President Trump on Sunday announced he had ordered a military action which resulted in the death of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in northwest Syria. U.S. forces also scored tactical information related to ISIS forces.
Many members of Oklahoma’s Congressional delegation issued statements after Trump announced the news.
U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe:
“Last night, our brave special operations forces successfully executed a dangerous mission—to get ISIS leader al-Baghdadi. I want to thank President Trump for making the call to bring down one of the most dangerous terrorists who is responsible for the death of hundreds, including Americans.
“This mission highlights the importance of air power with a small enabling force in the region to support our partners to prevent the reemergence of ISIS. This also underscores the importance of the annual defense authorization bill. There is no better time to pass an NDAA that puts our service members and their families first than after a perilous operation demonstrating the bravery, service and sacrifice of our troops. While we continue to conference the Senate and House defense authorization bills, in order to guarantee that we adequately support the troops, I intend to introduce a ‘skinny’ NDAA that prioritizes the readiness and wellbeing of our combat forces and their families. They are fighting for us, and we should take care of them.”
U.S. Senator James Lankford:
“The United States Special Forces and US Intelligence Services put their lives on the line for the people of our nation every day; today is another reminder that their commitment brings dramatically greater security to our globe. ISIS publicly demonstrated their cruelty for years, so the demise of the ISIS cult of death leadership is a gift to the free world. Unfortunately, terrorist organizations like ISIS and al Qaeda will require our focused attention for years to come, even after righteous judgment has been carried out on the heads of their evil organizations. I am grateful to President Trump, his leadership team, and especially our US Service members for their unrelenting attention on protecting the American people from terror threats around the world.”
Congressman Tom Cole:
“I am pleased to hear that our brave U.S. special forces and members of our intelligence community were successful in carrying out a bold mission to locate and take out ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. We should all be proud of and grateful for their courage and skill in confronting evil and protecting the free world. While the fight to keep America safe around the world requires constant attention, surely we can all rest easier today knowing one of the worst perpetrators of terror has lost his influence. I applaud President Trump for his leadership that helped make this key victory possible in the global war on terror.”
Congressman Markwayne Mullin:
“Regardless of what is happening in Washington DC, our men and women in uniform go out each day to uphold our Constitution and protect us from our enemies. I want to thank them and their families for their service. I also want to thank our Commander in Chief for putting country before politics. With what’s going on in DC, this mission could have easily been overlooked.”
Congressman Kevin Hern:
“This is a great day for America. Baghdadi was one of the world’s deadliest terrorists and most wanted men. We are all safer today because he has been brought to justice. President Trump has been committed from the start to eliminating ISIS and this is a massive step towards accomplishing that goal. He made it known a long time ago to these terrorists that they can run, but they cannot hide from justice. Trump’s follow-through on this commitment is protecting people around the world. The soldiers who carried out this dangerous mission deserve our total gratitude and respect. We now live in a safer world because of the daring actions they took last night.”
Congresswoman Kendra Horn:
“Today, thanks to dedicated U.S. military and intelligence professionals who bravely put their lives on the line, ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was brought to justice.
“I am grateful for their commitment to protecting our country and thankful that no American personnel were harmed during this operation. But, this does not mean we have eliminated the threat of ISIS.
“As a member of the Armed Services Committee, I have been following the situation in Syria closely. Withdrawing our forces there and abandoning our Kurdish allies has already resulted in the escape of ISIS prisoners and created further instability in the region.
“Today marks an important step in the fight against ISIS, but as a nation, we must continue to remain vigilant in our global war on terror.”
