Well, it seems - though the BBC remains cautious about this - that the founder of Islamic State, Abu Bakr al-Bigdaddy, has finally been decaliphinated by Donald Trump's special forces.
The BBC's elders are now chewing the cud on the matter:
The BBC's elders are now chewing the cud on the matter:
John Simpson: The real credit for the death of al-Baghdadi must surely go to the dogged policework of US intelligence - plus, no doubt, the huge reward money to give him up.
Hugh Sykes: Making up for all the lack of US intelligence which left so many resentful and angry Baathists and army officers without a future after 2003, allowing them to help Zarkawi & Al Qaeda at first and then Baghdadi to kill so many hundreds of Syrians and Iraqis.
John Simpson: That really was Paul Bremer’s doing. As I understand it the US military and intelligence disagreed.
Hugh Sykes: Yes. US military I was often embedded with around that time were hopping mad but wouldn't hop madly for my microphone. "Oh, Hugh, I w i s h I could go on the record!" one batallion commander said to me in desperation. And I was thinking of 'intelligence' in the IQ sense as well!
