Thursday, May 5, 2011

Done, And Done


Big stories evolve: who knows what explains it all? Early confusion? Miscommunication? Second thoughts?

As the version of Osama using his wife as a shield is walked back, it's also now being said he didn't fire at the Americans, raising questions about whether he could have been captured. Whatever the preferred image of the end-time, it seems clear that had OBL been taken alive, there'd have been enormous problems, nearly unimaginable ones. Same with having him buried somewhere. Despite anticipating the predictable and inevitable conspiracy theories that already abound as if pre-packaged for the occasion, I'm thinking neither was ever considered an option.

Had Osama been captured, where would they have put him? He'd have had to stand trial at some point: where? In what sort of facility? Would he have been allowed to speak? Would other countries have demanded a crack at him, too? Hard as it is to imagine, in this country our RWS™ would surely have demeaned themselves even further, calling for Obama's head as loudly as they would Osama's (and, given their propensity for confusion of the names, it'd be hard to know about which they were speaking, and when), no matter the direction he chose. I'd like to think that our system of justice could handle it, in civilian court, for the world to see. And, other than the demagoguery from the screamers that would surely besmirch the process, I do. But this, I think, is singular and exceptional. I'm glad not to have to witness what might have happened. I assume it was given high-level thought, and rejected. At the highest level. Much as it goes against my long-held beliefs, I think it was the right decision. No doubt, I'll be thinking about it some more.

Likewise, the burial at sea. Were there to be a site to which admirers could come -- or non-admirers, too -- it'd have been an ongoing and repellant spectacle. Let the conspiracies fly. (And they are, from left and from right.) It was the right decision, too.

I am proud of the fact, though, that bin Laden evidently received a respectful (and brief) ceremony before being slid, weighted down, into the seas. Entirely the opposite of the way bodies of our soldiers were treated by mobs in Iraq, it speaks of a society of ethics and civility to be admired. In the end, it's a more powerful message than a trial would have been. I imagine the order for that to have occurred also came from the verymost top; and I admire it greatly. Others, predictable as sputum from a smoker, do not. Needing it like respiration, they see nefary.

As opposed to the disastrous effects of Bush's approach to fighting terrorism, lauded recently once again by Rumsfeld and touted throughout the echoing halls of right wing screamery, the way to win the war on terrorism -- if it is winnable, and if the date of victory would ever be identifiable -- is by convincing enough people in Muslim nations that we are not at war with their religion. That it's the highjackers of their religion that we reject and seek to destroy. That we, as a nation, comport ourselves differently, and are deserving of their admiration. For the most effective way to find and eliminate terrorists is to have people near to them willing to tell the tale.

I can hear the insane conversations in households around this country: conspiracies, certainties, and claims that it all -- especially the ritual burial -- shows, somehow, that President Obama is still an America-hating secret Muslim. To me, it shows an intelligence and sensitivity to the real issues, even as he's continued programs and done things that I strongly dislike, that was sorely lacking until he took office.


4 comments:

  1. Ummm Sid,
    must be the precesion of the equinoxes or something but I'm agreein with you on something again(besides that Joy Bayhar is enough to turn Clint Eastwood Homo).
    And I won't throw the fact that Osama, I mean Obamas greatest accomplishment was the result of Good Old Fashioned Hard Torture, I mean Aggressive Interogation Techniques.
    And I like the whole burial at sea thing, its gotta Eichmann/Big Pussy("Sopranos" reference) vibe goin on..
    That bein said, I wanta see the photos...
    Of Bin Laden's 17 year old Wife.

    Whoahh!!!!!!!!!!(Andrew Dice Clay reference)

    Frank

    ReplyDelete
  2. If by hard torture you mean years and years of painstaking intelligence work, we agree once again.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I agree with you that they handled it well in not capturing him and yes the burial at sea too.

    I understand the anger of people who think he didn't deserve it and in your face to his supporters ...but what differentiates us from the evil terrorist extremists is that we believe in the dignity/sanctity of life for all people ...even when we disagree. Although not perfect, we strive to be the example of light in darkness.

    Bush went on the offensive after 911. I know his policies could be debated. but ..he did implement them.

    And Obama ..continued with policies already in place ..including Gitmo ...and stepped it up in Afghanistan., etc.

    I do think both presidents deserve credit for this. It was probably years in the works. Bush for initiating ..Obama for following through. What a HUGE responsibility /weight they must've had on their shoulders while making these decisions. I don't think any of us can possibly know the burdens a president carries while in office. And when we make our judgments ...we do so without having walked in their shoes.

    We will probably never know all the facts of policies employed during both presidencies because of security reasons.

    I am encouraged that they found a wealth of intelligence information and no doubt that will be a further blow to the extremist cause.

    Also, the burial at sea shows respect for their faith. It shows the everyday Muslim that we respect them/their faith. And you never know ..there could be some Muslim extremist or one about to join ..that could have a change of heart because of our taking the high road. Either way ...it was the right way to go.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ahh...Just sayin'SSWoman - the CIA (Cough..Bush!) shut down the hunt for OBL:

    "July 4, 2006
    C.I.A. Closes Unit Focused on Capture of bin Laden
    By MARK MAZZETTI
    WASHINGTON, July 3 The Central Intelligence Agency has closed a unit that for a decade had the mission of hunting Osama bin Laden and his top lieutenants, intelligence officials confirmed Monday."

    "The unit, known as Alec Station, was disbanded late last year and its analysts reassigned within the C.I.A.
    Counterterrorist Center, the officials said."

    SeeIt@:

    http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9807E4DD1230F937A35754C0A9609C8B63

    You probably don't remember Bush saying "I don't think about Osama anymore"

    See this video of Fredo's sh** (feces) eating grin and embarrassed stumbling and going I...Ahh etc. in response to a question from a reporter about why he didn't talk about Osama anymore. Ending with:

    ‘I Really Just Don’t Spend That Much Time On Him’

    SeeIt@:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PGmnz5Ow-o

    And the little weasel thinks he should get more credit.

    Well we all know what he did to our "Credit" Right?

    Let's all credit him with the worst presidency evar - trillion dollar wars, the ruins of our financial system, the rape and pillage of the Bill of Rights, torture, Katrina and so much more that endears him to dumb-ass supporters like you!!!

    Delicious!!!

    EugeneInSanDiego

    ReplyDelete

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