President Trump Should Get Credit for Raid [EDITORIAL]

When President Donald Trump announced the death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Bagdhadi on Oct. 27, he did so in a manner that was not befitting of a president during what was an important victory against a militant faction.

Does Trump deserve credit for the death of al-Bagdhadi? He does deserve partial credit, but the way he went about it was inappropriate and could have been handled better.

“He died after running into a dead-end tunnel, whimpering and crying and screaming,” said Trump during his statement.

Aside from the gruesome details used to describe the operation that occurred, Trump did make a statement thanking those involved.

“I want to thank the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines involved in last night’s operation.  You are the very best there is anywhere in the world,” Trump said. “ I want to thank General Mark Milley and our Joint Chiefs of Staff, and I also want to thank our professionals who work in other agencies of the United States government and were critical to the mission’s success.”

Once his initial statement was over, the transcript can be found on the White House website, Trump went on and on about the operation for a total conference time of 48 minutes. Trump boasted about himself in an extreme fashion that only expanded his ego.

“I’ve been looking for him for three years,” said Trump.

Notice the “I’ve” in that quote. The reason that quote is controversial, because this isn’t surprising for Trump to do, is because how adamant Trump was about former President Barack Obama getting credit for the raid that took down Al Qaeda leader and mastermind behind the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Osama bin Laden.

In an interview with Wolf Blizter of CNN in 2011, Trump had the following to say:

“But anybody sitting in that office, Wolf, would have — I keep hearing about, oh, bin Laden, the military did an incredible job and they called and they said, we have him. And he said, go get him,” Trump said. “What’s he going to say, don’t get him? And he gets all this credit? It’s a lot of crap.”

Trump was quick to dismiss Obama when bin Laden was killed yet quick to take credit for the death of al-Baghdadi. This simply amplifies Trump’s hypocrisy that has continued throughout his presidency and continues his dismay for Obama. He even was bold enough to make the statement that the death of al-Baghdadi was bigger than bin Laden.

Trump should absolutely receive partial credit for the raid on al-Baghdadi and the same goes for Obama and the death of bin Laden. Trump had a difficult decision to make in that the operation could have cost Americans their lives. Thankfully no American solider was harmed in the raid and it was successful in that the location of al-Baghdadi was correct and his death, as brutal as it may have been, was a big step in eventually taking down ISIS.

The manner in which the president conducted himself during this occasion was not fitting of a president. Instead of using egotistical nuances, he could have spent more time giving credit to those that were behind the intelligence, planning and execution of the raid. He also could have kept out the gruesome details and have used better terms than “losers” or “thugs.”

This editorial was based on a discussion by a JAMS 504 editorial board.