With US-backed militants having already reached the full extent of their gains on the battlefield and now facing incremental but inevitable defeat – the US appeared to be out of time and out of options. Then suddenly – as if on cue – Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi – alleged leader of the so-called “Islamic State in Iraq and Syria” (ISIS) was resurrected
Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi: Washington Couldn’t Create a More Convenient Villain
Just as America’s presence in Syria was becoming increasingly awkward and unsustainable, al-Baghdadi has again emerged – just in time to remind the global public that ISIS is still an enduring threat that will require America’s continued presence in the region.