” Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is Dead – Less about Trump and More about Leadership ” – October 27, 2019.

President Donald Trump making the announcement in the White House.

          On October 27, 2019,  at  9.20 a.m. (ET),  President Donald Trump announced the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in an exceptionally surprising and difficult military raid in north-west Syria. 

Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, the ISIS Leader who was killed.

          Al Qaeda affiliated local terror outfit had sheltered the ISIS  Leader.

           What struck me was in the 9 to 10 minutes announcement (leave aside the question and answer session that followed), President Donald Trump didn’t mention the word  “I” ,  that was more exciting than the killing of Al-Baghdadi himself.

          President Donald Trump said  :  “America’s relentless pursuit of terrorists” ,   “our commitment to chase and kill ” ,  ” our reach is long” , ” We obliterated the Caliphate 100% ” ,  “our soldiers are the best in the world” –  never taking the credit off the real people involved.

           Fortune favours the brave, and the ‘soldiers’  made it happen.

           This is also a good example of good leadership.

           And while briefly mentioning the events (actions that the team took in the tunnel), his reference to all those who helped – be it the Syrian Kurds who helped with information ;  be it the bravery displayed by the American forces involved in the operation ;  be it the Joint Chief of Staff ;  be it the professionals of agencies involved in the plan ;  be it thanking the help from other nations like Russia, Iraq, Syria, Turkey ;  be it the action  ‘sprints’  of final 120 minutes by the team signifying the fullness of human cognitive capacity –  President Donald Trump made our thinking actually rise to a level of a beneficiary from all those who supported it.

            Gauging the hiding place of Al-Baghdadi (he kept changing places at the rate of knots) ; swooping the building with soldiers from helicopters ;  breaking the compound wall in seconds to the surprise of ISIS fighters ;  chasing Baghdadi through the tunnel with a dead end ;  prepared to tackle the best suicide bombs ;  taking parts of the body amidst the rubble quickly for the DNA tests ;  charting the action plan for operational work with milestone elements (though not mentioned in any detail) – all speak for the enormity of the operation for successful completion.

          That this is an exemplary method of placing his leadership role as one that will qualify easily as  “Servant Leadership”  with ‘Duty’  as the pivot is evident. With this he has also fulfilled the first step of his Election promise  of eliminating ISIS.

           World is now a safe place to live – said President Donald Trump.

          Now this act remains to be seen through the lens of the citizens delivering their verdict on its effect/influence to the Society at large not just in the  U.S.A.  but extending to most regions in the world.

            If this can further ignite the sense of self esteem and high spirits of the Leader in meeting the challenges quickly, the significance of his term of Presidency may witness a peak.

   “Dieu avec nous”

   Monday, October 28, 2019 –  6.49 p.m. (IST)

   Tidbit :  ” Capturing and killing Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi has been the top national security priority ”  –  President Donald Trump.