Reactions?

Happy 8th "mission accomplished day".

Was there ever an Osama ?

2planes. 3towers.

Edited by redmonk on 05/01/2011 21:29:26 MDT.

Fantastic that he's dead - that Pakistan was harboring him is disturbing - and we've paid a hideous price for this win. 47,000 of our soldiers dead or wounded, a trillion dollars.

But now that he's dead - cremate him and flush him down the toilet.

Not ready to believe it yet. Confirmation needed.

Can we make airplane travel pleasant again?

"that Pakistan was harboring him is disturbing"

News reported that Pakistan cooperated in locating Osama

I think they took part in action

There are still millions of Muslims worldwide that despise the United States and many that are actively pursuing our destruction.

He's dead and I'm happy about it. Why? Because I spent a year of my life getting shot at and blown up because of that piece of ****.

Long form? Or will short form do?

Like Mark Twain, I can't think of anyone I've truly wished dead, but I admit to a certain joy in reading his obituary. However much he earned this vengeance, though, a part of me remains sad for the whole self perpetuating process of violence and vengeance and othering. There is no winning this game--all gains obtained through violence are also losses.

In regards to the "millions of Muslims worldwide that despise the United States", what is your proposed solution to remedy this viewpoint?

Any reasonable treatment of U.S. foreign policy would reveal many reasons for international dissatisfaction. Historically, we have had our share of failings, and haven't been the most even-handed in our response to geo-political issues. Thus, it's not difficult to understand why people might be angered by U.S. policies.

Complicating the issue further is our historic and current roles in the Israeli-Arab conflict, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; our support for certain regimes in the Arab world, and our opposition to growing Iranian influence.

I guess what I am getting at is that it will take more than words and weapons to change opinions - actions that support positive, substantive change are necessary. These come with great risk, and will require many of the actors in these affected regions change as well. Some of this is within the control of the United States, but much of it is not.

I would be curious to hear other people chime in on this.

Dirk

Edited by dirk9827 on 05/02/2011 02:06:26 MDT.

Sort of how I feel...

http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2011/05/02/3205479.htm?site=perth

You know that sickening feeling in your stomach you get when you realize that you have been scammed? Yeah, that's how I feel. I'm with Doug. Where's the body and the autopsy report? How many body doubles did Saddam Hussein have?

They claim to have done DNA tests, but the lack of a body is disturbing. Still, it would have created far more problems, politically speaking, to put the body on display or even to produce pictures of it.

>I would be curious to hear other people chime in on this.<

Having been in the region, one big effect may be getting rid of a bogeyman for Afghans in that type of society, though Afghanistan still needs rebuilding (can't let Pakistan and the Saudi's "take care" of it again).
Also gets rid of a major bogeyman for Arabs (though Saudi and many Arab countries still have problems -why can't they all just be like Dubai?) and, frankly, gets rid of a bogeyman for us too (though it doesn't really end counter-terrorism for the West either).

My 2 cents: It can give us more momentum if used wisely, so we can get our major combatant forces out of there sooner at the very least.

Edited by hknewman on 05/02/2011 14:15:01 MDT.

DNA compairisons? That would require two tests. It is nice to know what DNA you are testing. That would require Osama to have been DNA tested previously...so, just to say they tested a body before destroying it nonsense.

"Can we make airplane travel pleasant again?"

+1

I am seeing a frenzy of patriotic cheer even among 15 year olds??????
This could be a great opportunity for teachers and parents to try and explain and caution our young against group euphoria; goose bumps generated by group feeling without any understanding, can lead to some of the same horrors that we think we are against or even immune to. Dehumanize a group or an individual, sprinkle some fear or other strong emotion, have someone lead us into a chant or other loud rithmical beat, and you have the potential for horror, at the hands some angry Muslims....or anyone else.
I wish we taught about this human trait to our kids, so that they could see it coming.


Edited: added "about"...

Edited by Kat_P on 05/02/2011 10:27:11 MDT.

"However much he earned this vengeance, though, a part of me remains sad for the whole self perpetuating process of violence and vengeance and othering. There is no winning this game--all gains obtained through violence are also losses."

+1

So well said. I've had trouble putting my feelings into cohesive thoughts. This is pretty close.

As Ghandi said "an eye for an eye makes the whole world go blind."

They can "triangulate" from family members.

Do you really think Obama would announce that they killed him if he wasn't dead? That would be a massive mistake and political suicide. If a video of Bin Laden is released any time between now and the next election, it would be the end of Obama's political career. He said the body was disposed of within 24 hours according to Islamic tradition and I can't think of any sane reason not to believe that's true.

Edited by jakep_82 on 05/02/2011 10:34:31 MDT.