© Reuters/Leah MillsUS President Donald Trump
During self-congratulatory remarks about his "deal of the century" to solve the Israel-Palestine conflict, Donald Trump threw in another boast;
he claimed US forces defeated "100 percent" of the Islamic State caliphate. Have they?"Thanks to the courage of US forces, the ISIS territorial caliphate — 100 percent — not 95 percent, not 99 or any other percent — 100 percent of their caliphate, ISIS, is destroyed," he said.
The irony is not lost that Trump made the comment while announcing details of what appears to be a dead-on-arrival Middle East peace deal, which he insists amounts to an "historic breakthrough," despite plenty of
evidence to the contrary. Such dramatic and exaggerated language is, after all, typical of Trump's 'best president ever' brand.
Of course, it makes sense to boast about your deal-making skills only if both sides of a conflict have actually agreed to the deal. Likewise, with a problem like Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS), it would seem prudent to hold off on triumphant declarations of success until they can be fully backed up by reality on the ground.
While it is true that IS has lost its territorial caliphate, the group, experts say, is still very much active — and regaining strength.
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