He's dead. Will it make any difference?
In the national and international political arena, yes. Internationally (and to its citizens), the story of the US is now that it's the country that did what it swore it would. It is now a nation with a will of adamant and unbreakable purpose. This might give other countries pause. There again, it might not--rational thinking is not, historically, part of the worldview of extremists, and some countries are still run by same. In domestic political terms it makes a big difference. No serious Democrat will now mount a challenge to Obama. And a good chunk of Independent voters will now no doubt think Obama is tough enough on security and crime (and reasonable enough on taxes and spending) to vote him in for another term.
In non-govermental practical terms, I'm not sure it will make any difference. I think we'll probably see more instances of terrorism, not fewer, as various groups duke it out for bin Laden's mantle. Getting through security at the airport will get more difficult, for a while.
I just don't know enough, I can't see past the propaganda, to be certain of anything else. If anyone out there has information to share, I'd like to hear it. Just play nicely.
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one less murderer to worry about. but i have unpleasant feeling that terror (which was present not so long ago in Europe 'RAF' 'Brigate Rosse''IRA', not to mention London and Madrid just few years ago) is going to stay with us much more longer. it's about 70-80 % of humanity living in poverty, isn't it? it's a lot of desperate people.
ReplyDeletekilling bin Laden is sure a morale boost, especially for USA citizens, but in a long term it doesn't really matter.
V.I. I don't think terrorism is about poverty.
ReplyDeleteMiddle America looooooves it when someone kicks the crap out of the Middle East. As Bush Jr. showed us, they don't care why, or if they suck at it, or if there is a reason, of if they've been lied to-- they just want to see blood on the ground & grainy nightvision photos of buildings blowing up. Yeah-- Obama 2012 is a sure thing.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to remember nordic sagas: did the the cycle of violence and retribution ever end?
ReplyDeleteI do remember the Odyssey: when Odysseus kills the usurpers, he was very careful to hide the deaths from the families of his victims. If I recall right, even then Athena set him on a mission of penance.
I've the odd sense that while everyone is applauding our ridding the world of a psychopathic killer, they're also looking uneasily over their shoulders.
ladyjanegray, it never ends.
ReplyDeleteTrue, one less murderer to worry about, but I don't feel much better as long as the Oval Office is occupied by a murderer, who succeeded a murderer, who succeeded yet another murderer. (I'm not talking about the execution of Bin Laden there, I'm talking about the vast numbers of innocent people around the world who were killed by Clinton, Bush, Obama, and their predecessors.) Psychopathic? That's more abuse than diagnosis, but I think it's fair to doubt the mental balance of someone who thinks this is a joke:
ReplyDelete"Jonas brothers are here, they're out there somewhere. Sasha and Malia are huge fans, but boys, don't get any ideas. Two words for you: predator drones. You will never see it coming. You think I'm joking?"
I agree, terrorism will be us for the foreseeable future, especially state terrorism, which is far more routine, widespread, and destructive. (It was in the service of state terrorism that Bin Laden got his start.) Terrorism is usually the violence of the weak, not necessarily of the poor; the violence of the powerful is called "justice."
Promiscuous, I think terrorism is the tool of the resentful and the short-sighted.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the killing of Bin Laden is not 'justice' as defined by US (or UK--and probably other) law.