Current Facebook Status: Thanks to our troops, active & former, front lines & support, who in one way or another made this possible.
A bit conflicted – should be sad/upset that he likely died unready to meet his Maker; I find it hard to be so.
Glad O called GWB to tell him, but a bit… something at the phrasing how O directed CIA to find him. Made it sound like no one did before, diminishing the sacrifices made over the 8 years prior.
And later in the comments: Also conflicted about the celebrations. Kristin Billerbeck tweeted: “I’m not liking the image of everyone celebrating in front of the White House. It looks a lot like when terrorists celebrate American deaths”
While I understand it, a mass m…urderer brought to the only justice to be found on Earth for him [captured and tried? Could not have happened], but fear it could be cause for more terror, and… I dunno. Conflicted about it.
Maybe… “I’ve never wished a man dead, but I’ve read some obituaries with great pleasure.” -Mark Twain
Currently Playing in the Background: Nothing. Silence. I love it!
I think the Facebook status says it all.
Osama bin Laden is dead.
I have a hard time thinking this is anything but a good thing. The man was an admitted mass murderer [though he didn’t ‘pull the trigger’ as it were, he orchestrated many events that killed innocents, not the least of which was 9/11]. If you thought the ‘let’s give Khalid Sheik Mohammed a trial in NYC’ debacle was a… well, debacle, it’s nothing compared to what a capture/trial would have been like for OBL. Sadaam was at least turned over to his own people who carried out a trial and death sentence under Iraqi law. Much less complicated than ‘is he a POW? An enemy combatant? Does he have Constitutional rights? What about Gitmo? [try closing it with bin Laden as a resident] Military tribunal? Civil trial? Is there a ‘John Adams’ willing to give him a vigorous defense?’
Death by special forces was the only real option outside of natural causes or a coup within Al Qaeda*. I have the opening scene from Air Force One playing in my head, but with a different outcome for the target.
Regardless, while no man can truly know the heart of another, it seems relatively safe to say that OBL was likely not ready to meet his Maker. On some level, that saddens me. While justice on Earth would remain the same, eternal damnation would not be the outcome if OBL had come to know Jesus on a personal level here on Earth.
It reminds me of my need for Christ. For His mercy. His grace. “All we like sheep have gone astray.” No, I’m not a mass murderer. No, I’ve never really wished anyone dead. But I’m still a sinner.
There was more I contemplated saying, but it’s late and I’m finally getting tired.
The speech was good. Though I did feel like Obama took credit more than he deserved. Maybe any president would have. I did think the line about ‘not long after I took office, I instructed the CIA to make this a top priority’ made it sound like Bush had told the CIA ‘eh, you know, if you happen to come across him while you’re out jogging, let me know’. I don’t like Obama. I don’t like his policies. This is one of the few things I can point to that I feel his administration has done right, and I’ve tried to take that into consideration, but to me, it sounded like all of the groundwork done by others over the previous 8-9 years didn’t exist. A friend posted on Facebook ‘he did in two years what other presidents couldn’t do in 2 decades’. I don’t believe that’s entirely accurate at all. Obama built on what the others had done. And it was on his watch that it happened.
It’ll be a while, if ever, before we know the full story. I’m sure some producer out there is already trying to get the rights for the major motion picture. It’s possible that nothing GWB or Clinton or GHWB did mattered and it was all based solely on stuff the Obama administration did, but I find that highly unlikely.
My hat** goes off to the troops and intelligence personnel, current and former, front lines and support, those currently overseas, who have been overseas or who serve in any capacity. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the sacrifices you and your families have made to keep me and my family safe.
*Matt’s theory was he was hit in the head by a 50# bag of rice at his local Sam’s Club… Don’t know how plausible that might be though… 😉
**My hat, though imaginary, is much cooler than some of the ones at the wedding Friday morning.
“. So I guess I am =D.
