The Washington Post stooped low to call Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi an 'austere religious scholar' in its obituary, changing the headline on its obituary three times. The shocking act from the liberal flag bearer in the American press came after President Donald Trump confirmed that Bagdhadi was hunted down in a Syrian hell hole where he met his end like a coward.
The Post headlined its obituary initially as: "Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, Islamic State's terrorist-in-chief, dies at 48". It was then changed to '"Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, austere religious scholar at helm of Islamic State, dies at 48". Drawing criticism and lampoon over that abomination of a headline to describe someone who mindlessly killed tens of thousands of people, The Post then tweaked the headline again: "Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, extremist leader of Islamic State, dies at 48."
The Washington Post hasn't clarified why it changed the initial headline to describe Baghdadi as a religious scholar. But Kristine Coratti Kelly, Vice President of Communications at the Washington Post, tweeted that "the headline should never have read that way and we changed it quickly."
Due sarcasm and stinging criticism followed on social media after the Post wrote perhaps one of the most harebrained headlines it has ever written.
"An 'austere religious scholar'? 'Dead at 48'? No—he was cornered by the greatest toughest best military heroes on earth!! How about we killed the evil SOB. This is exactly why America will never trust these mainstream corrupt fake news outlets ever again," tweeted Fox News host Sean Hannity.
Earlier, US president Donald Trump confirmed the US marked a major win in the fight against the Islamist terror outfit Isis in Syria as American troop took the scalp of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. "Last night the United States brought the world's #1 terrorist leader to justice. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead," Trump said. "He died like a dog. He died like a coward. The world is now a much safer place," the US president declared.
The Sunni Islamic terrorist, whose declaration of the so-called Islamic caliphate in Iraq and Syria in 2014 started a vicious killing spree, betrayed his depravity even in the final moments of his death as he killed three children whom he had used as a human shield.
Yet, for the Post he was an 'austere religious scholar'. And look at the way the seemingly innocuous way the age is mentioned in the headline. 'Dies at 48'. As if that mattered. Or, as if he deserved sympathy for being dead at the young age of 48. It's curious why the Post wanted to airbrush the image of one of the basest killers in this generation whose militia, driven by pure evil, beheaded innocent captives and aired those dastardly killings for their families to see.
The absurd headline earned the paper, owned by billionaire Amazon boss Jeff Bezos, quick condensation. #WaPoDeathNotices memes soon trended on Twitter as people took umbrage at the bizarre headline.
"From now on to the end of time, whenever the Washington Post analyzes Trumps words, please remind them that they once described a mass murdering serial rapist ISIS ghoul as an "austere religious scholar," one reader reminded the readers.
The Post settled down to the mild-mannered pace of a human interest piece in its version of the Baghdadi obituary. Here are some sample lines.
"The man who would become the founding leader of the world's most brutal terrorist group spent his early adult years as an obscure academic, aiming for a quiet life as a professor of Islamic law," the article reads.
"Acquaintances would remember him as a shy, nearsighted youth who liked soccer but preferred to spend his free time at the local mosque."
Scathing and stinging memes showcased the depths the abysmal headline plumbed. Here are some:
Darth Vader; Noted single-father, brilliant inventor, pod-racing enthusiast and passionate spiritual leader. Dead at 45 from electrical malfunction. #WaPoDeathNotices
Adolf Hitler, passionate community planner and dynamic public speaker, dies at 56.#WaPoDeathNotices
