Some Thoughts

Firstly, here's a link to a really cool thing The Times is doing to get a feel for how significant people think the death of Bin Laden is:

The Death of a Terrorist: A Turning Point?
Published: May 3, 2011
President Obama’s announcement Sunday night about Bin Laden’s death produced an outpouring of reaction. But has the killing of the most wanted face in terrorism made the world safer?

Now, some of my own thoughts.

While I think violence of any kind is uncivilized and beneath us as human beings, there are definitely times in history when those who make the innocent suffer should be dealt with swiftly and strongly. I think we could of and should have captured or killed Bin Laden 9 years ago. I don't think Bush and his administration wanted to because it didn't serve their agenda - providing an excuse and distraction to invade Iraq (for what reason, oil? some vendetta? Maybe all of the above? I don't know.) I will never, ever forgive the Bush administration for putting this nation through 8 years of phony "terrorism alerts" for what was obviously political purposes. Spreading such terror among the American population was doing the dirty work of the terrorists themselves. It was disgraceful.

Am I glad Bin Laden is out of the picture? Absolutely. I was down there myself on 9/11 and could have been killed by the first tower's collapse if it weren't for the brave work of the NYPD, who risked their lives in evacuating everyone from the immediate area and did countless other acts of bravery on that day, along of course with the Fire Department.

It also seems to me that Bin Laden's death will come to be grouped by historians in the current context of the revolutions for freedom taking place in the Middle East. Young people by the millions in the Middle East have rejected "Bin Ladinism" in favor of pro-democracy movements. And that is the best news of all.

Bin Laden's Death

What are your thoughts on Bin Laden's death? I'm curious to hear what readers of the blog think... I'm a little busy today with my regular job, so I will hopefully get a chance to share some of my thoughts later today.... All I can say right now, is having been one of the people who had to run for his life as the first tower fell, this brings up a lot of memories again for me.

President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, along with members of the national security team, receive an update on the mission against Osama bin Laden in the Situation Room of the White House, May 1, 2011. Seated, from left, are: Brigadier General Marshall B. “Brad” Webb, Assistant Commanding General, Joint Special Operations Command; Deputy National Security Advisor Denis McDonough; Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton; and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. Standing, from left, are: Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; National Security Advisor Tom Donilon; Chief of Staff Bill Daley; Tony Binken, National Security Advisor to the Vice President; Audrey Tomason Director for Counterterrorism; John Brennan, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism; and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper. Please note: a classified document seen in this photograph has been obscured. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)