Article Obama announces Osama bin Laden killed by U.S.

[Amyrat151]

I'm not celebrating, since death is never something to celebrate. I hope it brings some kind of peace, but I know that it ultimately won't. Someone else will surely take his place as the leader of al Qaeda.
That's really all I have to say about this right now.

 

[BuffyElevated]

Repost from VH

I don't feel bad for him as such but I'm not liking the whole situation. Going back years and years. Even before 9/11 (To me it means november 9th. Silly sidenote.) even if things accelerated after that. He's a leader but in no way am I sure that the world is safer now. If anything now he'll become a martyr right? And an eye for an eye policy usually never ends well.

America is great in some ways, not so good in others. What happened on 9/11 is nothing but a tragedy and no one deserves that. On the other hand, most if not all of us are seeing the western world perspective on things. That's not how all the world sees it. The "we're right, you're wrong and we're going to convince you by being stubborn and violent" argument is used by both sides (Not at all everyone, very far from it, no matter which side you're on.) is what's causing trouble. A tricky situation and to have a winner by strength and power doesn't sound 21st century to me.

I'm sorry, but I find this very, very offensive. He already took his "eye", so we took ours back by killing him. He has killed thousands of innocent people. The man was a threat and killing him was the only way of stopping him from taking more lives. It sounds like you're implying that you don't think our military were in the right for killing him, and if that's the case I violently disagree with that.
I personally know people who lost family members on 9/11, both in New York and in Washington. To think about what those people went through in their last moments, all because of Osama Bin Laden and the pure evil in his heart, it physically hurts. Not to mention all the soldiers who have faught and died trying to defend our country from another terrorist attack. I've had to hold my friends, sobbing, because they got the dreaded visit to their door telling them they'd been killed in battles with insurgents. Maybe America is not all sunshine and roses to people who don't live here, but I do live here, and I take every death personally, as should every American. I have come across a few people over the years who didn't live here, yet had a strong opinion that Osama Bin Laden didn't need to die, he should just be held captive, and I've argued with every one. I think maybe some people just don't get it, 'cause they didn't experience Bin Laden's wrath personally the way the American people have.

 

[white avenger]

As happy as I am about this news, that the man ultimately responsible for so many thousands of American lives, I can't help but wonder who will step up to fill the vacancy that his death has created. Someone even more ruthless, with an even greater hatred and jealousy of the United States? A greater strategist, capable of planning more diabolical acts of terrorism? The absolute last thing that we want is to make Osama some sort of martyr and rallying point for even more fanatics bent on terror and destruction.

Harken to the words of someone who has been here for a long time, ladies and gentlemen. This crap storm is a long, LONG way from being over yet, and if the United States gets that idea, we're setting ourselves up for something that will make 9/11 shrink by comparison.

 

[zobothehobo]

I'm sorry, but I find this very, very offensive. He already took his "eye", so we took ours back by killing him. He has killed thousands of innocent people. The man was a threat and killing him was the only way of stopping him from taking more lives. It sounds like you're implying that you don't think our military were in the right for killing him, and if that's the case I violently disagree with that.
I personally know people who lost family members on 9/11, both in New York and in Washington. To think about what those people went through in their last moments, all because of Osama Bin Laden and the pure evil in his heart, it physically hurts. Not to mention all the soldiers who have faught and died trying to defend our country from another terrorist attack. I've had to hold my friends, sobbing, because they got the dreaded visit to their door telling them they'd been killed in battles with insurgents. Maybe America is not all sunshine and roses to people who don't live here, but I do live here, and I take every death personally, as should every American. I have come across a few people over the years who didn't live here, yet had a strong opinion that Osama Bin Laden didn't need to die, he should just be held captive, and I've argued with every one. I think maybe some people just don't get it, 'cause they didn't experience Bin Laden's wrath personally the way the American people have.

I'm honestly conflicted on how I feel about the "eye for an eye" policy here. On the one hand, Bin Laden staying alive and being held captive means he could probably find some way to still be in command. This way we know he won't/can't be. That feels pretty damn good to me. But I'm afraid we're entering "you kill our people, we kill your leader. Take that!" And do you think Al Qaeda WILL juat take that? I'm afraid we're going to go into the old war rutine of an eye for an eye: they hurt us, we hurt them, they hurt us, we hurt them and this goes on and on and on and no one stops to think about the value of a human life. No one stops to think about any of it. It's all reactionary. That's my only isue with "an eye for an eye" here...

But the rest of Wash's post about America being very "you're right, we're wrong" is so true. I love this contry, I'm so proud to be an American, especially now. But we have always had a very black and white foreign policy. It's always been an Us vs Them "we're right, you're wrong" mentality. And that's not exactly the best. I doubt it's going to change, I mean it's been this way since the beginning... but it is an imperfection with our great country.

Another note about the eye for an eye thing... on the subject of death being the punishment here... I feel sick to my stomach that I feel a sense of relief and closure. I feel like I shouldn't. My mother and her husband have told me that's natural and they feel it too but I feel like I'm enjoying the death of another human being more than I should. Does anyone else feel this way? I'm not in the "Let's break out the fireworks" kinda mood like my neighbors were last night (although they were pretty)... And although my family was not directly effected by 9/11... I feel closure. I don't feel justice... but I feel closure. I know one thing for sure and that's that 9/11 this year is going to be different from every year before. Not only is it the 10 year anniversery of that horrible day, but it's also the first 9/11 since the attacks that Bin Laden will be dead. I think 9/11 this year will be about celebrating the lives and memories of those who died that day more than ever. And for that, I'm really happy. I don't know, part of me feels like I shouldn't be happy someone else has died, and the other part of me is saying "oh thank god, we can finally move on"

 

[sisterofmercy]

I'm sorry, but I find this very, very offensive. He already took his "eye", so we took ours back by killing him. He has killed thousands of innocent people. The man was a threat and killing him was the only way of stopping him from taking more lives. It sounds like you're implying that you don't think our military were in the right for killing him, and if that's the case I violently disagree with that.
I personally know people who lost family members on 9/11, both in New York and in Washington. To think about what those people went through in their last moments, all because of Osama Bin Laden and the pure evil in his heart, it physically hurts. Not to mention all the soldiers who have faught and died trying to defend our country from another terrorist attack. I've had to hold my friends, sobbing, because they got the dreaded visit to their door telling them they'd been killed in battles with insurgents. Maybe America is not all sunshine and roses to people who don't live here, but I do live here, and I take every death personally, as should every American. I have come across a few people over the years who didn't live here, yet had a strong opinion that Osama Bin Laden didn't need to die, he should just be held captive, and I've argued with every one. I think maybe some people just don't get it, 'cause they didn't experience Bin Laden's wrath personally the way the American people have.

Just a side note. America is not the only country to be affected by terrorist attacks, nor the only country to be out there fighting. Unfortunately Britain has been involved in this for a long time as well. I think that it's wrong to state that just because you don't live in America then you don't know what it's like. People have died over here as well so it is personal for an awful lot of people in the UK too.

In my opinion it would have been preferable on a moral level to capture and imprison him but given the context of the situation, it probably made more sense to control it as much as possible and stop other people from carrying out attacks due to him being imprisoned.

 

[xfivebyfive]

I don't really feel anything about him being dead. Or maybe I just don't know what to feel.

As a new yorker I feel like I should feel something. I was here when it happened. I was in school. I saw people who had escaped the towers/been by them that were covered in dust from the collapse. I watched the news that day and saw people jumping from the towers.

I can remember the panic in the city so well and I was only eleven. I remember everyone telling me nothing was ever going to be the same. And yet ten years later we've killed the man responsible and I don't feel anything. I told my mom last night and she was so shocked she couldn't speak and I just looked at her confused because It didn't hit me.

I've wanted him dead since I was eleven years old and now I feel like I don't care because I don't have a reaction.

 

[Lyri]

I think that what most people are trying to say here is, just because Bin Laden is dead, does not mean the threat is over. Someone will take his place, and that someone could very well be angry by what has been done. Their leader was killed. They will want someone to pay for that.

I know that we all KNOW Bin Laden deserved to pay for what he orchestrated, but think of it like this - his people are not going to think that we were entitled to do what we did, and they are going to want revenge. HisMrs said that Bin Laden has already take 'his eye' in the 'an eye for and eye' analogy, but his people aren't going to see it like that. This is what I'm worried about and why I won't be celebrating the end of the war.

I think maybe some people just don't get it, 'cause they didn't experience Bin Laden's wrath personally the way the American people have.

I'm sorry, HisMrs, but I this statement really upset me. I'm not American, this is true, but I cannot begin to tell you how much 9/11 ripped me apart. It wasn't just American people who were killed that day, and it wasn't just America who sent troops to Afghanistan. The UK was deeply affected by the events of 9/11 as well, and to say we don't understand because we're not Americans hurts me.

I was 16 when 9/11 happened, I was on vacation. I had to sit on a plane, three days after 9/11 and fly home surrounded by terrified people who refused to even leave their seats. The Cabin Crew were green with how scared they were. Everyone cried with relief when the plane landed safely.

I'm not saying that I Americans didn't suffer, and I'm not trying to compare my pain, or the pain of my country to yours, but I'm just saying that Americans weren't the only ones affected that day.

 

[Harley]

Just a side note. America is not the only country to be affected by terrorist attacks, nor the only country to be out there fighting. Unfortunately Britain has been involved in this for a long time as well. I think that it's wrong to state that just because you don't live in America then you don't know what it's like. People have died over here as well so it is personal for an awful lot of people in the UK too.

In my opinion it would have been preferable on a moral level to capture and imprison him but given the context of the situation, it probably made more sense to control it as much as possible and stop other people from carrying out attacks due to him being imprisoned.

Speaking from my perspective, I don't think she was implying that other countries don't have investment in the war. I think she was saying that America was the one that had to experience the events of 9-11 alone. Other countries may have sent aid (don't really remember) or may have had relatives that were here too but as empathetic as they are, they weren't hit. It was our trade centers, our pentagon...and that's something other countries can't say.

 

[sisterofmercy]

Speaking from my perspective, I don't think she was implying that other countries don't have investment in the war. I think she was saying that America was the one that had to experience the events of 9-11 alone. Other countries may have sent aid (don't really remember) or may have had relatives that were here too but as empathetic as they are, they weren't hit. It was our trade centers, our pentagon...and that's something other countries can't say.

Yes, and so were our tube trains and buses on 7/7. Not on the same scale but needless death is needless death.

 

[Lyri]

they weren't hit. It was our trade centers, our pentagon...and that's something other countries can't say.

The UK was hit by Al Qaeda. London's Underground was hit by suicide bombers on July 7th 2005. 56 people were killed. Granted, it wasn't even on par with what happened on 9/11, but we were hit, and other attacks were stopped in time.

 

[sosa lola]

But I'm afraid we're entering "you kill our people, we kill your leader. Take that!"

It's not just the leader. A lot of innocent people in Afghanistan were killed due to the search of Bin Laden. It's bloody on both sides.

 

[BuffyElevated]

As happy as I am about this news, that the man ultimately responsible for so many thousands of American lives, I can't help but wonder who will step up to fill the vacancy that his death has created. Someone even more ruthless, with an even greater hatred and jealousy of the United States? A greater strategist, capable of planning more diabolical acts of terrorism? The absolute last thing that we want is to make Osama some sort of martyr and rallying point for even more fanatics bent on terror and destruction.

Harken to the words of someone who has been here for a long time, ladies and gentlemen. This crap storm is a long, LONG way from being over yet, and if the United States gets that idea, we're setting ourselves up for something that will make 9/11 shrink by comparison.

I know the war is definitely NOT over... People who just just because Osama Bin Laden is dead, the war is over, need a reality check. You can be sure that his followers will do everything they can to retaliate. 🙁

Just a side note. America is not the only country to be affected by terrorist attacks, nor the only country to be out there fighting. Unfortunately Britain has been involved in this for a long time as well. I think that it's wrong to state that just because you don't live in America then you don't know what it's like. People have died over here as well so it is personal for an awful lot of people in the UK too.

In my opinion it would have been preferable on a moral level to capture and imprison him but given the context of the situation, it probably made more sense to control it as much as possible and stop other people from carrying out attacks due to him being imprisoned.

I'm sorry, HisMrs, but I this statement really upset me. I'm not American, this is true, but I cannot begin to tell you how much 9/11 ripped me apart. It wasn't just American people who were killed that day, and it wasn't just America who sent troops to Afghanistan. The UK was deeply affected by the events of 9/11 as well, and to say we don't understand because we're not Americans hurts me.

I was 16 when 9/11 happened, I was on vacation. I had to sit on a plane, three days after 9/11 and fly home surrounded by terrified people who refused to even leave their seats. The Cabin Crew were green with how scared they were. Everyone cried with relief when the plane landed safely.

I'm not saying that I Americans didn't suffer, and I'm not trying to compare my pain, or the pain of my country to yours, but I'm just saying that Americans weren't the only ones affected that day.

I never said America was the only country affected by Osama Bin Laden's evil. I just said that some people (look, I never said ALL) probably don't truly "get" it because they have never been directly affected by this man. Zoà« even said she doesn't know yet how she feels on it, because she doesn't know anyone personally who's been affected by all this, and she's an American.
Unfortunately, whether people agree with it or not, with Osama's people it is kill or be killed. If we don't wipe them out, the attacks will never stop. I don't like it, either... I know a lot of innocent people have been killed on both sides in this war. A lot of people from other countries have lost their lives as well, and I cry when I think about all the civilians over in the middle east who have died because of this war. However, Osama and his followers are pure evil. They cannot be reasoned with; we've seen this. So when reason fails, it comes down to fighting for the greater good. We can either let them live and risk more attacks, or we can fight to kill them until there aren't enough of them left to hurt anyone anymore.

 

[Harley]

Yes, and so were our tube trains and buses on 7/7. Not on the same scale but needless death is needless death.

The UK was hit by Al Qaeda. London's Underground was hit by suicide bombers on July 7th 2005. 56 people were killed. Granted, it wasn't even on par with what happened on 9/11, but we were hit, and other attacks were stopped in time.

She referenced 9-11 so that was the instance I was talking about. I'm sure there are 100s of other things bin Laden has done that could be brought up too.

 

[zobothehobo]

It's not just the leader. A lot of innocent people in Afghanistan were killed due to the search of Bin Laden. It's bloody on both sides.

I know. And it's terrible. I feel sick when I think of all the people who have lost their lives because of a few men and their hate.

 

[Washburne]

I wasn't looking to offend anyone and for that to happen I'm sorry. For the moment I see no reason to change my mind though. Maybe that'll change sometime. If nothing else at least I can't say "I'm right, you're wrong." to anyone that disagrees with me.

I'm not trying to offend anyone further but I'd like to try and explain how I think.

I'm sorry, but I find this very, very offensive. He already took his "eye", so we took ours back by killing him.

If that killing him means that this whole issue will stop and have no bad consequences what so ever I'll admit that this was the right thing to do. I hope I'm wrong but I highly doubt that will be the case.

The man was a threat and killing him was the only way of stopping him from taking more lives.

I guess you don't trust wherever you'd kept him if caught to make sure of that. Not sure if that's a good or bad thing. I don't know even close enough of that matter but I'll respect your opinion. If I got it right.

It sounds like you're implying that you don't think our military were in the right for killing him, and if that's the case I violently disagree with that.

Violently? Ok. Although I can totally understand wanting him dead no I'm not sure I like it. Life isn't a movie. Not saying you said it was. It's just easy cheering on kills on a screen but I feel very different about it in real life. I like that he's gone and if the choice were between killing him or him being free I'd prefer him dead but that's as far as I'll go. I'm neither so sure that getting killed is the worst punishment. But I guess that's not the point.

I take every death personally, as should every American. I have come across a few people over the years who didn't live here, yet had a strong opinion that Osama Bin Laden didn't need to die, he should just be held captive, and I've argued with every one. I think maybe some people just don't get it, 'cause they didn't experience Bin Laden's wrath personally the way the American people have.

Without a doubt your feelings are affected by anything depending how close you are to what's happened. I don't blame anyone for wanting him dead. But in general, going away from this specific case, there's a reason the western legal system is based on strangers/outsiders deciding the judgement. If you're personally involved you just not might think it's the right way.


Most "you/your" in this post is meant in general sense.

 

[Kean]

I think maybe some people just don't get it, 'cause they didn't experience Bin Laden's wrath personally the way the American people have.

What about the Afghani people? They have suffered the horrors of the Taliban for decades. They have lost hundreds of thousands of civilians to this war and have had even more injured. They deserve recognition for what they have been put through.

 

[Carrrrgh]

I'm seriously proud of America and of all our men and women fighting over there for us. I don't have the courage to fight but I am so glad that they do, I don't think I have ever felt so proud to be an American then I do right now. Some may think were in the wrong because it is going to make the situation worse, but you know what? Im not worried. I believe in our military and I think they have done an amazing job with keeping our nation safe over the last ten years and whose to say thats going to change.

I was watching the Phillies game last night and when news broke about Osama bin Laden being killed word spread like wildfire throughout the stadium and every single person there was on their feet chanting USA. Seeing over 40,000 people stand up together and show their pride for my country was amazing to watch and brought a tear to my eye. I was so proud. I am so proud.

I'm watching the news now and security alerts are already being issued and that doesn't make me feel unsafe, it makes me happy that our nation is taking this matter seriously and keeping us safe.

I know other countries have been affected by terrorism and for that I am sorry, but to anyone who thinks this man did not deserve to die is wrong. He plotted and schemed and killed so many, so many people from my country (and from yours too). When 9/11 happened I was right in the middle of it, my house is 2 hours away from NYC and 3 hours away from Wash DC and I was so scared. Im not scared anymore because my military will fight and fight to keep my nation safe at any cost, and to those men and woman I'm am so grateful for all you do.

Long live the USA 😀

 

[BuffyElevated]

What about the Afghani people? They have suffered the horrors of the Taliban for decades. They have lost hundreds of thousands of civilians to this war and have had even more injured. They deserve recognition for what they have been put through.

My God. Do you think I don't realize they have suffered, too??? OF COURSE I do. I am addressing the people who are saying that Americans have no right to celebrate Osama's death, not saying that I think we're the only country in the world who has that right. Geez people.

 

[Washburne]

I don't think that there was anything accidentak invilved in it. Army Special Forces and Navy Seasl generally don't do that sort of thing by accident.

Very valid point. Or so I hope. But I think you missed what the accident was and the name involved. 😉

 

[Harley]

I just wanted to address a couple things you mentioned here:

If that killing him means that this whole issue will stop and have no bad consequences what so ever I'll admit that this was the right thing to do. I hope I'm wrong but I highly doubt that will be the case.

Why do you believe doing nothing was the right thing to do? (unless you don't - in which case I would want to know what you think should have been done)

I guess you don't trust wherever you'd kept him if caught to make sure of that. Not sure if that's a good or bad thing. I don't know even close enough of that matter but I'll respect your opinion. If I got it right.

Violently? Ok. Although I can totally understand wanting him dead no I'm not sure I like it. Life isn't a movie. Not saying you said it was. It's just easy cheering on kills on a screen but I feel very different about it in real life. I like that he's gone and if the choice were between killing him or him being free I'd prefer him dead but that's as far as I'll go. I'm neither so sure that getting killed is the worst punishment. But I guess that's not the point.

I'm trying to find an article/source for you but bin Laden refused arrest. So, to me, that means being free or being dead.





I found this: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/02/world/asia/osama-bin-laden-is-killed.html