being Commander and Chief at the time.
What does surprise me is how long Trump was able to keep quiet and not tweet something that would have spooked Bahgdadi. Maybe that's why intelligence only gave him three weeks advance notice of where they believe he was holed up.
Imagine Trump having to keep quiet for months like Obama did about the bin Laden raid. And anyone want to bet Trump would have showed bin Ladens mutilated face after they got him?
1
Tom may think that Trump is just an oil loving and dictator loving ignorant, and has no concern to Middle East's humanity and decency. It looks like Tom's partisan views blind him to see what is really happening. Trump is the one who eliminated ISIS caliphate within a short period after it took over vast areas of Iraqi and Syrian land during Obama's time as a result of his "smart" policies. Trump is the one who took military action against Assad when he used chemical weapons against his own people. Now, Trump has eliminated Al-Baghdadi as well. For this he got help of Russia, Turkey, Syria and Syrian Kurds, and Iraq. This cooperation is the beginning of the end of hostilities and blood shed in Syria and Middle East. This cooperation was possible only because of the trust created between the leaders of these countries and Trump as a result of the recent decision of Trump to move American army from Turkish border instead of involving in a fight between Turkey and Kurds. That decision brought all these leaders including Kurds to their senses and realty. Tom also should understand that Middle Eastern dictators are not the creation of Trump and El-Sisi of Egypt was not put in to place by Trump. Tom may want regime change every where and shedding of American blood for national aspirations of Middle Eastern ethnic groups, but Trump doesn't want that because he is a realist. America and Middle East is still suffering from the regime change in Iraq supported by Tom.
2
Sara Chayes got a well deserved shout out from Mr. Friedman. Her book on how domestic corruption drives international strategy doesn’t get enough attention. It’s one of the most important books written in the last ten to twenty years,... along with some of Friedman’s.
5
I see one word that stands out about his relationship with we can call the ‘deep state’, the bureaucracy of the US govt and that word is fickle.
2
This article just reinforces the fact that the middle east is a very complex place where one action produces many reactions, some good while some terrible. Trump really is like a little boy playing with his action figures in a pretend war, he has no idea what the ramifications of his actions or words will be. Its great this animal is dead however trumps remarks will help make him a martyr more will follow.
3
Al-Baghdadi's removal from the scene by our military and intelligence services pretty well insures that the current efforts being mounted by Congress to remove Trump by way of impeachment will fall short, and the country will now be forced to endure and survive another 450 awful days of Trump and move on to the 2020 election whose outcome according to the polls is still gravely in doubt.
The odds of his being impeached were never particularly high to begin with, but the real pity and the irony of this is that the military and intelligence people who spared Trump the shame and embarrassment of impeachment belong to the very same group of people he has branded as liars, traitors and deep state, and are fully aware of this.
2
Sometimes force is necessary for the greater good. Al Baghdadi deserved his end and his children's deaths were brought on by their despicable father and were tragic collateral damage. Despite the fact that their father's ruthless cruelty caused all this; they were still kids. That is why it is entirely inappropriate for Trump to call the vision of this amazing; and to characterise it as like watching a movie, Only somebody with an alarming lack of empathy for children could characterise this in terms that should be reserved for entertainment. In his announcement he showed everybody what he is and as has been said previously: when someone shows you who he is, believe him. The salivating announcement was disgusting and had the same grotesque quality as his vocal version of Peter Strzok and Lisa Page engaged in intimacies. This is a President whose appearances are indisputably unsuitable for children to see. Some President.
196
@Bob Guthrie Sadly. much of what Trump spewed about the raid was apparently a figment of his wild and sick imagination. According to the Guardian, the streaming was without sound from above. Others present in the Situation Room did not corroborate Trump's statements. Let's not forget that given the opportunity any president would take it. So while Trump may deserve some credit, it does not come even close to the level earned by the members of the intelligence and military planning and executing the action.
20
While Trump is again talking about how great he is, California is on fire. I have not heard him mention one thing about what work is being done there. I have never in my 60 years on this planet seen a president ignore something like this. He could care less.
4
Sad to say Trump is the personification of GIGO. So I have no expectations of good coming from him or his administration.
Just another example of why Trump is not fit to be President. He is destroying our country.
The majority of us must work to make sure he is not re-elected.
Our children's future depends on Trump being removed from office. The sooner the better.
5
Well said. Trump's lack of understanding, let alone policy, is glaring. And let us not forget that during his announcement today, Trump claimed to be the best internet used in the world, speaking of himself in the third person. He just can't stop the self-congratulatory lies.
2
The Middle East is so complex, thank you for this analysis which brings the bigger picture into focus. Unintended consequences should always be part of any political analysis and action. But of course trump wouldn't know how to think ahead, much less analyze anything. He just wanted to brag. He just had to do something he could say was 'better than Obama'. And of course he has to please always- in -the -shadows Putin, (who's your daddy that got you elected?).
Then there's the oil. It makes me ill to think of our young soldiers over there risking and giving their lives for oil. It makes me even sicker to hear trump talk about it like it's nothing to have our troops on such a 'mission'.
Trump brings his special brand of chaos and ineptitude to a complex, volatile and deadly part of the world. God help them, God help our troops and God help us all.
120
@Ellen S. As we have seen in the past God will not help them, not help our troops, and not help us all.
2
@Ellen S.
And how many times did professionals explain in rational terms the folly of “taking the oil” in the Mid East after his continual assertions that Bush/Obama should have “taken the oil”? Probably as many times as he was warned of the consequences of pulling a small but ultimately successful military mission training, arming and holding off Turkey in Syria with the Kurds as allies.
But the man is incapable of listening and learning. Once again, it is his personality disorders that endanger national security of the US and other nations. Because he cannot conceive of ever being wrong, he cannot admit mistakes, thus he cannot course correct and he makes it inevitable he will repeat those mistakes.
The DAY after Muellers testimony he set about asking another foreign nation to interfere in the democracy of the US, he could not conceive that over 100 undisclosed team member contacts with Russians over the campaign and transition may have put him in a sticky position regarding suspicions that may lead to trials and poss impeachment. In so doing, in combination with his Ukraine folly he has given protectors of the constitution no choice but to impeach. Because not only has he demonstrated a pattern but he has proven that waiting to vote him out is impossible when he sabotages the “free and fair” election process.
One can only hope the electorate can learn from their own mistakes in electing him.
4
Several things struck me when I heard the Trump presser:
1. Obama consulted members of
Congress before the Ben Laden raid and sat in the corner as a bystander while military professionals carried out the raid.
That picture of Obama sitting in the corner said everything;
2. There was an attempt by Obama to treat Ben Laden's demise with dignity in a burial at sea;
3. The Pakistanis who protected Ben Laden were not consulted before the raid, but here Russia was consulted and
4. Obama consulted foreign leaders and even former President Bush before making the announcement.
Here Trump made the raid a personal blood lust and praised Russian cooperation.
Somehow that gave little reason for celebration. It was like one more wild Trump rally.
7
Excellent insightful article. Thank you.
3
“But perfect is not on the menu in the Middle East right now.”
Dear Mr. Friedman, if you learned in the Middle East how to fix and stabilize that region you could use the same solution to pacify the entire world…
Do you really believe that what’s the best for them is not applicable to us and otherwise?
I learned that important lesson as a refugee from Bosnia fleeing to save my life…
It’s exactly the same problem in ex-Yugoslavia, Middle East or America.
The people are either incapable of learning or unwilling to change or both…
To solve that problem the world needs a better mousetrap.
Do you know what branch is actually dealing with our system of values, principles, tolerance, team spirit, honesty, integrity, peacefulness, social openness, and control of the human cravings, greed or selfishness?
I can assure it’s neither democracy nor any branch of government (legislative, executive or judicial) nor military nor corporate world nor politicians nor free press…
2
No country, no national leader can protect "islands of decency" abroad when such decency is absent at home.
15
When President Obama announced that U.S. soldiers had kill Osama bin Laden, Trump tweeted, “I want to personally congratulate President Obama and the men [and] women of the Armed Forces for a job very well done. I am so proud to see Americans standing shoulder to shoulder, waving the American flag in celebration of this great victory. We should spend the next several days not debating party politics, but in remembrance of those who lost their lives on 9/11 and those fighting for our freedom. God Bless America.”
During yesterday announcement, Trump said “we obliterated his caliphate, 100 percent, in March of this year.” This was an accurate statement. The ISIS caliphate no longer exists. Trump also said, “Today’s events are another reminder that we will continue to pursue the remaining ISIS terrorists to their brutal end.” This acknowledges that Trump tis aware some ISIS terrorist remain.
Trump has never said “all that needs to be done now is deferring ISIS and America’s favorite dictators.” He has said he wants to withdraw U.S. forces from the conflict area. The United States is now an oil and gas exporter. It is not dependent on Middle Easter oil,
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/remarks-president-trump-death-isis-leader-abu-bakr-al-baghdadi/
3
When impeachment proceedings began a few weeks ago I wrote in these pages that the most likely steps to follow would be some military-based act. It has been used by previous administrations to much the same affect - giving the president a slight bump in popularity and changing the dialog from impeachment to something more presidential - foreign policy. It was not hard to believe that Mr. Trump would use such an occasion to laud foreign dictators before our own personnel, but one must remember who was speaking. So once again an opportunity has been squandered and the “deep state” that made this kill order a reality will rise to the top of this president’s list of most admonished.
The thing that identifies this president most is his dislike of the meaning of “team”; where there is no “I”. I’m glad his “bone spurs” didn’t prevent him from walking to the podium to offer veiled thanks to our brave men and women that risked everything on this mission so other like despots could receive the president’s thanks for participating first before our own spec ops folks. Mr. Trump is still incapable of taking a presidential “lap” without tripping. Maybe it was the “bone spurs” after all.
15
I appreciate this column and I learned a great deal from it. That's fine for me, but we know Trump does not care about this or anything else that is not directly related to him. Until Trump is out of office and we have a competent president, there really is little point in commenting, complaining, or becoming enraged. I am trapped in Trump's America for another year. Hopefully, if America is in one piece and still having an election a year from now, I will have a chance to vote for someone to lead this country who will care about and use the information in this article. It's a faint hope but it keeps me going.
26
During the 2012 election, VP Biden boasted that the economy is back up and Bin Laden is dead.
President Trump, your chances of being re-elected just became a little less unlikely.
7
@Steven Roth Biden was right but he did not claim that the problems were solved, which Trump does at every turn, evidence to the contrary!
10
@Joe L. You can abuse Trump all you want but the fact remains that there are many who will see this operation as a success and will be more likely to vote for him next year.
We all know that Trump is clumsy and can be incompetent. But your hatred of him is approaching a pathology.
Total energy independence with use of renewable, carbon emission-free and new generation nuclear power sources should be the “Manhattan Project” of the next decade. The climate crisis demands nothing less and the Middle-East must eventually sort itself out. America can remain supportive but not dependent on what lies beneath the “bloody sands.”
11
@Concerned MD Well said - we are still acting like we desperately need their oil when that is becoming increasingly untrue!
10
Thank you for the history lesson, unfortunately this will be lost on trump.
30
As an American, I'm extremely concerned that Trump's poor language choice will instigate revenge terrors attacks. The man gives little thought to how the use of superlatives and bellicose rhetoric will effect his fellow citizens and our allies.
34
@Bill -- It's the nature of advanced stage narcissism.
What little credit is due to the man in the White House is that his recent blunder in Syria did not completely derail the operation against al-Baghdadi.
And much credit is due to the special operations personnel who managed to pull it off despite that blunder.
28
Some threats appear out of no where to help shape world events.
The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria ("ISIL") appeared as a splinter group from al Qaeda in 2014, funded by Qatar and Saudi Arabia as part of their strategy to attack Assad in Syria.
In June 2014, ISIL began taking land in Iraq and Syria.
In July 2014, ISIL took control of Syrian oil fields, and took other measures to fund itself.
ISIL committed 90 attacks in 21 countries before Brexit and the 2016 US election.
By October 2016, most of the land ISIL had taken had been retaken by US, Kurdish, Jordanian, Egyptian, and other coaliton members. ISIL had largely been defeated.
In June 2017, Trump said he engineered the Saudi Arabia led isolation of Qatar, with other Arab countries, because of their support for ISIL.
In February 2019, Brookfield Asset Management agreed to a 99-year lease in Jared Kushner's 666 5th Avenue white elephant - and for some reason paid all rent due upfront. They were backed by the Qatar Investment Authority.
Kushner needed $1.4 billion for the building's mortgage in 2019.
Russia is a close ally of Syria's Assad, and was close with Iran as well. However in 2019, Russia and Saudi Arabia announced a strategic partnership.
When the Kurds were abandoned by America, and Turkey and Russia carved up Syria, American honor and influence was diminished for a bribe.
Of course Trump called his master Putin to report this before Congress.
He knows where his allegiance is.
21
How long before Putin tells Trump it is time to hand the Conoco oil fields back to Asaad? I suspect the handover will be to Russian troops. They know how to protect their assets.
10
Pressuring the foreign leaders to investigate whether the elected US officials used their official position to enrich themselves personally or their family members at expense of the foreign countries and whether those individuals by doing it broke any law is not an impeachable offense.
A cynic would say that’s exactly their duty they solemnly swore to fulfill!
2
@Kenan Porobic What you say may be true though it is without a doubt an inaccurate description of the current impeachment inquiry. Coercing, even passively allowing, a foreign power to interfere in a domestic election process certainly is an impeachable act.
1
@Kenan Porobic You do know that Trump's first DHS Secretary did investigate this and decided there was nothing there, right?
I have never met anybody admitting that Kremlin and Putin changed their personal opinion. That's prerequisite for the foreign meddling...
WELL SAID MR FRIEDMAN. I’d like to add that in the Australian press, evidence is showing that the Kurds played a large role in finding these ISIS people. It went back before Mr Trump decided to ditch the Kurds, as before Bush, Nixon and far earlier the British and French when carving up the Middle East oil fields into crackpot boundaries in 1920.
They promised a more unified group, the Kurds, a nation state which they’ve never had. Palestine is another tragedy but Clinton and Obama did try. Trump has ditched Palestine. Also loves the Saudis. What a mess.
14
Since the extremists are for the most part (not exclusively, of course, but for the most part) men over 18, shouldn't Mr. Friedman be writing about holding women's hands, and not girls' hands? This is somewhat of a side note, but is still important given that Mr, Friedman describes the people who are mostly adult women (over 18) as "girls" repeatedly in this column.
4
@EB
Actually, the ISIS fighter favor young women, i.e. younger than 18: minds that are easier to mold, and more likely to be virgins. So, though casting them as "girls" portrays what they want, if not what they always get.
TRUMP FAR FROM BEING HIS OWN WORST ENEMY is, if Tom Friedman's analysis is correct (which I believe it to be), is the worst enemy of world peace. To listen to his disjointed, concretely expressed, crazy quilt of ideas is to see the Trump's profound failure as a world leader. His description of the pursuit of Al-Baghdadi is on the level of a dim-witted 10 year old talking about cowboys and indians. Such disjointed and concrete thinking goes beyond his severe emotional disturbance. It is related to his apparent severe neurological deficts in the ares of language, memory and executive functioning. On top of that, Trump has exhibited severe limitations in his ability to form positive attachments (his claim to have fallen in love with Kim Jung Un notwithstanding). Trump abuses his powers in erratic, unpredictable, violent ways, accompanied by profound disloyalty to his oath of office. Terrifying though it is to contemplate, Trump may be upholding the Constitution to the best of his abilities, which are severely lacking and misguided in his upholding the Constitution. How bad will things get before the get better? To get an idea of where things are on the map, follow the polls in support of Trump's impeachment and removal from office.
17
Thank you Mr. Friedman for this scholarly analysis regarding ISI origins and the complex situation in the Middle East past, present and future.
Bush the 43th made a disastrous mistake whose consequences continue to reverberate and no action from the US will diminish it, let alone correct it.
Trump's boasting and chest pounding is irrelevant, ISIS is still here, the women married to the former and current soldiers are instilling hate and religious dogma into their children. New generations of uneducated or undereducated men and women will continue this interminable cycle of violence...
11
Tom, it is very sad that we are so divided that so many on the left hate this president so much they cannot even give him credit where it is due. The march to the war in Iraq, which you Tom supported in a big way, has metastasized into what we are dealing with today and will continue to do so in the future. Yes, the president praised the intelligence services and the other countries that aided this operation including the Kurds. But you had to inject that the president was skeptical about what the leadership in the I S was selling about the 2016 election. We have a long history of the CIA/FBI/military industrial complex lying to presidents, Congress and the American people. In 1961 the CIA assured President Kennedy that the Cuban ex pats would be successful in their invasion and that the Cuban people would rise up and overthrow Castro. JFK never trusted the CIA again. During the Vietnam era we were all lied to over and over again with disastrous consequences. Most recently, the same intelligence services told us that Saddam had weapons of mass destruction a a nuclear program and that we would be greeted as liberators. So now evidence may come out that the political leadership of the intelligence services were in the tank for Hillary Clinton and they were the ones that may have interfered in the 2016 election. Was the president correct to be skeptical? You bet!
4
@Mitchell myrin: Tom Friedman's column gives clear credit to President Trump for the killing of ISIS's leader ("Good for Trump for ordering it . . ."). As for your claim that the intelligence leaders may have tried to tilt the election toward Clinton, you offer not a shred of evidence. So far, this is just another conspiracy theory cooked up by Trump to muddy the evidence-supported case that is leading to his possible impeachment.
1
The cultural traditions of different areas of the world can not be normalized to a standard that West thinks normal. Islamic countries need the government structure that meets the need of their citizens not the structure that West thinks appropriate. Best approach American administration can follow to allow the organic growth of the countries by giving a helping hands to the forces of positive tendencies. The trouble of American foreign policies is too much focus on hard power and less focus on soft power. Time has come to exert smart power in foreign policy and emphasis more on building trust and working with civil society. Islamic world needs strong civil society and movements like ISIS, Islamic brotherhood and other terrorist groups are wrong type of civil society movements, and they can be countered only by right type of civil society movements like Arab Springs. Let America work for those positive forces also.
6
“Nothing feeds extremism more than the in-your-face corruption and injustice” is true about many countries in the Middle East and beyond including our own. Voters fed up with corruption is one of the few times when incumbents in the US are soundly beaten. Covering up corruption is often a big part of mobilizing “issue voters”; what better way to control the news cycle and bury the candidates’ criminality.
6
@Russell Elkin True, Mr. Elkin. In the early 20th century Teddy Roosevelt, who became president, motivated voters by his all-out attack on corruption. It worked for Teddy so today we will see if American voters are perceptive enough today to vote Trump out of office for the ongoing White House corruption that is evident to all but the cognitively challenged.
1
thank you Sir, you pointed it out, detailed and explained it simple and beautifully.
Lucky the US Democracy for men like you.
4
Question. Current Google Maps satellite image of the compound identified in today's NYT article by Allison McCann, Anjali Singhvi and Weiyi Cai, as the site of the raid shows the compound already destroyed. Was the Google Maps satelite image updated overnight? The corresponding image for where I live in the USA is years old.
3
@PG : I've wondered about that, too. Bullets alone could not have completely destroyed that structure as it appears in the photo. I hope the truth of all of this comes out. The picture in the Situation Room - where all the cables of what looks like ancient technology - is staged.
He's a reality tv host who has the power of life and death in his very small, stubby hands. It's a nightmare and I believe it will get plenty worse unless the Senate Republicans come to their senses and get rid of him. Cowards all, so frightened of Trump and his ridiculous Dear Leader cult fans. So afraid to give up their power and 'specialness' and just get a regular job like the rest of us.
1
Am I the only one who noticed that he thanked Russia FIRST, then Turkey, then Syria and Iraq, and even the Kurds before any kind of praise for our own military personnel?
Also -- looking at the time line, it is clear they were still planning this mission when Trump ordered everyone out of Syria! It's a miracle it went well for all our personnel -- no thanks to His Impulsiveness. "Fire! Ready! Aim!" -- it would be funny if it weren't so terrifying.
12
Mr.Friedman provides some historical context to the terrorist activity in the Middle East. The elimination of one more terrorist leader will not lessen the instability and dangers emerging from that part of the world. There is no cause for celebration. These issues are very complex and deep-rooted. They require serious study and serious analysis. Trump has neither the intellect nor the desire to pursue such issues to an eventual solution. His only interest is the applause and adoration of his loyal supporters .America deserves and needs more.
8
I pretty much never watch Trump on TV, but saw chunks of yesterday's show (mostly because he pre-empted a favorite of mine). I found it nauseating to hear him relishing the ideas of violence and gore. He said many times that al-Bagdadi died "violently," that he cried, whimpered etc. (as if even anyone actually there could hear whimpering in the heat of those moments). There was something ghoulish in Trump's pleasure in it all, his need to repeat it, and his apparent obliviousness to the fact that he was speaking of death (including the death of 3 little kids).
Enfuriatingly, Trump does not see the people of the Middle East. When he speaks of oil he talks only in terms of how/whether we should "take" it. Yesterday he talked of getting one of our big oil companies into Syria to do just that. It is as if the people of Syria and the people of Iraq do not even exist; as if WE can simply decide what to take or not. Sure, at some point we could negotiate for some of that oil or for enhanced access - whatever - but the assumption that we can just take what we want is disgusting.
28
MAGA is, and always will be, the illusion of "winning" and Trump's speech is right out of central casting.
12
Mr. Friedman says that a perfect democracy is not yet on the menu in the middle east. Well, I think that is OK because democracy is far from perfect right here in the United States.
34
@DA Mann You know it's not so bad here. The People elected FDR Kennedy Obama and yeah Him. But it's democracy. And it's going to be like Abe said about 'fooling all of the people some of the time...' So we had a big test and it looks like we're gonna pass. And it is in part because Trump is not a right wing Bible thumping nut but a fairly typical American New York Business type. Which is why he got elected in the first place. Don't ever compare America to the middle east.
@DA Mann
Nothing like more snarky commentary by the Friedmans of the world. No, Barack Obama is no longer POTUS with his constant "I, Me, Mine" commentary. It was all about Obama too, but just with less OVERT boasting. But Trump has totally hooked the Friedman types and they can't side step the lure of being smug and smarter-than-thou in this columns and comments. So nice to know that Friedman is looking out for "decency", but only amongst some, not those on the Left. Maybe he has ANTIFA body guards!!
Mr. Friedman presents a plausible analysis, and he certainly is knowledgeable about the Middle East, but we still have to wonder why that region has for all our memory been an intractable trouble spot. What is the nature of the root cause for the continuous violence, especially the crimes and torment of women that rage ceaselessly through that area ? If we look at other trouble spots: Russia, eastern Europe, Africa, Myanmar, and others, we see areas where the violence jumps to the forefront for a time but then diminishes; whereas in the Middle East violence is the way. Would good governance be sufficiently influential to stem the violence, as Mr. Friedman suggests ? Maybe in another 100 years we will see.
4
@eclectico
Why is that area so troubled?
For starters, the people there are mostly religiously-oriented tribes. Until about 100 years ago they were not nations, so much as groups of people living in a disorganized area and fighting with each other as the opportunity presented itself.
Into that mix, for more than 200 years, the US and other nations have been forcing themselves -- colonizing it, inserting our religious institutions into it, pushing our culture and economy into it, exploiting its resources without making sure that the people on all levels benefitted from the money, waging wars across it, and telling the people there that their religion was wrong and that they should convert to ours. Large groups in the west have even been pushing political change in the area specifically aimed at fulfilling prophecies in The Bible.
And so on.
You should not wonder why the area is so troubled. The wonder is that it is not more troubled than it is.
But don't worry -- we'll figure out a way to give them democracy and freedom,, and all will be well.
20
@Charles Trentelman
Spot on.
And don't forget that when the British divided the old Palestine (which included Iraq, Jordan, Israel, etc) they did it with no thought to tribal/ethnic boundaries, at all. Much of the violence can be traced back to those decisions
7
Exactly. Lawrence of Arabia is a MYTH which was a great part of it.
1
The question before the nation is, how long can America afford to walk on a treadmill, expending time and energy without moving forward? That question will be called on November 3, 2020, the floor is open for debate and every one of us should speak and vote.
29
Trump wasn't the only Republican and certainly was not the first to suggest taking over the oil of the middle eastern countries we have invaded in recent years. I believe that Trump may have picked up on this from the Bush Cheney years. It has certainly been put forward by many in the house and Senate over the years.
14
Thank you,Mr.Friedman, for this excellent, succinct and clear analysis.
58
Here’s a significant problem - trump saw at least part of the live feed from the operation and said it was like watching a movie.
That says it all. It was entertainment for him.
But those were real American soldiers risking their lives. Fortunately, they were all reported to have survived. And the enemy didn’t get up when it was done. They didn’t walk off the set and remove their makeup. They were dead. Kaput. Finished.
What’s next? What will satisfy trump’s need for entertainment? More special operations? Gladiatorial games? Maybe lob a nuke at an adversary just to see how amazing it is?
And all the while, trump’s corruption becomes more and more obvious, along with the involvement of supporters who sell out their morals for whatever they think doing his misdeeds will earn them.
This is going to end badly. Hopefully for trump and not for other Americans.
92
Remember Maximus’s (Russell Crowe) famous line in the movie Gladiator. “ Are you entertained”? it perfectly describes Donald Trump’s alternate reality world.
Credible details. I agree that leaders like al-Baghdadi and Bin Laden are symptoms rather than the causes of the ongoing problems that afflict the Middle East. There are hundreds of thosands of hard-working, competent employees in the U.S. government and they will continue to do good work regardless of Trumps tweets. As usual, whatever spin Trump puts on events receives much more attention than it deserves.
45
I voted against Obama twice, but we all celebrated as one when bin Laden was killed, May 1, 2019. While I believe many of Trump's opponents on the left have gone off the deep end, Trump himself makes it impossible for us to be unified for one day. In the same press conference announcing Baghdadi's death, Trump implicitly criticized Bush and Obama, called Baghdadi's death bigger than bin Laden's, and called himself - in the third person, no less - the smartest user of social media in the world. Is he determined to repulse half the country even at a moment where we could all unify?
68
@VCuttolo He seems determined to credit himself for any good result. In the process he passes out plenty of criticism. So, he does repulse me. They say Trump knew of al-Baghdadi's location. I wonder how much Esper dwelled on it during briefings. Which raises the question, how much do you share with a would be dictator?
18
@VCuttolo
I meant May 1, 2011, of course. Sorry about that.
@VCuttolo, "unify" is not in Trump's dictionary. Nor are "understanding," "wisdom" or "empathy." Al-Baghdadi dead? Good. Trump "watching it on TV" and then claiming credit? Not so much.
1
“Well, Mr. President, those are the same intelligence agencies who told you that Russia intervened in our last election in an effort to tip the vote to you and against Hillary Clinton …”
INCORRECT. The Intelligence Agencies did not tell President Trump anything about Russian Intervention in the 2016 Presidential election. A couple of handpicked individuals who could be trusted to come up with ‘The Right Answer’ produced the so-called assessment. It was never signed off as the work of any of the USA Intelligence Agencies.
6
@Robert Jennings, you are incorrect. All 16 Intelligence Agencies reported that Russia interfered in the 2016 election in favor of trump. Several trump operatives ended up in jail for lying to officials about trump's help from Russia. We never heard trump's side of the story because he refused to be deposed by Mueller's inquiry, an admission of total guilt.
85
@Robert Jennings You are wrong read the Mueller Report.
@Robert Jennings
Alternative facts. In other words, you’re just plain wrong. Read the 7/3/2018 report released by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, which includes an analysis of the Intelligence Community Assessment produced by CIA, NSA, and FBI. It states precisely what Friedman says it does.