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Osama Bin Laden is Killed but Are We Safer?

The kids and I have been glued to the television for the past hour. I was ecstatic that Bin Laden has died.

Our president told us that Osama Bin Laden has been killed and the body is in US Custody. The kids didn’t really understand my glee, Jane wasn’t yet three and Alexander was only six weeks old when the World Trade Center was attacked so they don’t remember a time that we weren’t at war with Al Qaeda.

I’m jealous that Mr G is in New York City right now for what surely must be the grandest celebration of our lifetimes. But I also feel embarrassed for my blood lust, and a little conflicted because I might have enjoyed his imprisonment as I’d come to enjoy Sadaam Husein’s all those years ago.

Now I worry that Al Qaeda will get all grumbly and attack again, and I’m not prepared to wait another 10 years to end their reign of terror. I worry that this won’t actually bring the troops home.

Mostly I worry that I’ve become the person who would celebrate another person’s death and I don’t want to show my children that this is who I have become.

How do you feel about this news?

19 thoughts on “Osama Bin Laden is Killed but Are We Safer?”

  1. Lawrence Mcpherson

    The news of Osama Bin Laden being killed is a “feather in the cap” for American forces, and a testimony to the men/women that were involved in executing the raid/assault. While I am glad to hear of the news, I can’t help but pause to take notice of all the men/women who have given their lives for this moment in time. Our Mission was to capture and bring Osama Bin Laden to justice. That Mission is accomplished. The question is what next? The end game is the removal of our troops from Afghanistan. When will that occur? I believe that in a Post 9/11 America, a retaliation from al qaeda will be met with swift and precise force. We have now proven to the world that we have the resolve to seek out and bring to justice those who would attack our country. No matter how long it takes. . .

  2. Conflicted here. Similar emotions. But still can’t say that I regret his death.
    I don’t think it made us any safer. But the world is less one horrible, evil man. Which makes tonight a good night in many ways.

  3. Anyone who is willing to slaughter as many innocent men, women and children as their weapons will allow is the epitome of evil. Any time someone that evil dies, the world is a better place, and it’s alright and good to celebrate their death.

  4. I have some facebook friends who posted quotes from marianne williamson. Stuff like “Tonight is a night for sober & mature reflection, not glee. Mindless celebration is both spiritually inappropriate & politically naive.” Originally from Marianne Williamson’s twitter, @marwilliamson

    I wish I was spiritually appropriate enough not to feel glee. But apparently I’m not. I’m not even mature enough to refrain from using the phrase “spiritually appropriate” as many times as I can tomorrow at the office just to be douchey.

    Politically, I am left of left. I don’t believe we should have ever been in Iraq or Afghanistan. I don’t think either of those wars have much to do at all with 9/11. I am anti-death penalty. I try to be compassionate. I try to be a good human being. I want to set a good example for my children and I don’t want to celebrate another person’s death. But I do in fact feel glee. I’m thrilled he’s gone.

  5. Are we safe? Great question. I’m also sure our military has asked the same question to themselves and I would hope they are preparing for any fallout of this event.

  6. Im with you. I am sure we are no more safe than we were before they killed him but I take comfort in knowing that HE is not alive to coordinate such atrocities on us any longer. I too am exhilarated that he is gone, I think it has to do with the fact that I can vividly remember that morning and seeing the towers and my own personal life was affected in those moments. In our collective minds he did that to all of us, he made us feel unsafe in our own country. Now, he is gone and I can exhale with relief that he has paid for his crimes with his life but I am not so naive as to think that we are safe.

  7. I don’t believe that Al-Qaeda has ever ceased operations. I don’t believe that our enemies took a hiatus or any sort of break before this and I don’t expect that this will necessarily create one now.

    But I am no more worried today than I was yesterday. I place my faith in those that are supposed to protect us and keep my eyes open wide. I don’t feel badly for being happy that he is dead nor saying that I hope that he suffered.

    It won’t bring anyone back, but it won’t hurt either.

    I had a necessary but painful conversation with my children about him, about 9/11 and what it all means.

  8. I totally agree. I’ve been dealing with the same conflicting emotions! I’m having trouble celebrating a person’s death, no matter how many deaths this particular person caused, and I don’t know that it really means anything as far as our safety. I’m happy that, that chapter in history is finally over but I don’t want my son (though he’s very young) to see me celebrate his death. Luckily, he’s not aware enough of what’s going on to warrant any discussion on the topic.

    Also, there were and probably still are a lot of people involved in Al Queda activities and this event could, like you said, spark a terrorist reaction. Especially now that people are feeling safer…

  9. I am have trouble celebrating the death of anyone….seems like bad karma, you know? Clearly he’s was the worst of the worst, and yet, ‘deserve’ seems incorrect.I’m a little concerned you replce him with an even crazier, more fanatical one….i wonder how the 9 11 families feel. It is good to end that chapter, I just hope the fall out is not horrific.

    1. Jenny, please explain: How is “deserve” incorrect? You know what seems like bad karma? Killing thousands of people. He didn’t come forward to accept punishment for his crime. He chose this ending.

  10. Are we ever safe? I don’t know. Who can we trust? There have been so many conspiracy theories surrounding the entire 911 catastrophe I am not sure if we can trust anything.

  11. I can’t join in the celebration. After about 15 minutes of an adrenaline rush last night, it turned into fear. I finally blogged about earlier this afternoon from the perspective of a military spouse. There’s definitely relief, but the fear I feel is much, much stronger.

    This isn’t over. One man’s death will not end this war. My thoughts are selfish now. I wonder how the retaliation is going to affect my husband, my son, me. I am one among many military spouses who are now in limbo as to what this will do to their families.

  12. I don’t think it’s death you’re celebrating. It’s a sense of justice served. It’s a bit of closure for a hugely painful incident. No, terrorism hasn’t ended. Not by a long shot. But a powerful terrorist mastermind who murdered innocent people around the world (and really, wanted to rule the world, so hypocritical it’s ridiculous) is no longer able to kill and terrorize. Pious people can tell others how to feel, but we’re human and gladness makes sense in this case.

  13. When I first heard the news, my initial reaction was “That fucker is dead. We finally got him. Thank God!” Then I thought about my cousin who was murdered by that bastard and I felt just fine knowing that justice was served and she, along with the other 3000 innocent people he murdered that day were finally at peace. I then called my brother in Alabama to tell him because he had no power yet due to the tornadoes and I knew he would want to hear the news.

    Am I happy a man is dead? Well he wasn’t a man. He wasn’t a human being. He was evil incarnate and it is OK to rejoice when evil is rid from this world. So I rejoice. And I thank God and the soldiers who took this bastard out.

    My only regret?

    I didn’t get to pull the trigger.

  14. I don’t know why there is any idea that we are safer somehow. It’s not as if evil is gone b/c OBL is. A friend texted me just before the president’s announcement. We texted back & forth for a few minutes about what it would mean if he was really dead. Her last text made me realize our lives won’t be any easier, “I’m worried about my husband. We were talking online for a few minutes when we were disconnected…he was just telling me how things are 10x more dangerous right now.” Her husband is in Afghanistan…my husband only left Afghanistan in December and I have no doubt will be back there before long. This death is more of an emotional victory than anything else.

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