The first was Syria, where US support for the insurgency helped create an Al Qaeda safe haven. The Obama-Biden team’s record in Syria resonates today as many of its members handle the unfolding crisis in Ukraine. In 2013, Baghdadi relaunched his organization under the name of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Now, as senior Biden official Brett McGurk said in 2017: "Idlib is the the largest Al Qaeda safe haven since 9/11." As with Al Qaeda, ISIS’ land-grab in Syria received a significant backdoor assist from Washington.

Source: The Guardian April 25, 2022 02:01 UTC