As discussed in class, please read the following articles, write a reflection, and then determine what issue you wish to pursue in blog form.
Some questions to consider:
What is an appropriate response to something like this?
Has "justice been done?"
What do you think is the most likely ramification of this? What do you think SHOULD BE a ramification?
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/02/world/asia/osama-bin-laden-is-killed.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/02/world/02osama-bin-laden-obituary.html
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/05/02/reaction-to-killing-of-bin-laden/
http://www.heritage.org/Research/Commentary/2011/04/Bin-Laden-Op-Vindicates-Bush
http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2011/05/02/osama_and_chants_of_usa
I think that an appropriate response to bin Laden's death depends on how you see what happened. I will not say that I jumped out of my chair and cheered when I found out about his death, but there was relief, pride, and definitely a sense of joy. I think that these celebrations are in lieu of America accomplishing a goal set a decade ago, as it was a success. But, it is possible to see how the salon.com article denounced the celebrations. The author read the celebrations as a sincere celebration of death, the death of a mass-murderer. I think that the crowds were more celebratory towards the fact that the USA had accomplished such a goal, and it has been a long "silly period," where journalists have resorted to criticizing teenage songs and Obama's birth certificate.
ReplyDeleteAnother notion I would like to talk about is the time span and distance of Osama's death from 9/11 and other attacks of his. I think that there would definitely not be these same kind of celebrations if Osama was found and killed the next day after 9/11:
Salon.com
"But it is to say that our reaction to the news last night should be the kind often exhibited by victims’ families at a perpetrator’s lethal injection -- a reaction typically marked by both muted relief but also by sadness over the fact that the perpetrators’ innocent victims are gone forever, the fact that the perpetrator's death cannot change the past, and the fact that our world continues to produce such monstrous perpetrators in the first place."
The authors wish of what the reactions to Osama's death should have been are those of which would have happened if he was killed on 9/12.
It was the lost sense of achievement throughout the USA that caused such an ecstatic crowd for Osama's death. Also, it was the fact that Osama had indirectly killed thousands of Americans on 9/11. So to conclude this topic, I really do think that the celebrations were a sense of accomplishment of the USA, how Obama said we "could accomplish anything."
Next, I think our GOVERNMENT's reaction should be professional, in terms of the possibility of a retaliation from Al Queda or other terrorist organizations. In the NY Times article, it said, "[Osama's] greatest hope, he told supporters, was that if he died at the hands of the Americans, the Muslim world would rise up and defeat the nation that had killed him." This quote sends an eerie shiver through my body because it seems as though it was premeditated, and that Al Queda knew it was coming the whole time. My worry is that the world will think that Al Queda is severely injured, but really they are holding something back.
So, I think one of the most important things to watch in these next few weeks will be our relationship with Pakistan and other Middle Eastern countries. Another worry is that in that CNN list of reactions, there was no representative from Pakistan, even though the operation occurred in Pakistan and Pakistan was being regarded as a terrorist "haven." The interaction of the Pakistan government with terrorist organizations is questionable, or at least their authority and discretion with them.
Are we in trouble? And will our misconceived reactions be the cause of a much worse tragedy?
I think terrorism is a little bit like bullying. Intimidation is used to frighten others. Merriam Webster defines terrorism as, “the systematic use of violence to create a general climate of fear in a population and thereby to bring about a particular political objective.” This is just what 9/11 brought about. Many people, including myself, had the immediate reaction that we were now more likely to be attacked again. This made me question if some how, the fear we have as a country is almost perpetuating terrorism. Maybe this marks a change in the war on terror. I think it shows the global community that despite our domestic problems and hyper-self-destructive-partisanship, we are still a strong country, intent on keeping its citizens safe. This is sort of a victory for us. I like the way heritage.com put it by saying, “Bin Laden's death is the most significant victory in the war on terror since the 9/11 attacks, more important than the arrest of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in 2006. Bin Laden's elimination vindicates U.S. strategy in the region, started under President George W. Bush, and it will be seen as a major success for the United States, showing the world that America will remain committed to hunting down its enemies as long it takes.” This situation reminds me oddly enough of the American Revolution. The colonists were just not doing well. The British were basically destroying them and it seemed as if it was impossible to win this war. Then, there was a victory at Saratoga and the colonist’s luck seemed to change. I wonder if this is the start of victories for us. Maybe Osama’s death is the United States’ second battle of Saratoga- a turning point. This, in a way, gives me more faith in the strength of the country. The heritage article said that the United States had stopped 38 terrorist plots foiled since 9/11. Thirty-Eight attacks. Countless lives saved. This shocked me. At first, it scared me. Then I realized how careful the country is. It’s annoying when I have to wait in a security line at the airport for 45 minutes, but it seems to me that it’s effective. While Osama’s death isn’t a time to rejoice and party, it is a time to be proud of the country and recognize the victory and justice. There of course is a chance that this could backfire even worse that before, however, it could also mark the beginning of the end of this modern reign of terror.
ReplyDeletePART 1/2
ReplyDeleteIt was the night before my A.P. Psychology exam, and I was cramming in all the knowledge of neuroanatomy and psychopathology that I could. Around 10:30, I decided that I couldn’t physically know any more about Jean Piaget’s developmental theory, I decided to ship off to bed. One last look at my Facebook newsfeed was all I had left to do.
“OMG OSAMA IS DEAD”
I figured it was a profile that got hacked, and glanced over that status.
“OSAMA”
“WAIT I JUST TURNED ON THE TV AND OSAMA WHAT”
“ADIOS BYE OSAMA”
I felt a rush of adrenaline and turned on my television, which was already on NBC. Brian Williams was announcing the death of Osama bin Laden.
I rushed to my parents’ room to tell them, but they were asleep. I debated waking them up several times, and eventually decided that they needed to know. I shook them both and told them the news.
“What? They GOT HIM?” my dad asked.
My mom, in a state of shock, turned the television on to CNN, and both of their jaws dropped.
I stayed up three hours longer than I was expecting to. This was the biggest news to ever hit in a while, and I could not let it pass by me.
Immediately, when it was confirmed that bin Laden had been killed, I smiled. It wasn’t even an “OMG YES” smile; it was a smile that I could not control. I saw footage of Americans in Times Square and in front of the White House pretty much dancing for joy, and to be honest, if I lived close to those areas, I probably would have joined them.
I read some Facebook statuses and articles, though, of people who found it wrong to be so overjoyed. Some claimed that this was a human being that had been killed, and even though he had committed mass murders, it was wrong to rejoice at the death of a person.
Others, like David Sirota in a May 2 Salon.com article, said that being so overjoyed is “a sign [that] we may be inadvertently letting the monsters win.”
I completely understand both arguments. I really do. I’ve spoken to friends who feel that way to understand their sides, and I 100 percent get it. However, I personally remain happy at bin Laden’s death. I was only six when 9/11 happened, so I didn’t understand the magnitude of the day right when it happened, but years after, I have come to understand it was one of the most catastrophic and tragic days in American history.
The death of the man who caused it all personally makes me happy.
PART 2/2
ReplyDeleteSuffice to say, I truly believe that justice has been done. I watched President Obama’s announcement the night of the news, and when he said that line, I nodded my head in approval. I feel like that sums up the entire event.
That said, though, I do not believe justice has been done entirely, but rather toward bin Laden specifically. al Qaeda is still at large, and I am worried that there will be retaliation. Even today, we learned that the terrorist organization was planning another attack on the rail system on September 11th this year, ten years after that fateful day in 2001.
Also, with regards to the photos of bin Laden’s body, I feel like it is a really touchy and difficult subject to handle. There is literally no way whatsoever that the administration can handle it and appease both sides. Before Obama made the decision not to release the photos, I was completely in favor of their release. Now, however, I feel like the President made the right decision. Although the American people may feel left in the dark, not releasing the photos will prevent anti-American propaganda in the Middle East, and may, in fact, prevent another attack that could be instigated by al-Qaeda members viewing the photos.
Another thing I found interesting with the event is the way that the people of Abbottabad are reacting. There was a brief moment of shock, but the next morning, everyone went about their daily lives. In a May 5 “Today Show” interview, anchor Ann Curry asked a citizen if they truly believed if the completely capable world power that is the Pakistani government really had no clue that bin Laden was hiding out in that town.
He said he did.
Am I worried? Of course. But to eliminate one of the world’s most dangerous terrorist leaders, in my opinion, is a major accomplishment that I think should be celebrated.
To contrast Ben's last sentence, here are the last two paragraphs of my reflection.
ReplyDeleteI don’t know if the killing was technically a murder, I don’t know the laws regarding killing the “most wanted man” in the world, and I recognize that bin Laden was dangerous enough that politicians all declared to want him “dead or alive,” but it still really bothers me that they just killed him on the spot. I’m also aware of the fact that attempting to take him alive would put American lives in more danger than they already were, which I’m not suggesting is alright at all, and it may be trivial and incomparable to everything that was already risked, but some part of me still wishes, however unrealistic it is, that he get a chance before he died. I see a contradiction in the way that so many people are against the death penalty because of “moral” reasons, but are celebrating after a man is killed in an attack at his home.
I found Osama’s childhood even more sobering. His name means “young lion,” which is interesting because a cub seems innocent and cute, but quickly turns into what is widely known (at least in children’s picture books) as the king of the jungle, often a dangerous, growling creature. After reading that he was the only child of his father’s last wife, and named the “slave child,” I started to feel a bit sympathetic towards him. I know that at a certain point every person gets to the point where they have to make decisions for themselves regardless of everything around them, but as a Christian I also believe that no man is the source of evil, and rather can be brought back to God as life regardless of any sin. (And no, this does not mean we should all just forgive bad people...human government is a deputy authority and should carry out its necessary punishments for wrongdoings) Almost every article about bin Laden’s death includes the phrase “justice has been done,” or else it questions whether justice has been done. I’m not fond of the idea of doing justice in the first place. I don’t believe justice can ever be achieved by mankind, which is not to say that we should not live morally and justly. However, to me killing for revenge is not just. Revenge and retaliation might make a situation leveled or even equal, but justice implies a morally correctness. Making something just is taking away a stain, NOT adding a stain of equal size to balance it out. To illustrate, white-out only works because white is the opposite of dark. The situation only gets worse when someone tries to get rid of writing with ink; a pen can’t white-out a pen. Therefore, I have trouble seeing that the operation was really successful. Yes, we "eliminated" the world's leading terrorist. But in reality, does how much will this really eliminate terrorism globally? We'll just have to watch to see what has really been eliminated besides a life.
(Tiffany)
I feel kind of bad for Kate and William that their wedding celebration in the media was cut short due to this historical event. Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see in the timeline of historical events a royal wedding and "the mastermind of the most devastating attack on American soil in modern times and the most hunted man in the world, was killed in a firefight" will be side by side.
ReplyDeleteI found Tiffany's post quite interesting in the fact that many were happy to hear that he was quickly killed and it appeared as though no one had taken into consideration whether he should have been shot on the spot or not. I was watching the Today show and they described how the soldiers were trained in a duplicate of the compound Bin Laden was in and they went through the compound multiple times to practice the killing. It wasn't until hours before they entered the compound did they know they would be killing Bin Laden. Like any other human I believed that there should have been some sort of trial. We Americans emphasize the point that everyone deserves a fair trial yet Osama was never even thought to have been given this opportunity. Yet other believe that the rules didn't exactly apply to him in anyway. But my question is why did his death matter so much if it was only one person? There was a plan in place for when he died for Al Qaeda to live on, they had a replacement and just because he died, Al Qaeda didn't die with him. "American leaders have said that he was more symbolically important than operationally significant because he was on the run and hindered in any meaningful leadership role" and although his death was mourned by the group, it isn't going to stop their terrorist acts. So was it worth it for the US to put ourselves out there and celebrate the fact that the US is the country responsible for this killing? Because it may just put us in more harms way...
Like Ben said, only time will whether this death will weaken or strengthen Al Qaeda and whether it will increase their hatred for the US. Bill Clinton said, "I congratulate the president, the National Security team and the members of our armed forces on bringing Osama bin Laden to justice after more than a decade of murderous al Qaeda attacks." Yet just because they have broughten Osama to justice, does not mean that the other members of Al Qaeda nor all of the unnecessary deaths have been brought to justice.
Children are constantly told that a wrong for a wrong does not make a right, and I think that by celebrating just another killing is NOT the way Americans should be handling themselves.
All we can say to Osama is that its bin real.
Osama Bin Laden is dead. Monday morning, those were the words I woke up to as my mom shook me awake for school. Of course, the one night I decide to go to bed before midnight is the night that history is made. Of course. And to be honest, in the half asleep state I was in, I don't think I even processed what had happened. I gave my mom a blank stare and she told me again. I think then and only then did I truly understand that a mission almost as old as my brother had finally been completed and that one of "most hunted" man was dead.
ReplyDeleteHowever, in thinking about this whole situation, I cannot wrap my mind around his death, the American reaction, and the potential repercussions. I can vividly remember the morning of 9/11/2001 when I cheerily woke up only to see a grave expression on my mom's face. I remember sitting down with her and watching the news well after school had started, waiting anxiously next to the phone until my uncle called to say he was alright. I remember the sound of his voice on the phone, his descriptions of the city that was in ruins. I remember the constant replay of the falling twin towers and I remember the curiosity I felt because I couldn't truly understand what was happening. Today, despite my acquired knowledge and my developed mind, I still don't know if I actually understand. Due to the memories of 9/11, the shock of the day, the terrible crime, and the knowledge that Bin Laden was the head of the attack, I guess I should be happy he is dead. But then my mind asks, "How are you rejoicing a death?" Then, I try to justify it by the number of deaths he caused, how many people will live now because he is dead.... and I still can't bring myself to completely accept it. On paper, in my mind, justice has been done. But something just doesn't seem right. One person had a quote from Martin Luther King Jr. as her status after Bin Laden's death. It read: "I will mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” This quote stood out to me because it is so different to anything else I had seen or heard. While I obviously wouldn't want Bin Laden prowling the world still, planning more attacks and scheming to kill even more people, how can I rejoice his death. He was another human being. Seeing as I am going in circles, I might as well move on. My mind is like a whirlpool (as can be seen by my writing) but in the end I just don't know what to think. SHOULD I think something? Am I over-thinking this? I just honestly don't know. Obama said "Justice has been done" (New York Times). Bush had said he wanted Bin Laden "dead or alive" (New York Times). So then, are they right? They are/were presidents after all.
We must look forward and back at the same time, taking this "victory" this milestone in stride and bringing us to the future, with whatever that may bring. According to the New York Times article, Bin Laden Is Dead, Obama Says, "What remains to be seen, however, is whether it galvanizes Bin Laden’s followers by turning him into a martyr or serves as a turning of the page in the war in Afghanistan and gives further impetus to Mr. Obama to bring American troops home." So then, out of the choices presented, what is going to happen now?
I'm a paranoid person. Everything dangerous that I do, I think of the negative consequences. I found out that Osama bin Laden was dead while surfing Facebook. At first, I honestly did not know why so many people were so excited and posting status's like "It's a Party in the USA", "It's bin real" and "YES USA!". I investigated some more, and once I found out that WE had killed him, I was in shock. The first thing I said was "we are all going to die". We had killed Al-Qaeda's leader! Who knew how angry and invigorated they would be. So, of course, me being paranoid resulted in my belief that we were all going to die. However, throughout these articles, I saw that I was not the only person who felt this way. These articles made me feel that my view was supported, as seen in The Most Wanted Face of Terrorism, "His greatest hope, he told supporters, was that if he died at the hands of the Americans, the muslim world would rise up and defeat the nation that had killed him".
ReplyDeleteFor years, our country has been on the hunt searching for Osama bin Laden, after he switched from our ally to our enemy. I think its embarrassing that we interacted and helped Osama bin Laden in earlier times, because we basically "somehow created the bin Laden monster" (Most Wanted Face of Terrorism). 9/11 was and is a devastating memory for all members of this country, since no one expected our friend to quickly become the government's most wanted.
It's taken 10 years to make this big of an advance towards the end of terrorism. Bin Laden's death may have brought a lot of closure and a sense of safety to some people, but "terrorists [have tried] to attack us both at home and abroad; with 38 terrorist plots failed since 9/11, these attempts will certainly continue, if not get worse" (Bin Laden Op Vindicates Bush). Using Schager's analogy, I believe that this monster will grow back with 2 heads, ready to take down and defeat our invincible superpower nation.
I think what Martha said is very interesting. Terrorism is essentially bullying, except a little more extreme, but both are a constant fight against insecurities. People bully others because they cannot come to terms with their own insecurities. Therefore, I think countries bring terror to others because they are jealous of their success and other factors that make a country a supernation. The United States believed we were superior to other countries and were not able to be harmed, but then 9/11 happened, and we realized now how unsafe and insecure our borders were. Now that we are celebrating the death of the mastermind that caused this pain and terror, "it's a sign we may be inadvertently letting the monster's win" (USA! USA!).
ReplyDeleteHow this situation shakes out and what it does for our country is really going to be interesting to see. If it happens that Al-Qaeda is now demolished, I know personally I will find it hard to believe. I've grown up hearing about these wars overseas and these terrorist groups and attacks as a part of daily life, and I really am not sure what the world would look like without it. Therefore, that is why I do not think it is a possibility that we have punished this group to the point where they are unable to continue, but rather have punished them to the point where their anger and motivation has made them 10 times stronger.
I know that many people feel that Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden must be punished for what they did to the United States, and I can understand why America killed bin Laden. What I have trouble understanding is some of the responses.
ReplyDeleteCelebration after death is not only infuriating, but insulting. The video of Palestinians celebrating after the 9/11 terrorist attacks angered many Americans and distressed those who had lost loved ones in the attacks. But aren’t our celebrations doing a similar thing?
Of course, it is different with bin Laden. The world’s “most hunted man” was wanted for death by many. But responding in this way is an insult to those who believe that Osama was a leader and visionary. Of course, we consider these people to be terrorists, and they are responsible for the murder of many. But they are doing what they believe to be right, and one thing that we cannot change is somebody else’s opinion. Therefore, instead of treating others the way we want to be treated, we are angering these people more. After this, it is not unlikely that our enemy will want to continue the circle of hate and anger by attacking us again.
One thing that also interests me is the reasoning behind our response. It seems that throughout the last 10 years, one of the only things that can connect our people is terror. After 9/11, the country was “united.” People waved flags and sang the national anthem, expressing somber reflection and a will for vengeance. Now, the country is “united” again; however, it is only after a death that we can feel this way. As Salon.com puts it, “[bin Laden has] helped drag us down into his sick nihilism by making us like too many other bellicose societies in history.” He’s found America’s weakness and played on it, making us all too similar to a group of people who needs death in order to feel patriotism or unity in our country.
Perhaps we feel better about his death because we finally know that revenge has been served. But what concerns me is that Al Qaeda will not feel the same way. They do not believe that we are justified in killing their leader, and will continue to fight until they have revenge. Our warped and disjointed ideas of “justice” make our actions and responses a threat to the safety of our country. And with warnings from the president to be ready for attacks from the terrorist group, it is clear that this war is still raging strong.
According to The New York Times, “military bases in the United States and around the world were ordered to a higher state of readiness” after bin Laden was killed. In Obama’s White House address, it is stated that “Al Qaeda will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must and we will remain vigilant at home and abroad.” Whether we could have prevented this from happening is uncertain, but it may be true that America’s reaction and crazed celebration may be instigating a response from Al Qaeda faster.
A trillion dollars and ten years later, we finally got Osama. I disagree with the Salon article that wrote, “[Osama’s] helped drag us down into his sick nihilism by making us like too many other bellicose societies in history -- the ones that aggressively cheer on killing, as long as it is the Bad Guy that is being killed.” I personally believe that Osama’s death was well deserved, and that our nation’s reaction is less about a man being shot in the head and killed but rather a large, rare victory in our decade long war against terrorism. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said about Osama’s death, "There is no better rebuke to al Qaeda and its heinous ideology," and Former President Bush said, “This momentous achievement marks a victory for America.” I feel this in part embodies why we saw so many celebrations around the country. After a struggling war in Iraq, almost 10 years in Afghanistan without having caught the man we set to find in 2001, and a harsh recession, his death not only gives America a sense of accomplishment, but like Clinton said, a loud and clear message to Al Queda that America will do all it can do dismantle it. It is more than the death of an individual; it symbolizes that we have succeeded in a goal we set over 10 years ago and have had a definitive triumph over Al Queda in killing its founder and leader: that “we can do it.” In response to Tiffany’s comment, I agree that justice can’t really make a situation better, as it usually comes in the form of punishment. But did Osama deserve punishment? When I saw what I believed to be a photo of Osama after he was shot (which was actually fake) I felt a sense of sadness for this human being who looked so awfully killed and had a grimace of pain on his face. And despite this, when I look into the eyes of not just one man, but the thousands of those who were killed on Osama’s hands, and I revisit the videos that remind the true extent of the catastrophe almost 10 years ago, that sense is almost completely obliterated from my mind. I cannot say with absolute certainty that Osama deserved to die. But what I can say is that it does bring a sense of closure to the families of 9/11 victims, it does, at least presently, put it a large blow into an extremist organization that would want nothing more than to see dead, and that as a human subject to human nature, I am rather content, but not overjoyed, that a man who put thousands of lives to an end has seen his life ended too.
ReplyDeleteBut was it all worth it? We have spent ten long years fighting Al Queda, and now we are fighting the Taliban, which is a very formidable enemy. As the New York Times Article suggested, the Soviet Union’s, one of the “super powers” long fought and failed war helped bring it toward its collapse. And I can’t help myself thinking: are we in the same position now? We have fought two long, expensive wars in seek of justice for terrorist organizations, which though are threatening, are not existential threats that could destroy our country. We wanted to bring the wrath of the United States on Al Queda following 9/11, and now it has become the War in Afghanistan and the War in Iraq, a global “war on terrorism.” As a fiscal conservative who is obsessed with our debt, I wonder if this was a part of bin Laden’s plan all along. Did he want antagonize our country and bring it to an expensive war, ultimately two wars that we couldn’t afford, now adding each year to our $14+ trillion dollar debt? Did he, in this way, want to indirectly threaten the economic stability of the nation he so much despised, in the way that the Soviet Union’s involvement in Afghanistan added to its economic strain that was a large factor of its collapse? Bin Laden’s dead, but Al Queda still exists, could get stronger or weaker, and we still aim to “remain vigilant” in our fight to keep our country safe. However, while keeping our country literally safe from attack with these wars, we are adding to a new threat that could be even more devastating that anything Osama could have done himself: economic collapse.
Whenever I read about 9/11 or Osama Bin Laden, I can’t help but feel that his actions are similar to actions in our countries past. He feels that America and the western world are committing evils and need to revert to old Islam ways. The path he has taken to accomplish this has been bloody, sad, and evil. In 9/11 alone over 2900 people died and that was just one of numerous attacks he planned and executed. When I woke up, logged onto Yahoo, and saw the headline OSAMA BIN LADEN KILLED I did not know how to react.
ReplyDeleteMy initial reaction after reading the headline was simply “what”. I could not process the idea. After more than 10 years of avoiding a massive manhunt, he was found and killed and it was all over. After 10 years, Bin Laden had receded to the back of my mind, and I rearely if ever thought about the terrorist attacks he ordered. Time went on, and news stations stopped making pieces about him, attacks seemed to stop and he faded out of the spotlight. It was for that reason that I was so surprised when I read the details of his assassination.
As I went to school, I was flooded with information, and still now am hearing new facts, or discoveries in his death. Famous people all had their congratulations to make, George W. Bush said "This momentous achievement marks a victory for America, for people who seek peace around the world, and for all those who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001”. The statements these people gave accurately described my feelings. I thought it was an accomplishment and that it restores faith in our security. However I was shocked and horrified at some of the reactions people had to his death. Yes Bin Laden killed thousands of people, and organized one of the most dangerous militant groups ever, but he was still just a 54 year old man. People note that he had a rough childhood, and the New York Times reports that a family friend on the Bin Ladens said ““It must have been difficult for him,” the family friend said. “Osama was almost a double outsider”” (NY Times). Bin Laden has done horrible things throughout his life, but instead of getting help he was just exiled, or hunted, and finally killed. When the Virginia Tech shooting happened, nobody partied in the streets because the shooter was dead. We felt sad because a mentally disturbed kid was not helped and because of that inflicted harm on civilians. I do not understand why it is a different case with Bin Laden. Bin Laden was kicked out of his family, multiple countries, and deemed as crazy and dangerous. Although he was viewed as a threat no one tried to help him or show him that the western world is not evil. Therefore I was shocked when people stormed the streets chanting “Osama, Osama, Hey Hey Hey Goodbye” or “USA, USA”. By killing that one person it seems as if it had brought limitless happiness to our country. That was a shock to me because we should not get happiness from his death, but rather from establishing peace. As David Sirota writes “Bin Laden's death is a great relief, but by cheering it we're mimicking our worst enemies”. I think that by celebrating when we kill people, we are stooping down to the level of terrorists. Our mindset is not so different from theirs. They think that we are evil, and we assume them to be wrong, but we think they are evil and need to be destroyed. We have the same goal of destruction and I think that is the problem. WE are using force to combat a problem where force will just cause more problems. I do not understand how people think killing people in Afghanistan will make Al-Qaeda like us more.
ReplyDeleteThe way that the U.S. has reacted to Bin Laden’s death mimicks what happened after the civil war, and WWI. After we have achieved a victory, we laugh at our enemies and celebrate how great we are. After the Civil War the victorious North offered little help to the decimated south and as a result, tension still exists between the north and the south. Similairly after WWI the allied powers degraded the losers and created so much anger, that Hitler came to power and caused an even more massive catastrophe than WWI. I would have thought that after two examples of what this celebration causes our country could have reacted in a more civilized way.
While I do not condone Bin Laden’s actions or think he deserved to live, I do not agree with our reactions to his death. I think the celebrating and partying will only add to the tension between us and the Middle East. The United States need to realize that it is these reactions that help to foster hate for our country. It is a great accomplishment that we found and killed the worst terrorist ever, but there is still a lot of work and reform that needs to be done for this world to be a safe and peaceful place.
When I first heard the news I was out to dinner with my family for my cousins bat mitzvah. We saw it on the bottom of the screen on a baseball game. When getting back to the hotel, my mom texted my brother, who had just arrived back in D.C. that night to see if he was at the White House. I was thinking that it was so cool that he was there, celebrating with the world just feet away from our President. To be at such a historic place at such a historic moment. I, along with millions of others, were not thinking about the harm the future might bring, but the security they then felt. As Obama said in his speech, “Justice has been done,” he in some way eludes that Al Qaeda is no longer a threat to America and the world (Cooper). I think that, although he does go on to mention later in his speech that, “his death does not mark the end of our effort. There’s no doubt that Al Qaeda will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must and we will remain vigilant at home and abroad,” people were more interested in celebrating the death (Cooper). Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton, joined in on the celebration when she said, “This is America. ... We persevere, and we get the job done.” (Reaction to Killing of Osama bin Laden). If the leaders of our country were celebration, why shouldn’t we?
ReplyDeleteAmericans stood outside the White House and gathered at Ground Zero, joining together to sing the Star Spangled Banner and chant, U.S.A. A celebration occurred that, however I saw a picture from the New York Times a few days later revealing a picture of Pakistanis protesting the death and America. The picture was filled with angry faces and signs. This goes to show how inappropriate the celebrations were. I must admit, that at first I was jealous of my brother who was able to be celebrating the historic day in D.C., after our class discussions, I began to realize that it was the wrong response. It portrays America as a monster because we celebrated murder. Journalist David Sirota recognizes that we, “sometimes [celebrate] bloodshed against those we see as Bad Guys just as vigorously as our enemies celebrate bloodshed against innocent Americans they (wrongly) deem as Bad Guy.” Therefore, all has to be taken into consideration, and it is time to understand the perspective of other countries. Although I definitely cannot deny that Osama bin Laden was a terrible man who killed thousand of innocent people, it was not right for Americans to celebrate his death. It caused anger of other nations and showed the hypocrisy of Americans, which has the potential to weaken its reputation.
continued...
ReplyDeleteIt could also show that America is not as focused at the moment and not worried about the mystery about how Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups will choose to take action or hopefully fall apart. As Schager said in class, it could be a situation where Al Qaeda can’t function without its creator or a chop one head off two grow back situation. Obama has ordered, “more drone strikes on suspected terrorist targets in Pakistan,” causing threat to terrorist groups who have taken residence in Pakistan (Cooper). This proves that now the U.S. is becoming more aggressive in the fight against terrorism, but unfortunately, might just cause the other side to fight back. On a website for Al Qaeda, messages said, “America will reap the same if the news is true and false,”and “The lions will remain lions and will continue moving in the footsteps of Usama” (Cooper). The destructive acts of these horrible people will not stop, and at one point, I think that the attacks will not be about securing the old Muslim ways, but trying to inflict fear around the world.
In the moment, the celebrations seemed like the right thing to do, however, looking back, the people in Shanksville did the right thing by bowing their heads in silence and remember those who died (Schager). For me, I now realize that it would be a better way of getting closure, accepting the past, and honoring those who lost their lives. The partying distracted the people of what might become of the future and the safety of our nation, and for that one night, made us no better than the terrorist groups.
Like some others have stated on this blog, I also am uncomfortable with people celebrating the death of Osama bin Laden. As the New York Times article "Bin Laden Is Dead, Obama Says" points out, "crowds gathered outside the White House, in Times Squares and at the ground zero site, waving American flags, cheering, shouting, laughing and chanting 'U.S.A., U.S.A.!'" I think this a significant amount of celebration over someone being killed. I do realize that bin Laden was the most wanted terrorist in the United States and indirectly killed many innocent civilians during 9/11; however, those who cheered on the night of May 1st were neglecting the simple fact that someone was killed. I think David Sirota makes a good point in his article "'USA! USA!' Is the Wrong Response," when he states that "For decades, we have held in contempt those who actively celebrate death. When we've seen video footage of foreigners cheering terrorist attacks against America... we have been rightly disugsted - not only because they are lauding death of our innocents, but because... they are celebrating death itself." If many US. citizens think that it is horrible to celebrate death, then why should it be justified in the case of bin Laden's death? I would agree that having foreigners cheer for terrorist attacks against America is slightly less justified than cheering for the death of bin Laden. This is because these foreigners were celebrating the death of innocent civilians, while bin Laden was a mass murderer, so the circumstances are different. However, I cannot see any moral justification for celebrating bin Laden's death. Even if he was the leader of the major terrorist organization Al Qaeda, many U.S. citizens are celebrating the death of a person, who was not innately a terrorist. Morally, I do not think that death is to be celebrated.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to it being morally unjustified to celebrate bin Laden's death, it is also unjustified from a practical point of view pertaining to Al Qaeda. The article "Bin Laden Is Dead, Obama Says" exclaims that "Al Qaeda sympathizers reacted with disbelief, anger, and in some cases talk of retribution." I am aware that many Americans expected Al Qaeda to not take bin Laden's death well at all, since he was the leader of this terrorist organization. People always look up to and heavily rely on a leader to guide them to success, as this is human nature. So, when that beloved leader is killed, the followers would be upset and angered. In fact, bin Laden hoped "that if he died at the hands of the Americans, the Muslim world would rise up and defeat the nation that had killed him," according to the New York Times obituary titled "The Most Wanted Face of Terrorism." Retaliation, for this reason, is not out of the question. Like many Americans, I share the fear of Al Qaeda retaliating. However, I feel that celebrating bin Laden's death in the public way many Americans did will only further fuel the anger of Al Qaeda. After all, if several Americans were upset when foreigners cheered for terrorist attacks against America, then why should Al Qaeda not be upset by the United States cheering for the death of their leader? Now, the United States really needs to be alert about retaliation efforts.
Okay well I'm about to punch something in the face because Google just said "We're sorry but we can't complete your request", so then I went back to this page and my entire post was gone. GONE. So more coming after I rewrite it all...
ReplyDeleteKatie said, "Celebration after death is not only infuriating, but insulting. The video of Palestinians celebrating after the 9/11 terrorist attacks angered many Americans and distressed those who had lost loved ones in the attacks. But aren’t our celebrations doing a similar thing?"
ReplyDeleteI cannot help but agree with her. When I first found out about Osama's death, I was happy. But then I took a step back from the Internet, which was bursting with tangible excitement, and realized that somewhere people were mourning the death of a loved one. Even if Osama was a mass-murderer and "the enemy," I still think that by celebrating his death we are somewhat disrespecting those who were attached to him.
This brings me to a video I found on Youtube, where a large university was celebrating the news outside. I can totally see from this video why Schager hates rallies...it was more like a riot than a party. Yes, I suppose that killing what "The Most Wanted Face in Terrorism" called "the North Star" of global terrorism would make many civilians happy, but perhaps I just feel weird about rejoicing somebody's death. As Rachel said, what the citizens in Shanksville did was much more appropriate. They had a moment of silence and bowed their heads for those who lost their lives on 9/11 from the plane crash in that same town, so they were mourning their own dead instead of celebrating the death of another.
This also reminds me that I think Americans don't quite grasp how many innocent civilians in the Middle East this country has killed. America literally stomped its way through places like Iraq and Afghanistan, taking countless lives in its (dare I say, pointless) quest. Obama mentioned in his speech that many American families have felt the emptiness at the dinner table after 9/11, yet I'm sure that too many families in the Middle East feel that same emptiness every night. 9/11 deaths were more publicized, but I do not think that we should forget the lives this country has decimated because our stereotypical "bad guy" has been found and killed. So, even though the death of Osama could be, as Ben says, "a major accomplishment" in hurting terrorism's reign, I do not think that America, a country that constantly preaches moral behavior, should get so excited over somebody's death...mass-murderer or not.
(continued)
ReplyDeleteIn terms of retaliation, I've noticed that there is a wide array of responses on this blog, but most seem to agree that we should be "vigilant," like Obama says in his speech, about future retaliation attacks by al-Qaeda. Frankly, al-Qaeda must be pretty, well, pissed off right now. The article titled "Bin Laden is Dead, Obama Says" states, "he was more symbolically important than operationally significant because he was on the run and hindered in any meaningful leadership role," so, al-Qaeda most likely has been running for the past 9 years or so without Osama's direct leadership, yet they've still been able to plan an execute attacks (like the attacks in Spain and England). After the tube bombings in England, a video statement by al-Qaeda broadcasted by Al Jazeera claimed that "What you have witnessed now is only the beginning of a string of attacks that will continue and become stronger until you pull your forces out of Afghanistan and Iraq. And until you stop your financial and military support to America and Israel". Clearly, they don't like us. Heck, they HATE us with a burning passion (this is one of the few times where that cliché actually applies). They didn't stop when Osama became unavailable to outwardly lead, and now that he's been killed by the U.S., they have even more reason to retaliate. I, unfortunately, cannot help but expect some sort of devastating ramification from al-Qaeda due to Osama's death.
All in all, I think I have some trouble processing this entire event. Osama's death was so unexpected (well, at least I know it was for me), and so celebrated in some parts of America and the world, that it has become somewhat of a whirlwind...and I feel as if I'm spinning around in it, quite lost. Thought I tried to straighten out my thoughts a little more coherently on this blog post, I still think that might happen now or in the near future is nearly unpredictable. We'll have to wait and see.
PART 1
ReplyDeleteAs I stumbled into the bathroom, getting prepared to truly wake myself up for the morning, I aimlessly turned on the T.V. like I do every morning. Unusually, the T.V. was on NBC Connecticut, and the headline read along the lines of “Osama bin Laden Dead”. Instinctively, I raised my hand in the air with joy, and said “There we go!”
But my reaction of happiness was probably based on the thousands of jokes I had heard from comedians and friends throughout this 10-year period since 9/11, and less based on the fact that I was relieved he was dead. In actuality, I didn’t really truly realize what this man had really done to deserve his fate. Yes, I know he planned 9/11, and remained hidden for years, but I didn’t know what he stood for, how he became to be what he was, and how dangerous he could be.
But, while my reaction was quite tame, that wasn’t the case throughout the country. Crowds of people gathered outside the White House and Ground Zero chanting “USA” and donning red white, and blue. I’m not necessarily denouncing the relief and joy people felt, because I felt the same, but I’m denouncing the celebration simply because the death of bin Laden is not a victory. Bin Laden was the spiritual leader who al Qaeda looked up to, but Ayman al-Zawahiri was both the voice and operational leader, and while he is at large, al Qaeda is still dangerous. And, even if al-Zawahiri is found, as long as al Qaeda has members, they will still be a threat. Shockingly, since 9/11, 38 terrorist plots have been foiled. That is 38 times when the same tragedy and anguish that was felt during 9/11 could be felt again. When I see people dancing and celebrating just like when Landon Donovan scored the dramatic goal in the World Cup against Algeria, I see the ignorance of these people, not understanding what drives al Qaeda and what largely causes them to act. Because this arrogance displayed by Americans is a big factor in what had driven Osama bin Laden, and al Qaeda as a whole. In fact, when Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, bin Laden volunteered he and his men could defend the kingdom, but was shocked when the Americans had said they would defend it instead. Bin Laden described it as, “the height of American arrogance” and later said that America, “has started to look at itself as a master of this world and established what it calls the new world order.” And on the night he is killed, the same arrogance that had a part in riling bin Laden up, is shown once again by the American people. The fact of the matter is, al Qaeda is still dangerous and the death of its moral leader and founder doesn’t mean the end of the organization and its reign of terror. For example, if Derek Jeter were to get injured for the Yankees, the team would be without its moral leader and captain, but still has Alex Rodriguez to fill in, and other players who want to win with the same will Jeter did. This applies for al-Qaeda, because the terrorists in al-Qaeda may be there for money and food and to make a living, but they still feel the same extremist beliefs that bin Laden did, and they will continue to do what it is they feel necessary to fulfill their beliefs. Our country cannot let down its guard, because al-Qaeda is, and will remain to be dangerous. As President Obama said in his address, “We will be relentless in defense of our citizens and our friends and allies.”
PART 2
ReplyDeleteBut while I’m disappointed with the reaction of the vast majority of American people, it isn’t to say that I’m not pleased and relieved that the manhunt is over. Osama bin Laden killed 3,000 people when he flew 2 planes into the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and when Flight 93 crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. No doubt, bin Laden was a dangerous man, and was constantly thinking how to kill people and have his way. He was an intelligent, manipulative man, which was largely why he was so successful. He had millions, if not billions, of dollars, not all earned illegally, and had a college education. His entire life he felt like an outcast, with his mom being the only wife of his father not from Saudi Arabia, and often being labeled “the slave child” and a misfit. It is understandable where his anger originated, but his violence is another story. While it is unclear what made him so eager, if you will, to kill people, it is definitely a quality displayed by some of the most deranged and diluted criminals throughout the world. So, the death that he got, he deserved. But his death raises another question I want to quickly explore. How did Pakistan not know? The compound he was killed in was 8 times larger than other homes in the area, and only a third of the mile from a military academy. How no one ever “explored” the house, whether government or civilian, is impossible. While I don’t believe it is the same culture like here where you can just knock on someone’s door, there is no way that at no point any Pakistani official ever visited the compound, due to its immense size and curiosity that surrounded it. Pakistan was obviously purposefully oblivious to Osama bin Laden being there. President Obama will talk and answer questions as if he supports Pakistan, but the truth is he is aware that they played an integral role in keeping bin Laden’s whereabouts secret.
So in conclusion, while I’m relieved, I’m still weary that our nation is just as vulnerable without Osama as we were with him alive. Also, I wonder what the fall out of the Pakistani involvement will be, because there will be some surprising and shocking details that will come out, that implicate Pakistan as an aid to bin Laden.
Simply hearing the news that Osama Bin Laden is dead inevitably elicits, at least, a sense of relief in any believer in human peace. He was the director of Al Qaeda- and it has come to fruition that he was still active in plots directed against America and its allies. Without question, his demise is an event of justice, and hopefully a cause for the disintegration of Al Qaeda, as vulnerable extremists become void of Bin Laden's persuasive anti- western rhetoric. But his death also brings about many more anxiety provoking questions; the man who's visage became synonymous with the concepts of Islamic extremism, and the horrors of 9/11 never was the soul driving force of Al Qaeda. Although he may have been a chief organizer of misguided ideology and hate, Al Qaeda, and other terrorist organizations, will inevitably continue to exist, as impoverished and desperate Middle Eastern men turn to violence to manifest their anger. It should not be forgotten that Bin Laden was fully aware that his demise was likely- Ayman al-Zawahri will probably take Bin Laden's former presiding roll. Rejoicing Americans must remember that the United States should remain "vigilant," as President Obama put it, in its effort to combat terrorism. Ideologically, I can see why people are parading over his death, because the event signifies the win of justice and loss of evil. I believe that the celebration of Bin Laden's demise does not display a hypocrisy over the United States averseness to death, in fact it supports this countries ideology that the slaughter of innocent people is wrong. It cannot be forgotten that The United States is not celebrating the deaths of innocents like Al Qaeda has, but rather is parading over the fact that Osama Bin Laden can no longer cause the destruction of innocent people. Americans are celebrating because Bin Laden has been brought to justice; I believe that similar reactions would be shown if Bin Laden was taken prisoner.
ReplyDeleteYet, I can see why celebrating so loudly could be a national security risk. Anti- American protests in Abbottabad have already sprouted up because of Bin Laden's death, and images of Americans rejoicing in his demise could stir up more misguided resentment against the United States as a whole. This is an issue where I do not have a clear opinion, because while Bin Laden's death is a great moment for the perpetuation of justice, it is also something that has and will continue to elicit twisted anti-American sentiment. Ultimately, I see American safety as more important than unbridled pride, which is why I believe that Americans should stop arousing extremists' attention with parades celebrating Bin Laden's death.
I think that the majority of people who have commented so far have taken the wrong approach as to their feelings towards Bin Laded. Similar to the debate over the earlier shootings case in Arizona, many people are saying wether they think it was just or not that Osama was killed, when in fact none of us are really in any position to decide who should or should not die. It's nearly impossible for anyone to objectively analyze this series of events and draw a conclusion on Osama's mortal fate. That being said, I do think that Obama made the correct decisions throughout the process and do think his actions were commendable. I think their certainly are times when politicians say things, or make actions simply to garner votes, but I also believe their are times when they do things that they believe to be a just service. I think that Obama deserves a lot of credit for bringing down a man who has taken a countless number of lives, both of our and his own people.
ReplyDeleteI can understand the tumultuous reactions coming from those who lost loved ones during the 9/11 attacks, while I do think those who quietly remember their loved ones are somewhat more laudable, because I understand that everyone grieves in their own ways, and subsequently revisits their grieving in their own ways.
As far as out national security goes I think that for the next few months America definitely needs to buckle down and be on the lookout for a possible attack. Since I saw Obama's initial speech all I could think was what if Osama had said "If they take me, hit them with all we've got." Like we talked about in class, Al-Zawahiri could be much less radical, or much more radical, then his predecessor. And so I think America should hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.
On a final note I think this was an incredibly impactive event because of the surge in Obama's popularity. Now I don't mean this as a plus for reelection prospects, but because of the uniting effect it had on the nation. It isn't often nowadays that we see a politician step outside of his/her party lines for what they believe in, and it was refreshing to see Obama do so. Cheesy as it sounds it reminds me of a time when America would support their president, as opposed to the complete 'this-side-that-side' America we have today.
No one say anything about this being too long since I excerpted it from my even longer reflection:
ReplyDeleteOn Sunday night, as I was typing like a maniac and staring wide-eyed at the screen as I rushed to finish my homework, my father had the audacity to interrupt me to tell me that Osama bin Laden was just announced dead. I literally yelled at him because I thought he was joking. How could this just happen? Then, as I was basically like not human at that point because my brain was so frazzled, I was like, all of a sudden, "OSAMA DEAD WUT?!?!" as I continuously refreshed the New York Times website to see if it was real. Needless to say I was not sane when I received the news and saw the headline, in capital letters, "BIN LADEN DEAD, U.S. OFFICIAL SAYS," and the short blurb: "WASHINGTON - Osama bin Laden has been killed, two United States officials said. President Obama was expected to make an announcement on Sunday night, almost ten years after the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon." I proceeded to check my Facebook, thinking, "this should be good," and proceeded to see statuses such as the classic "Osama bin Laden is dead!" (yes, we know), the overreaction ("WE GOT HIM! WE GOT OSAMA!" (my brother posted that one)), and various links to the video of the song that's like "ding dong the wicked witch is dead!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Meanwhile, I was sitting there, completely distracted, pretty much just confused at what was going on.
“Watching” Obama address the nation as I focused back on work, I listened somewhat inattentively; however, when I heard a certain four words, I decided to turn my complete attention to the video: “Justice has been done.” The phrase sounded somewhat ridiculous to me, as if it wasn’t scripted and Obama was looking for a way to finish the sentence “Justice has been…” But, when I look at the the CNN article about the politicians’ reactions to Obama’s death, the word “justice” comes up SO many times. It’s made me think—is this justice? Is execution justice? And, if execution is “justice,” who has been righted? I’d say that depending on how would answer this question would dictate the kind of reaction they had to the news.
There were people like me, confused as hell, who would say that maybe this isn't "justice" but a "pretty good thing," and people like the New York Times article "Bin Laden is Dead, Obama says" reports that viewed this as the ultimate embodiment of the principle of justice as they "gathered outside the White House, in Times Square and at the ground zero site, waving American flags, cheering, shouting, laughing and chanting, ‘U.S.A., U.S.A.!’ In New York City, crowds sang ‘The Star-Spangled Banner.’ Throughout downtown Washington, drivers honked horns deep into the night.” I'd say I was proud of Obama and the U.S., but I would never be one of those people dancing outside the White House. Like Ben said, someone is dead, and I do not think it’s particularly OK to react to Bin Laden's death the same way we reacted to the Royal Wedding. But that’s besides the point, because people have been doing it and doing it since that Sunday. No one, except Obama and other people involved in the operation (so basically no member of the general population) must have really thought of what would happen after Bin Laden was killed, or even what to do after receiving the news. There are basically two ways to see it: a man has been killed, and Osama bin Laden is gone, the latter being much less devastating a statement than the former. When putting the two phrases together, however, and saying that Osama bin Laden has been killed, it seems much more cut-and-dry and almost paradoxical in the reaction it sparks. Should we happy that Osama bin Laden is gone, or should we shy away from rejoicing in the fact that a man is dead?
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't say I was particularly ecstatic, but I wasn't devastated; I’m not sure if justice has really been “done,” for the word “done” implies that it has ended. The CNN article says Retired General Colin Powell said that “His death brings a sense of relief to the families of 911 and the families of all those brave America troops who have fought this war over the past ten years,” and that Tom Ridge hoped that “this news give some measure of comfort to those we lost on 9/11 and those we have lost since that day.” In no way can I say that people should be comforted. Osama needed to be taken off his throne, for the sake of the free world, and though I’m not sure killing him was the best way to do it, it does seem at this point like the only way to have done it. He evaded the U.S. military for years—this is one man we could not let slip out of our hands again. But, we did kill him, and contrary to the average American’s belief, not everyone in the world is happy about this.
Speaking of which, as I watched "The Colbert Report" every day this week, though it got funnier and funnier, I constantly wanted to put my hand over his mouth and just tell him to shut up before he goes too far. I could explain everything he’s said, but it’s too much—you all will have to watch for yourselves. Thursday’s is the funniest. Oh Miley Cyrus. Yet, without me telling you what he said, you can all guess, I’m sure, the extent to which he stretched the situation and what he assumed he could say without ramifications. It is Colbert, after all. I find myself wanting to do this to all the Americans who are partying outside the White House and Times Square; I just want to put my hand over their mouth and ask them to think before they speak, before the Al Qaeda and basically the rest of the world sees us jumping up and down at a foreigner/Muslim/Al Qaeda leader’s death. Clearly it's a little late to avoid that news being communicated, however.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the NY Times article “Osama bin Laden Was the Most Wanted Face of Terrorism,” when Bush was asked days after 9/11 if he wanted bin Laden dead, he said, “I want him—I want justice.” Those words, his declaration that he “wanted” him, is just weird. It reiterates the question I’ve had all along—we’ve got him, so now what? We can either wait for the devastating ramifications that I fear in America’s future, take more action on exterminating the Al Qaeda and other terrorist organizations, or keep partying. All 3 choices seem somewhat less than desirable. As if the action itself wasn’t risky enough (though this isn’t to say it wasn’t necessary—I support Obama’s decision to do so), the reactions are even more so, but what are we supposed to do, sit here apathetically? Sit here with our lips zipped and avoid the topic? No. I may be able to, but those who lost people they loved to terrorism may not be able to. What I’m trying to say in this rambling, incoherent post is that there’s no right way to react, though too many reactions seem to be wrong.
I think the best we can conclude the situation with is like what Israeli president Shimon Peres said, that though this is “a great piece of news for the free world,” the fact that “The world will become a better world without him, doesn’t mean this is the end of all of terrorism and danger." At this point, the queen bee has been killed, but the colony is still alive and running. We can’t keep jumping to conclusions and saying the hive has been exterminated, or at least pretending as if it will die off soon, for (though this isn’t exactly scientifically correct) a new queen bee could step in at any second, more fertile and powerful than Queen bin Laden.
After 10 years, over 3,000 deaths, and a war, Osama Bin Laden has been killed. America’s most wanted terrorist has finally been killed after searching for him for so long. When I found out the news from facebook statuses saying, “It’s bin real”, “USA USA USA Osama has been killed, this day should be a holiday!” and “Longest game of hide and seek: America 1 Osama 0”, I was shocked. Facebook was not the only place where people were celebrating Osama’s death. According to the New York times, “Some climbed trees and lampposts directly in front of the White House to cheer and wave flags. Cigars and noisemakers were common. One group started singing, “Osama, Osama, hey, hey, hey, goodbye.” I felt a mix of emotions when I found out about his death. I was relieved to know that the most wanted terrorist was dead and I felt pride in my country that we had been the ones to kill him but I wasn’t sure people should be celebrating his death. Although he was a man so awful that there isn’t a word to describe him he still is human. Personally, I think people should be celebrating that justice has been done to this man. People should be reflecting and thinking about the people who had their lives taken away by him and remember what he did to America that day. Luckily, I am not in the same position as people who had family or friends killed by him but I imagine that they feel as sense of closure (as cheesy as it sounds) to know that justice has been done. However, Sam Sherman, 18, a freshman in college is in that position and when he found out the news he ran down to the White House from his nearby college, “The feeling you can’t even imagine, the feeling in the air. It’s crazy…I have friends with parents dead because of Osama…so when I heard this news, I was coming down to celebrate” (New York Times). Although I do not know what it is like to know people who were killed because of Osama I do not think it is right to celebrate a death, no matter who it is. Celebrating his death is kind of hypocritical; Americans have criticized foreigners when we have seen videos of them cheering terrorist attacks against America. By cheering Osama’s death we are doing the same thing as those foreigners.
ReplyDelete“As one door closes another door opens” (Alexander Bell). Now that America has killed al-Qaeda’s leader and creator (and closed a door) what terrorist organizations may do, as “payback” is unknown and the possibilities are freighting and endless. Osama’s death could also deepen tensions with Pakistan. America could even be subject to another terrorist attack as retaliation against America.
As of right now, I do not think we are going to see any ramifications and will probably not for a little while. America and other countries are still grasping the idea that one of the most hated men in the world, Osama Bin Laden is now dead after searching for several years.
Like most have said, even though Osama is dead, Al Qeada is still operating. From reading the articles I find that most feel that killing Osama is one of the biggest steps forward in putting an end to terrorism, Edwin Fuelner writing “Bin Laden's death is a demoralizing blow against al-Qaeda that could be followed up by additional strikes against other al-Qaeda leaders.” Osama was the operational and spiritual leader of Al Qeada, and his death is definitely a devastating blow to the organization, but I cannot help but wonder: what if Osama’s death made Al Qeada stronger? At first this proposal seemed crazy to me, but after giving it some thought, it did not seemed too far-fetched. Just by looking at history, one can see that when someone dies, often times, there legacy grows stronger. Take for instance the recent death of Michael Jackson. Immediately, his music sales sky rocketed, and the media was swarmed with sentimental memories of the brightest spots in his career. It seemed as though people had forgotten about the controversy surrounding his apparent child molestations. Comparing a phenomenon occurring with the death of a pop singer to Osama bin Laden seems crazy, but if further investigated, it can be seen in countless other cases. Simply by looking at the formation of Christianity, this occurrence is seen. It was not until the death of Jesus Christ when Christianity spread throughout the Western world and his life was worshipped. Looking at these two cases, it does not seem impossible to me that by killing Osama bin Laden, the U.S. could have further fueled the anger of Al Qeada and strengthened the legacy he left behind in the Middle East. What is even more concerning to me is, “His greatest hope, he told supporters, was that if he died at the hands of the Americans, the Muslim world would rise up and defeat the nation that had killed him” (The Most Wanted Face of Terrorism). What looks like a devastating blow to the members of Al Qaeda might actually turn into their motivation to move forward and become even more aggressive towards the Unites States.
ReplyDeleteOf course killing Osama bin Laden is a major accomplishment for the United States, but it does not mean our national security’s guard can be let down. What needs to be considered is that the people of Al Qeada are probably even more furious with the United State’s existence as before.
As so many people, consciously or not, thought of bin Laden as pretty nearly pure evil, it is easy to compare him to any quintessentially evil person of history. As was said in the New York Times, “bin Laden was elevated to the realm of evil in the American imagination once reserved for dictators like Hitler and Stalin” (“The Most Wanted Face Of Terrorism”). I’d like to compare him to Lord Voldemort of the Harry Potter series to prove a point, even though I believe that Voldemort really is pure evil and bin Laden was not. Most striking is the resemblance between the wizarding world’s reaction the Voldemort’s supposed death at the beginning of the first book and the America’s reception of bin Laden’s death. The celebrations are compared to those for Bonfire Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Night, where the British commemorate how English expatriate Guy Fawkes did not blow up Parliament in the seventeenth century (going to York this summer with my choir and will be visiting the birthplace of Guy Fawkes. Remember, remember, the fifth of November). In other words, the celebrations are centred on nationalism. Yes, Voldemort had commit countless horrible murders, but he had also threatened the country, and at the time of his death, that was what was important. The restoration of national pride. Sound familiar? The majority of U.S. citizens after the news bin Laden’s death hit erupted in various signs of national pride, such as the singing of “God Bless America.” At least at this moment, as a whole, the fact that Osama bin Laden had killed so many innocent people was not as important as the fact that he threatened our country. If you break it down to that, it can easily be argued that the country rejoices at bin Laden’s death not because of the justice for the hundreds of thousands of lost lives, but for the justice of trying to mess with our country. That’s not really okay.
ReplyDeleteFundamentally, bin Laden was justified in his anger towards the United States. In 1997, bin Laden accused the United States of wanting to “occupy our countries, steal our resources, impose agents on us to rule us and then wants us to agree to all this” (“The Most Wanted Face of Terrorism”). Although this is arguably true of practically all major Western nations, bin Laden was justified in accusing the U.S. of these things. In all honestly, it is understandable that there was resentment there. Obviously it was not justified to have escalated to where it did with the hatred and desire to kill all innocent Americans, but the man was justified in anger with our country. Our reaction to his death suggests that this is why we hated him so much—because he challenged our country and its actions worldwide. Therefore our elation in his death is purely frightening. We are happy that we have taken down someone who was challenging the way our country is run. Is that really what we were upset about?
So summing up so far: it is not okay to be proud of our country for killing someone we hated because they questioned our way of life. It is more okay if we were actually concerned about bringing justice for all the people he killed or protecting the country, but I think it would be really hard to prove that that was the reason that someone people were so very happy.
Lastly, there’s the simple moral issue of whether killing people for justice is okay. Let us look at the wise words of Gandalf the Grey to analyze the situation:
“Many that live deserve death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends” (J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring).
At least in this case, the term “justice” seems to be far too similar to revenge. Avenging all the people killed by bin Laden. And killing for revenge will never be okay.
The Harry Potter anecdote is not random because it shows, from a literary standpoint, how it is human nature, apparently, to focus not on the lost lives above all else, but national pride when confronted with a person threatening your country or way of life.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was interesting when Mrs. Schager talked in class about the girl who had been asked about bin Laden's death and said that no she wasn't happy someone was dead but she did feel safer. I think that is an incredibly important point to raise as, similar to what Ryan said, I agree that it is not our decision to decide if someone deserved to die or not. Although I know that bin Laden did many terrible and unforgivable things to the United States and its citizens, no matter how awful a person is I feel as though it is not appropriate to be happy at somebody's death. I believe David Sirota's articale has a good point by saying that in celebrating at the death of someone with such euphoria we are becoming similar to the people "we have been rightly disgusted -- not only because they are lauding the death of our innocents, but because, more fundamentally, they are celebrating death itself". I DO, however, think that the statement George Bush gave saying, “I want him — I want justice... and there’s an old poster out West, as I recall, that said, ‘Wanted: Dead or Alive’ ” IS understandable and a suitable response. In no way do I believe that bin Laden was a good person I just consider the fact that his death should not be taken lightly as it does not signify the downfall of Al Qaeda.
ReplyDeleteThis brings me to the point that bin Laden's death does not, as Edwin Fuelners article states, signify a "peace dividend" and that "the war on terrorism is not over, and the war in Afghanistan is not won. America must remain vigilant and continue its global fight against terrorism". Although this may be a stretch... but in a way bin Ladens death could carry a negative affect because it could lull citizens into a false sense of security. As stated in class, no one is the same as bin Laden but it is possible there could be someone worse.
In bin Ladens interview after his initial declaration of jihad on the United States he stated that he felt as though America had "committed acts that are extremely unjust, hideous, and criminal" in supporting the Israeli occupation of Palestine, the deaths in Palestine, Lebanon, and Iraq. He also felt as though it was not right for the U.S. to occupy the holy place of Arabia where many muslims live. Bin Laden makes it clear in this interview that he blames the United States for many things and he obviously felt that it had crossed the boundaries involving religion. This is no reason for the many attacks on civilians in America and many other places around the world.
Essentially, I think that the United States did have reasons for wanting bin Laden but and for wanting justice; but, I wonder if a shot to the head and being buried at sea really brought Osama bin Laden or the thousands of people he murdered to justice?
Straying a bit from the provided sources, I saw a CNN interview with a twelve-year-old Pakistani boy that lived in bin Laden's neighborhood. Here's the link if you are interested: http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/05/09/pakistan.bin.laden.children/index.html
ReplyDeleteThe boy who played with bin Laden's children regularly referred to who we know to be Al Quedea terrorist Osama bin Laden as his "Uncle Nadeen" who he perceives to be a genuinely nice man. The child has never heard of the Osama bin Laden many fear.
I put this up in part because I found it so shocking and also because I believe it speaks volume to the environment in Pakistan. This child had no idea bin Laden even existed let alone could be in his country. It would be one thing for the teachers not to discuss it in school, but to not hear of it from adults is almost unimaginable. This type of ignorance could not have happened by accident. The Pakistani government had to have considerably controlled media outlets and communication.
All of this covering-up in Pakistan had to have its counterpart in relations with the West. The questions are endless.
How will international relations between the West and Pakistan be affected? The entire Middle East? Why did Pakistan manage hide the intelligence? What else are they still hiding?
When I first heard that Osama bin Laden had been killed, I wasn't as enthusiastic as so many of my other classmates were. No cheering, screaming, crying, or sporadic bouts of joyous jumping occurred for me, but I was extremely surprised. When I found out, I swear I'd stood in place for a good two minutes with my jaw dropped. I couldn't believe it.
ReplyDeleteI was living in Hong Kong on 9/11, so when my parents told me about Osama, and as I'd learned more about him over the years, he just sounded like some disgusting monster, determined to obliterate every American on planet Earth, who would never get caught. As a kid, I just thought, "that's horrifying. Someone needs to catch him," but other than that, the 9/11 incident had no direct effect on me.
Anyway, I think the appropriate response to bin Laden's death should be more solemn than cheerful. Unfortunately, in a country where patriotism finds its way into every external and internal issue in the United States (ie. internal bipartisanship and the belief that the U.S. is the world's superhero), it's impossible to avoid the celebrations, and it would be extremely unrealistic of anyone to ask that people stop throwing parties for Osama's death. The American people have been living on edge since 9/11, and the fact that the world's most wanted terrorist is gone brings an overwhelming sense of relief. As soon as I heard the news that Osama had been killed, I knew to expect a lot of celebration. The first text message I got the Monday after Osama was caught and killed: "ZOMG. OSAMA BIN LADEN IS DEAD. HE WAS KILLED IN A NAVY SEAL OP. HELL YES AMERICA."
I think the appropriate reaction to Osama's death can be described by this quote:
"When we lose the sadness part -- when all we do is happily scream "USA! USA! USA!” at news of yet more killing in a now unending back-and-forth war -- it’s a sign we may be inadvertently letting the monsters win."--David Sirota
I completely agree. Not only would we be mocking the terrorists by letting them know that we've defeated their head mastermind, but we might also be mimicking them. No, I am not comparing the United States to Al Qaeda, and no, I'm not saying Al Qaeda has any justification for taking pleasure out of mass murder, but once we get lost in the celebration, and forget the reasons why Osama was such a threat in the first place, it becomes inappropriate.
I will have to agree with Tiffany that killing Osama didn't really bring him to justice. I'm not sure justice is the right word. Killing is not moral (although I am not suggesting that we should have excused Osama for causing thousands of deaths). I'm not sure how I feel about the idea of corruption and the individual as it pertains to this issue, because I feel like my opinion is always changing, but there's no way I can get myself to believe that Osama could have redeemed himself if the U.S. had kept him alive. I guess the government wouldn't have had any choice about killing Osama anyway. If the people knew he was alive and in U.S. custody, there is no doubt that there'd be riots. Trying to "fix" Osama (for lack of a better word), would be impossible. The obituary-like article we read explained that Osama became the world's most wanted terrorist by a confluence of factors, and to me, it's pretty obvious that these factors were pushing him in only one direction. Trying to reverse everything that happened would be like trying to run through a twenty foot wave.
Lastly, I do not think Osama should have been allowed to live. (This was not a question I initially intended on asking myself, but after I read Tiffany's post, I felt I should.) And, that said, I also don't think eliminating Osama bin Laden will do much in the grand scheme of things. I'm nervous about what might come next from Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups, but I guess all we can do is wait and see.