Old Abdul El-Sayed Essay Criticizes Biden Drone Strike
A resurfaced 2022 essay reveals Abdul El-Sayed criticized President Biden over a targeted counterterrorism drone operation.
Updated on Oct. 28, 2026 in Terrorism
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A recently unearthed 2022 essay by Abdul El-Sayed reveals he criticized President Joe Biden following the drone strike that killed al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. El-Sayed questioned the timing of the 2022 military action in Afghanistan, framing it as a political tool for the administration.
Why it matters
The essay provides a look at how past political discourse evaluated the use of targeted strikes against high-level terrorist targets. It highlights tensions regarding how executive branch counterterrorism actions are perceived through the lens of domestic political strategy.
The Washington Free Beacon identified the essay which was originally published in 2022. The status of the investigation into the strike itself concluded with the death of the al-Qaeda leader in Afghanistan.
The players
Abdul El-Sayed
He is a political commentator who authored a 2022 essay criticizing the use of U.S. drone strikes.
Joe Biden
He is the current President of the United States who ordered the 2022 drone strike against Ayman al-Zawahiri.
Ayman al-Zawahiri
He was an al-Qaeda leader who was killed by a U.S. drone strike in 2022.
The Washington Free Beacon
This is a news publication that reported on the existence of the previously authored essay.
The details
In the 2022 piece for The New Republic, Abdul El-Sayed described Ayman al-Zawahiri as a craven terrorist while arguing that the Biden administration deployed the strike to bolster its standing before midterm elections. The strike occurred on August 1, 2022, following Zawahiris role in planning the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Timeline
September 11, 2001: Terrorist attacks occurred on American soil.
May 2011: Osama bin Laden was killed.
2020: Qassem Soleimani was killed in a drone strike.
August 1, 2022: Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed in a drone strike.
2022: Abdul El-Sayed published an essay in The New Republic.
Legal Context
The debate over executive drone strikes follows a pattern established by the 2011 killing of Osama bin Laden. Such operations consistently draw scrutiny regarding the balance between national security objectives and political timing.
The resurfacing of this essay informs public debate regarding how government officials utilize military force for national security. It encourages residents to monitor how political leaders balance international counterterrorism operations with domestic political cycles.
The takeaway
Understanding the political context of military actions remains important for voters assessing executive power. Citizens should track how past statements by public figures compare to their current policy stances.
Further reading
Explore more analysis of counterterrorism efforts in the Terrorism section.
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