I am not political. Like, not political AT ALL. I am one of those Americans that is so jaded with the political system that I prefer to stick my head in the sand and pretend everything is just fine...because, really, I don't have the emotional capacity to be upset by the bullshit going down 365 days a year in Washington.
Now, all politics aside, I have to just say how DELIGHTED I am that Osama Bin Laden is dead.
I am THRILLED. EXUBERANT. There just aren't enough words in the dictionary to express how insanely happy his death makes me.
I saw a tweet today that said something like, "Can we just take a minute to feel some humanity? A human being was killed."
Dude. Seriously? Osama Bin Laden wasn't human. He was a monster. I am a pacifist and even I wanted him dead.
Then there are those that are pissed off that he was killed, claiming that now the other terrorists will retaliate.
Um...well...see, they are terrorists. They were planning to terrorize the United States ANYWAY! Really?
Fortunately, I did not know anyone that was killed in the 9/11 attack. I don't personally know anyone that died while fighting in either Iraq or Afghanistan. However, I am married to a former Marine, and I know plenty of Marines that have been to Afghanistan and Iraq - some of them have been multiple times. I've met reservists that have been sent time and time again. I met a woman who purposely got pregnant because she was being sent back AGAIN to Iraq.
Have you ever met a man or woman who has been to war? Have you ever looked into the eyes of someone who has been shot at, or has shot at another human being? And then, after this, these men and woman come home to the United States and listen to an entire country talk about how stupid their president was and how the war is "a fake war" and the reasons are wrong, etc, etc.
I have heard so many stories about post traumatic stress syndrome. The television show Intervention has actually done a few episodes specifically on Iraqi and Afghanistan war veterans. In my opinion, this military operation has done damage to the American public on a scale comparable to the Vietnam War. We are still, even now, seeing the damaging effects that war had on the soldiers - do you have any idea how many Vietnam Veterans are on disability due to PTS?
Was Osama Bin Laden was a figure head? Yes. Are there thousand of other terrorists out there, waiting to strike? Absolutely. Will his death bring back any of the men, women and children that died in the attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001? No. Will his death bring back any of the soldiers who have died in the past 10 years? No. Does it justify the war on Iraq? No.
But Osama Bin Laden is dead and you know what? It makes me feel a little better. At least we able to accomplish that. All of our fears about terrorism, all of our pain and anguish over 9/11 and the subsequent wars, everything fell under our hatred of Osama Bin Laden. And rightly so, I believe. HE attacked America, he spearheaded the Crazy Islam Extremists rage against Americans, and we took him DOWN.
It may have taken us 9 years to track his hate-mongering, murderous ass down, but we did it. And it feels good.
tamie
{{gulp}} Well said. I second that emotion.
hAndiMom
Yes it does, and you said it so very well!
LeeAnn
There are so many posts like this one today, but I think this is the best so far! I agree with everything you said.
Rachel
I am not a pacifist and while I agree with the war on Iraq, I have to say that I second your other points. The way we treat or soldiers is disgraceful and I will join you in being glad this monster has finally gotten what he deserved.
Jen-Eighty MPH Mom
Amen sister...Amen. Your thoughts are mine exactly. I was thrilled that he was killed. And people talk about humanity with this bastard? Please. He sure was thinking about humanity when he rocked our worlds on 9/11. He had it coming...