(DISCLAIMER: Bits and pieces of this are borrowed from various sources and people, it's not all my own)
This evening, while napping, I was awoken by the sound of my phone binging upon receiving multiple text alerts from CNN informing me that Osama Bin Laden had been killed in Attabad or Abbottabad, Pakistan-- some 35 miles from Pakistan's capital city, Islamabad. It is said that he was shot in the head after an exchange of gunfire during a 40 minute raid, by 20-30 US Navy SEALs, on his heavily guarded million dollar compound. US troops immediately recovered his body, after which he was identified via facial recognition, DNA testing and identification by one of his wives. His body was buried at sea, according to Islamic tradition, shortly thereafter in order to avoid making his grave site a shrine for his followers.
My initial reaction was one of disbelief, we had been chasing this elusive terrorist for over 9 and 1/2 years now. Could it be that we had FINALLY achieved what every national politician in the last 9 and 1/2 years has been promising--his death? When I turned on the television, I found President Obama addressing the nation:
I was met with the immediate realization that this was indeed reality. Waves of relief, happiness, shock and sadness simultaneously washed over me. I was incredibly happy, relieved and shocked that at long last, the man who conducted the largest terrorist attack on US soil, on September 11th, 2001, was finally put to justice. However, I could not escape my deep-rooted emotions of sadness and shock-- the recollection of the tens of thousands of innocent soldiers and civilians who lost their lives in pursuit of this sick individual makes my heart wrench. It's almost as if the images of the burning Twin Towers and Osama Bin Laden's deceptive face are emblazoned on my mind. I mean, don't these images rouse some type of memory or emotion within you?:
Make no mistake, I could not be more relieved that an individual who is such a strong symbol of international terror is now gone. But we must remember that Osama Bin Laden is exactly that. A very powerful, rousing SYMBOL of terror and destruction. His death does not mean the end of terrorism. His death does not mean the end of al Qaeda. In fact, it is said that his death could be the start of a string of retaliatory attacks around the world and on our nation.
While I would wonder who wouldn't be at least marginally relieved that he can no longer bastardize a beautiful faith like Islam, and inflict death and destruction upon countless innocent individuals, I feel that perhaps this should more so be a moment of introspection-- not necessarily one of flippant merriment. We must reflect upon the horrors and atrocities that millions of people across the world went through during the last 10 years.
10 years, 2 wars, 919,967 deaths and $1,188,263,000,000 later, and we managed to kill one person. Was it worth it?
We must question:
What comes next?
Tonight as a nation we celebrated justice, but justice for whom?
What has ultimately been achieved and what will change?
How does our reaction relate to the future... when we wake up tomorrow, with what responsibility do we wake? Surely there is an obligation to peace which is much greater than what we, the world, have borne for the last ten years?
If violence begets violence...do we only have more violence to look forward to? If so, why do most of us feel such resonating emotions of simultaneous relief and anxiety?
This is all necessary food for thought amidst the rousing celebrations and sentiments of relief.
Interestingly enough, exactly 66 years ago, on May 1st, 1945, Germany announced Hitler was dead. Perhaps May 1st is the day of the dead societal menace.
Ultimately, I feel that the 9/11 generation is allowed to not be afraid for once, if only for a few days, we are allowed to be optimistic(no matter how misguided these sentiments may be).
...and now to leave you on a more light-hearted note:
