Not sure what to make of this

I'm sort of numb right now about the Bin Laden news. I'm not sure how I thought I'd feel when this day came (I'd actually doubted it would ever come), but this sure wasn't it.

The man was the architect, the inspiration and the key driver behind so may pointless, tragic civilian deaths. (And I do make a bit of a distinction between non-combatants killed in the legitimate pursuit of a combatant objective and pure, civilian-targeted terrorism.)

I've never questioned for a second our need to pursue this man and bring him to justice. And, as details start to come out about this operation, I'm amazed, overwhelmed and totally impressed with...

• Our President's commitment to pulling this off in spite of the Pakistanis and his ability to say, "No, we didn't say a word to them about this op we were about to pull off in the suburbs of their capital... But geez, they're still great allies and some of the stuff we worked with them on helped us get to this place." A few years ago I had my doubts about Obama and his international relations experience – and especially how he would handle counterterrorism. But, in this instance, it certainly looks like he played his hand as well as that creepy guy in the hoodie and sunglasses who's always on those poker tournaments on TV.
• Our intelligence community. I love the patience and the ability to work a source. I love the little ironies like the fact that OBL was so paranoid he wouldn't let anything with an electron get close to him for fear of being tracked... And that's one of the things that led to us finding him. (Hmm... Huge compound. Luxurious. Eight-times bigger than anything else in the neighborhood. With no internet connection, no phone lines, and no cellular activity? Let's check this place out.)
• Our special ops troops. Two choppers in, without hassle from Pakistani air defenses, boots on the ground, firefight, target eliminated, up and out – no U.S. casualties. As much as it pains me to compliment the Navy, "Nicely done, SEALs."

But, and here's the rub, a human being is dead, A life has been ended. None of the 3,000 have been brought back to life. We just found the guy who masterminded it and "avenged" them.

I can be satisfied with that. But not jubilant. I can't see myself stumbling around Ground Zero in a drunken stupor chanting U.S.A., because a man has been killed. If we, as Americans, feel comfortable with this behavior, my question is, Are these the same Americans who shook their heads and mumbled about barbarism when disaffected Arabs were similarly jubilant about deaths in the United States?

Let me know if you think I'm wrong, but I just can't dance about a dead man.

Maybe that's it. Maybe I'd feel more jubilant if we'd brought him in alive. I remember being much more upbeat about Hussein's capture. It was easy, as a smug American, to see the humor in him being captured, ragged, dirty, scruffy, half-naked, hiding in a hold in the ground. Yea! We got him!

Then we put him on trial and we hung him. (Oh, wait, I mean the legitimately elected Iraqi government put him on trial and hung him.) Come to think of it, the day they hung Saddam I felt just about like this.

Weird. I don't THINK I'm an anti-death-penalty guy. I never have been before. And I guess I'm not now. I'm not sad that Osama Bin Laden is dead. I just don't think it's an excuse for cracking open a 12-pack of Red, White & Blue.

Comments

[Karen]

I couldn't agree with you more. I have no compassion for OBL, he deserved none. But I find it so...off-putting that people are partying in the streets. That footage looks as crazy as the throngs of people chanting "death to America" on the other side of the world. I wish we would just react with appropriate seriousness instead of jubilation...which seems a little barbaric, as you mentioned.

I'm telling you...Idiocracy is on its way.

[Me]

No one ever said it's easy to be a Christian :)

[Greg Skoog]

Karen, maybe it's simply a class thing that's bugging me. This is an admittedly terrible analogy, but it kind of reminds me of football.

I used to love watching Barry Sanders play. (Well, except for two games each season.) He was amazing and could do these astonishing things. But, when he would score, he never pulled a pre-positioned cell phone out of a goal post, never pretended to propose to a cheerleader, never pulled out a Sharpie to sign the ball... He'd just turn around, casually flip the ball to the referee, and trot back to his sideline. Walter Payton was kind of the same way.

"When you get to the end zone, act like you've been there before."

Come on, America. Leave the hysterics to the... [I can't decide which nationality/ethnicity I want to tastelessly slam on here.]

[Steven Adrian]

This is the same way that I feel, conducting a military operation or the killing of another human being in name of country or religion should never be taken like it is a sporting event. The President made the call, the CIA did the tracking, and the SEAL team delivered on their part of the deal.

Knowing your past, as an Army officer, I agree with your "distinction between non-combatants killed in the legitimate pursuit of a combatant objective and pure, civilian-targeted terrorism." When I saw the dancing in the streets and hearing the chanting it made me recall that day in 2001 and examine how I felt first about the necessary event that the SEAL team carried out and how I disagreed with the response of how the crowd was carrying on with an-eye for eye attitude.

Excellent blog post.......

[Greg Skoog]

Thanks Steve! Although I'm afraid that liberal endorsement was probably the last nail in the coffin of my Republican career. (Though if all we've got to choose from is Bachman, Palin, Gingrich or Trump... [sigh] Gipper, oh Gipper, where have you gone?!)

[Steven Adrian]

You know Greg, if you true Republicans could get your party back from the "wedgers, birthers, and say anything Bachman" maybe we could start fixing and addressing the major issues this country is facing.

But, before you get all excited, the liberals need to some house cleaning too.

Now, the Gipper was a good actor, but this is where we agree to disagree.

[Holly Pringle]

Well written Greg. I'm still struggling with how I feel, and with all the jubilation I'm seeing. Am I glad he's not around to orchestrate terror anymore? Sure. But in any case like this, there's someone waiting in the wings to take his spot anyway. His death won't put an end to terrorism, and it won't bring back the innocent people he killed. It might add a short spike in American pride and nationalism (I'm sure the flag store on 33rd put in a huge order today), but nothing will really change for the long term.

Dancing and celebrating a death is just hard for me to watch. Even with a such a hateful human being.

[Greg Skoog]

Actually, Holly, I'm way more optimistic than that. You're right, I'm sure there's a terrorist succession plan. But OBL was a uniquely charismatic leader. And having him out of the picture will be a game changer.

But even more important is the whole climate change we seem to be seeing with the Arab Spring. I'm probably tragically naive here, but I'm optimistic that people in the Middle East are figuring out that they're seeing more results from large-scale, peaceful demonstrations than they were from isolated, one-off (pun intended) suicide bombings.

[Gina]

Good post, Greg.

As you know, I'm one of those bleeding-heart liberals. So of course I'm happy with the way our president and military handled this but I'm not about to celebrate, wave a flag or go out in the streets cheering. What you might be surprised to hear coming from me is that I understand why some people might be doing so.

We're settled here in middle America, insulated from much of the anguish and fear that was felt by our friends on the east coast. Had my husband, mother, brother or child been lost on 9/11 I might be right there along cheering with the other people at ground zero. It's hard to say. Not that it would bring them back. Not that it would take away the pain. But maybe it would feel good to know there was justice.

Just my 2¢.

[Greg Skoog]

Nice little dose of perspective, Gina. Well said.

[Greg Skoog]

FYI, obviously the President's been hitting my blog again. He comes to me for most of his best analogies.

http://www.startribune.com/nation/121241234.html