A day after President Trump announced that a U.S. military raid had resulted in the death of Islamic State (ISIS) leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden made a point of not giving the commander-in-chief any credit for the mission.
In a lengthy and scathing statement, the former vice president, a front-runner for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, claimed that the raid happened in spite of — not because of — Trump.
“I’m glad President Trump ordered the mission. But as more details of the raid emerge, it’s clear that this victory was not due to Donald Trump’s leadership. It happened despite his ineptitude as commander-in-chief,” Biden said Monday.
Biden – who has touted his own national security expertise, stemming from eight years as vice president and long service on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee – praised the mission to take out the ISIS leader, saying “the successful operation to take Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi off the battlefield was a win for American national security. And it’s an important reminder of the skill and commitment of our military, intelligence, and national security professionals. They are beyond compare.”
But while Biden has long praised former President Barack Obama’s command over the raid that killed Al Qaeda leader Usama bin Laden, he gave Trump no credit for the al-Baghdadi mission. Biden said Trump’s sudden troop pullback from northern Syria and other factors had actually complicated the operation. – READ MORE