Before you read this blog on my reaction to the news of the death of Osama bin Laden, know the following: I am relieved that the leader of the largest publicly know terrorist organization is gone, that our countries efforts to reduce and eliminate terrorism continues to improve, and I am a proud, happy and patriotic U.S. citizen. With all of that being said, when I heard the news of the assassination of Osama bin Laden, my reaction was kind of modest. It goes back to 9/11 and all of the news since then. Initially I was surprised how quickly we announced as the responsible party for 9/11. My initial reaction was "wow that was fast." Then as time moved on I was reading other data points that made me really question was Osama bin Laden really the master mind behind 9/11. I remember seeing various movies like Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 that claimed that the first flight out of the U.S. was the family of Osama bin Laden - why would we do that? I also watched Loose Change 9/11: An American Coup, which was a film that used images from the news footage and was demonstrating that the planes that hit the tower were not commercial planes, but military planes. It also questioned the ability of a plane to hit the Pentagon based on its flight path, size of the hole in the building (being too small), and the lack of heat/fire damage based on what a plane that size would have left. All interesting stuff, all it did was confuse me on what really happened, unable to draw a clear conclusion.
Then I was always shocked how a country with our military size, strength and resources were unable to catch Osama bin Laden. I mean really, 10 years? I would read stories of near misses and how he was living on the run in caves in the mountains with large groups of his military protecting him. I think I read at one point the U.S. had a reward of $25M for information leading to his capture - and no one turned him in - really? In the end, he was not found in a cave - rather a million dollar complex next to the Pakistan military academy. Additionally, there was only three people with him when the 24 man seal team moved in - his son, unidentified woman and man - really? Where was his bodyguards? Where was his army? This was the master mind behind 9/11 and the 1998 bombings of American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania and the 2000 bombing of the warship USS Cole in Yemen. And with all of his wealth, he was left unguarded - really? The U.S. military immediately removed his body and buried him at sea - really? Why would we not capture him (I mean he was only protected by 3 other people), and question him? It is hard to believe that questioning the leader of the largest organized terrorist group is better off dead than interrogating him first. He was the most wanted man in the world. Last, why not take a picture of his corpse? I mean is he really dead as of two days ago? Just seems odd that there is no public proof that he is dead.
I guess I just don't know or trust what I hear in the news. It would make me feel better if the second biggest story after the announcement of his death was what this will this mean for the U.S. war in Afghanistan and Pakistan. I mean if the witch is really dead, and all is good in the world, then why are we continuing to send military into these countries?
No comments:
Post a Comment