I woke up to news this morning that I honestly thought I would never hear. Osama Bin Laden had been found and killed by US Special Forces. Relief and a sense of justice were my first reactions. Bin Laden has been masterminding terrorist attacks and killing people around the world for the last 20 years. It has been nearly 10 years since he brought that terror to America on September 11. Justice has finally been served for his thousands of victims.
While I share in the sense of joy that many are feeling, I must admit the scenes of partying in New York and Washington have disheartened me. When the media broadcasts pictures of crowds in foreign countries celebrating the death of American soldiers, we are sickened but strengthened in our resolve to fight terror and defeat the enemy. Won’t these enemies interpret our own celebrations in the same way? When it finally happens, celebrate the end of a war, not the death of only one enemy, regardless of how significant it is.
Many questions remain. Who was helping him stay hidden? Who if anyone within the Pakistani government knew about his close proximity to their main military academy? How does one build a fortress of this size without some government oversight? Was there information that should have been shared and wasn’t? Will there be retaliatory attacks? Does this really change anything? To the last question I will answer no. His death, while hugely important and gratifying, is largely symbolic. Al-Qaeda will continue to operate without him. Our resolve to take the fight to the terrorists cannot be satisfied with only this result.
A job very well done to the SEAL team who carried out the operation, the intelligence community who’s hard work got it to the point we could take action, and even to Obama who was smart enough to keep the whole thing quiet until it was over. May God continue to bless America, the troops that defend her, and her citizens at home and abroad.
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