‘Gang of Eight’ leaders not informed of strike against Isis chief
Killing of Baghdadi gives Trump lifeline amid political battle





Top Democrats reacted with anger to Donald Trump’s decision to go ahead with the Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi raid without giving them advance notice, on grounds that they were not to be trusted with such highly sensitive information.

In a break with precedent, Trump excluded senior Democrats on the so-called Gang of Eight – the group of congressional leaders who by law are to be informed of covert actions ordered by the US president – from all operational intelligence.

Those cut out of the loop included Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the House, Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, and Adam Schiff, who chairs the House intelligence committee.

To rub salt into the wound, Trump did give prior briefing to a Republican member of the group, chairman of the Senate intelligence committee Richard Burr. He also tipped off Lindsey Graham, a senator from South Carolina who holds no official intelligence position.

In his morning address to the nation announcing the death of the Islamic State leader, Trump bluntly suggested that if Pelosi and her fellow Democrats had been given advance notice of the secret mission, lives of the American special forces involved could have been put at risk by leaks.

“I wanted to make sure this was kept secret,” he said. “I don’t want to have people lost. A leak could have caused the death of all of them.”

Pelosi reacted with scorn. In a statement released on Sunday, she praised the “heroism, dedication and skill of our military and our intelligence professionals” before going on to excoriate the president.

“The House must be briefed on this raid, which the Russians but not top congressional leadership were notified of in advance,” she said.

Trump let it be known that he had informed Russia of the mission ahead of time.

“We spoke to the Russians, we told them we are coming in,” he said.



[He trusted the Russians more than Pelosi and Schiff!!! TM]

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https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/o...ShNMvmjfxRm0Bo0