We have been waiting for this news for years, the capture or death of Osama Bin Laden. Ever since his name had become front page news on September 11th 2001, there has been a world-wide manhunt to track down what has been coined, “Public Enemy Number One” spanning almost a decade and two Administrations. Osama Bin Laden has been named as the mastermind behind several terror attacks to include the 1993 World Trade Center Bombing, the USS Cole as well as 9/11. Believed to be hiding out in the mountains on the boarder of Afghanistan and Pakistan, Bin Laden remained in the public’s consciousness popping up every few years on a grainy video addressing the world and propagating terror among his world-wide followers.
Tonight, the President of the United States announced to the world that during a military/CIA operation, Osama Bin Laden was killed by US personnel and that the US has possession of his body.
Tonight, the President of the United States announced to the world that during a military/CIA operation, Osama Bin Laden was killed by US personnel and that the US has possession of his body.
No doubt this is breaking news, a moment in time that many Americans will remember. The press have said some wildly sensational statements, such as “breathtaking” and “an end to an era”. Even military leaders have been quoted as saying this will boast morale to the troops that are currently deployed. But is it really? Does this truly change anything? Bin Laden hasn’t been a major player in Al Qaeda for years due to his high-profile status as the number one target and the entire Western World trying to rub him out. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been raging for years without the direction of Bin Laden. I was in Iraq when the supposed Bin Laden associate and “right-hand man” was killed in Iraq and the insurgents didn’t miss a beat. The IEDs were placed that night, the ambushes were set. I guess someone forgot to tell them that Al-Zarqawi was killed.
Although I am sure that this will be a psychological blow to Al-Qaeda and it might brighten the day of thousands of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan but I can assure you, nothing there will change with the death of this wanted man. These wars are not our Grandfather’s wars, this isn’t World War II and Bin Laden is not Hitler, his death though a relief, will not by any means be the end to world-wide terror organizations. He is now their martyr, their 9/11. Let’s just hope they he doesn’t become their rally cry.
This man has defined our national security and foreign policy for the past decade. His efforts from a cave in the mountains of Pakistan and that of his fundamentalist followers have cost thousands of American lives and countless hundreds of thousands of Iraqi and Afghan lives. Though rarely have I wanted someone dead, this man was one of those few. I only hope that his death will bring some closure to those who lost families in the attacks from 9/11 and those who have sacrificed their lives in wars caused by the actions of so few lead by this man, Osama Bin Laden. If it is an end of an era, let's just hope the beginning of the next is a bit less violent.
This man has defined our national security and foreign policy for the past decade. His efforts from a cave in the mountains of Pakistan and that of his fundamentalist followers have cost thousands of American lives and countless hundreds of thousands of Iraqi and Afghan lives. Though rarely have I wanted someone dead, this man was one of those few. I only hope that his death will bring some closure to those who lost families in the attacks from 9/11 and those who have sacrificed their lives in wars caused by the actions of so few lead by this man, Osama Bin Laden. If it is an end of an era, let's just hope the beginning of the next is a bit less violent.
Always Forward!
Jaeson "Doc" Parsons
doc@graffitiofwar.com
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