Osama's Dead

Finally, Osama bin Laden is dead. After ten years of trying to find and assassinate him, U.S. Special forces entered into Pakistan and killed Osama who seems to have been protected by the Pakistani government in his sanctuary there. Not since Adolph Hitler has one man been so hated by Americans. After the announcement that bin Laden had been killed and his body captured as evidence spontaneous celebrations broke out out side the White House in Washington D.C. and at the site of 911 in New York City.

Seeing Americans cheering the killing of even a madman like Osama is disconcerting, but understandable given the 10 years of frustration in finding where Osama was hiding and in finally killing him. Still, one would hope the victims would not imitate the mass murders with acts of exhalation when the killers have been brought to justice. Justice should not inlcude cheers of revenge.

I think the euphoria is misplaced. Osama was a symbol of the evil of Muslim extremism and the head of the psychotic al Quida, but his death won't end the fanatical behavior of Muslim terrorists. It will probably inflame the terrorists in the short term and surely bring about an attempt at another high profile terrorist act to remind the world that only Osama was killed, not al Quida as an organization.

No doubt Pakistan has been helping Osama escape detection and prevent his capture or assassination inside of Pakistan. The fact that the U.S. forces executed the mission without the permission of the Pakistani government will inflame many Arabs in Pakistan and the region. But it does send a signal that megalomaniacal individuals and organizations can not hide forever from those whom they assault.

I wonder if Osama's death will make the image of Muslims somewhat better now. Depending on how terrorists groups react to the assassination, the world may not show as much hostility toward mainstream Muslims as it now does, given the evil cancer that represents Islam is now dead. More likely though, al Quida or some other fanatical, murderous Muslim extremist group will plan and carry out more murder in the mane of "Allah', and new devils will replace the one just killed. The Osama era is dead, but the madness he spawned will likely continue un abated.