Osama bin Laden Has Been Killed

[filkertom]

Here's your news day.

So very many things can and will be and already have been said about this, especially given the irony of it occurring on the eight anniversary of George W. Bush's "Mission Accomplished" show. What occurs to me, though, is this:

• Now, maybe, just maybe, we can start boldly saying "enough already" and start removing ourselves from Iraq and Afghanistan and maybe even Pakistan.
• There will always be another bad guy to rise and take his place. Stop committing to permanent warfare based on chasing shadows. That's what bin Laden was able to do to us for years, and our nation has suffered for it.
• Some people are already protesting about the directive that bin Laden's remains "will be handled in accordance with Islamic tradition". Well, it only makes sense. He's already going to be a martyr to his followers; there is absolutely no reason to rile up those who otherwise would not consider him a martyr by desecrating his remains further.
• There is already a hue and cry from the Right about President Obama "politicizing" this. I do believe we've had enough precedent over the past eight years of the Republicans doing precisely the same thing. Moreover, there's already this (h/t jblaque).

Thoughts? Please keep it civil. And no unseemly gloating. This is not a cause for celebration; it's a cause for sighing with relief that this portion of a long and tragic story is over, and for moving on.

Comments

[technoshaman.livejournal.com]

Enough, already, indeed. This is no cause for celebration. Cause for celebration is when our people are home, when we can travel with dignity, speak with privacy, practice whatever religion we please - including Islam - without retribution, and can serve our country and just generally *live* without worry for what our gender is, was, or who our spouse or spice is or are. I don't expect to get all that at once, but I do damn well expect and demand that, in my lifetime, and sooner rather than later...

The Current Occupant made promises about all these things. It's time for him to put up or shut up. Then again, I'm not above going around him, or doing whatever is necessary - with a very strong preference for peaceful methods - to be the change I wish to see.

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

And a half.

[kilbia.livejournal.com]

And another three-quarters from me.