☰
HomeLiving Beyond BordersGZERO WorldSignalIn 60 SecondsPuppet RegimeGZERO World PodcastContact UsAbout UsCareersPrivacy PolicyTerms

What does Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's death mean for ISIS?

October 28, 2019
 GZERO Staff
What does Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's Death Mean For ISIS?

www.youtube.com

Who was Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and what does his death mean for ISIS?

Well, obviously, he was the world's number one most wanted terrorist. The self-declared head of the Islamic State, the caliph, the head of the caliphate that at one time ruled over some 10 million people. His death is an enormous blow to ISIS as he was the spiritual leader and the strategic leader. They will find another leader. ISIS is not going away. But this is a major win for the fight against terrorism and ISIS and a major win for the Trump administration.

Is this the biggest win of Trump's presidency?

You could certainly argue that it is. Something akin to President Obama announcing the death of Osama bin Laden. But ISIS will continue. Problems in northern Syria likely to continue as we pull troops out of there. So, it remains to be seen how long lived this victory is for President Trump and it changes nothing about impeachment or the rest of the problems facing this presidency. But it was a major, big win for the White House.

More from GZERO Media

What We’re Watching: Kenya’s president cracks down further, UK and France open an atomic umbrella, Trump meddles in Brazil

Riot police officers fire tear gas canisters to disperse demonstrators during anti-government protests dubbed “Saba Saba People’s March,” in the Rift Valley town of Nakuru, Kenya, on July 7, 2025.
REUTERS/Suleiman Mbatiah

Kenya’s president orders police to shoot at protesters, European nuclear powers expand umbrella, and US President Donald Trump goes after Brazil.

The Lebanese government wants Hezbollah to disarm – will it?

Hezbollah beat on their chests as a sign of mourning during a mass rally to mark Ashoura, commemorating the martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad's grandson Hussein.

ZUMA Press Wire

On Wednesday, the Trump administration’s envoy to Lebanon, Tom Barrack, received a stunning proposal from the Lebanese government– a plan to disarm Hezbollah, the powerful Iran-backed Shia militia group that has dominated Lebanon’s politics and fought two major wars with Israel over the past 20 years.

US-Brazil relations in crisis

- YouTube

 www.youtube.com

In this episode of Ian Bremmer’s Quick Take, Ian breaks down the growing crisis between the US and Brazil, sparked by Donald Trump’s surprise announcement of a 50% tariff on all imports from Brazil.

AI innovations that tackle the global refugee crisis

- YouTube

 youtu.be

“Tech is a means to an end, not the end itself,” says Hovig Etyemezian, head of UNHCR’s Innovation Service. Speaking to GZERO's Tony Maciulis at the 2025 AI for Good Summit in Geneva, Etyemezian explains how technology is helping address one of the world’s most urgent challenges: the record number of forcibly displaced people. As conflicts rise and resources shrink, UNHCR is using data, AI, and digital tools to improve services and empower refugee communities, but only when designed with those communities, not for them.

The new Sputnik moment

Over the last decade, the world of space exploration and innovation has exploded. On this episode of Next Giant Leap, season 2 hosts Mike Greenley, CEO of MDA Space, and Mike Massimino, Columbia Engineering professor and former NASA astronaut, take a look at the new space race with former Congresswoman Jane Harman and China expert Dean Cheng. They discuss the role of space in national security, the potential for space-based conflict, and the role of private space companies in this new era.

Elon Musk is about to discover that politics is harder than rocket science

Elon Musk in an America Party hat.
Jess Frampton

Life comes at you fast. Only five weeks after vowing to step back from politics and a month after accusing President Donald Trump of being a pedophile, Elon Musk declared his intention to launch a new political party offering Americans an alternative to the Republicans and Democrats.

UK PM’s freefall is a warning to centrists

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves (right) crying as Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer speaks during Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons, London, United Kingdom, on July 2, 2025.
PA Images via Reuters Connect

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has struggled during his first year in office, an ominous sign for centrists in Western democracies.

About UsCareers PressContact Us Privacy PolicyTerms of Use
© 2025 GZERO Media. All Rights Reserved | A Eurasia Group media company.