bin Laden (posted first elsewhere)

[henry quirk]

If bin Laden had been killed within 30 days of the 9-11 events, then -- yes -- one might say a crippling blow had been delivered (as justice or revenge) and there might be legit cause for some celebration.

bin Laden taken out ten years after the 9-11 events is -- at best -- a minor news event, one inflated to monumental proportions by a media taken to playing propaganda machine.

Sure: bin laden's supporters are understandably miffed by the death of a friend, a leader, but any one thinking bin laden's death amounts to more than a blip in the grand scheme, or that bin Laden's death will sharpen the enemy's distaste for *'America', is just dumb.

Certainly: in the ten years since the 9-11 events: bin Laden has hand-picked successors who seamlessly stepped into the void caused by his death. Certainly: the anti-America agenda can't be any more obvious or direct(ed) than it was prior to his death.

So: insofar as I can tell, it's business as usual.

Lots of folks all over are celebrating (uselessly) at his death...let 'em...school yard antics.

Lots of folks all over will (opportunistically) take up a banner for renewed actions against 'America' (like the zeal against America was ever blunted, like anti-American plans were ever put on back burners, like the enemy -- over the past ten years -- has been cutting the West a 'break'...pffftt!).

At best: Medias should have reported that 'bin Laden was killed at 'this' time, in 'this' way, by 'these' folks, this is a comment from the White House, and now: the weather'.

This hour after hour repetition of damned little information moves the event from 'news' into 'propaganda'.

At best: after collecting photographic, videographic, and forensic evidence (to confirm the corpse was/is indeed bin Laden) the body, encased in a U.S. military body bag, should have been returned to (and left at) the place where it was 'made into a corpse'...that is: no attempts to defile or honor the corpse should have been made...the body -- after the necessary evidence was taken from it -- should have simply been dismissed (as to say to the enemy: 'this is how little we think of this person and -- by extension -- you...we simply leave him here for you, or anyone, to do with as you like...we don't care').

Finally: folks who wanna debate the 'deeper meaning' of bin Laden's death (politically or otherwise) are being hysterical, melodramatic, or just plain opportunistic.

Again: bin laden's death is -- at best -- a minor news event.




*Not only the United States of America but 'the West' of which America is the exemplar.

[morethanpretty]

Well if its so minor, then why did you make another thread for it when 2 already exist?
Here and here



In serious response, it is a big news item, he's murdered thousands and there is no statute of limitations on murder. Will it have a huge impact on terrorism around the world? Probably not since it seemed his influence had wained. Will it have a huge emotional impact on those who have suffered due to his madness? Yes. That is why it is so important to so many. All Americans felt the blow when the towers fell, I cannot imagine how much worse it must be for the families/friends of victims. Even to this day I cry when I think too much about it and I did not lose anyone. It was an awful awful day, and for a lot of us no amount of time can make it better, not until the generations who witnessed it are mostly gone will the emotional pain of that day possibly be lessened. Its my generations version of Pearl Harbor (and hopefully the only one I will witness). 10 years later is way too late, but that doesn't mean that our sadness has really faded, so his death, even now, is going to evoke strong emotion because he is so closely tied to 9/11. We have not healed yet from what he caused to happen to us, so why would we not feel a great emotional response to his death?
Sorry if I rambled some, I still feel very surreal about this.

As to the matter of his body, it would not have mattered what had been done with it, people would still find something wrong with how the remains were dealt with. So that is unimportant really.

[DanaC]

Of course the news media is making a big deal of it. That's what they do. 24 Hour news services make a big deal out of nothing. This is not nothing.