WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Joe Biden, the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, accused that President Donald Trump has no strategy for securing the nation against terrorist threats.
'He has no strategy for anything. Every day that Donald Trump directs American national security is a dangerous day for the United States,' he said in a statement responding to the news of the death of Islamic State chief Abu Bakr al Baghdadi.
Biden's allegation is contrary to Defense Secretary Mark Esper's claim Monday.
Al Baghdadi and his three children died in a nighttime raid executed by U.S. Special Operations forces in Northwestern Syria on Saturday.
'The raid was the culmination of a multi-year inter-agency effort to find the terror leader and then capture or kill him,' Esper said at a Pentagon news conference.
'His death marks a devastating blow to ISIS, who are now deprived of their inspirational leader following the destruction of their physical caliphate earlier this year,' the Secretary said.
Biden, against whom Trump allegedly sought an investigation by the Ukraine Government, criticized the President for the way the mission to eliminate Baghdadi was carried out.
It has been reported that Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from northern Syria forced the planning for the mission to be accelerated and the time line compressed.
'His erratic behavior made it harder and more dangerous for the special forces carrying it out. And they had to fly through territory that is now hostile to the U.S., taking fire along the way - including territory we controlled just weeks ago'.
Biden warned, 'Trump's total disregard for our alliances and partnerships endanger any future intelligence sharing or cooperation'.
Trump expressing gratitude to the Russians and the Iranian-backed Syrian government for the support they provided for making the operation successful 'makes us less safe and less prepared for whatever terrorist leader emerges next,' according to the former Vice President.
The death of al-Baghdadi comes within a few days of Trump's announcement that the United States was ending its military presence in Syria, except for a small number of U.S. troops that will remain in the country to protect oil facilities.
Trump claims that the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria 'caliphate' obliterated in March this year, and the remaining ISIS cadres are reportedly on the defensive in parts of the two neighboring Middle east countries.
But Biden says Trump has opened a path for ISIS to reconstitute itself under new leadership by withdrawing troops from the region.
'In doing so, he has given up our best asset to keep the pressure on ISIS during a dangerous period of organizational chaos. His fixation on keeping troops in the region to defend the oil fields betrays his true priorities, and will serve as a tool for future terrorist recruitment,' according to him.
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