Why We Celebrate Bin Laden's Death

I have to tell you, I saw those kids at OSU on the Monday morning news gathered in the streets and chanting U-S-A, U-S-A, waving the flag and I was struck by the similarities between them and anti-American protesters in the many countries that hate us.  The flag waving, chanting and patriotic fervor had the same mood as those who dislike us so much.  It was enough to give me pause.

But then I really thought about it, how I felt about our killing Osama Bin Laden.  I decided I was happy he was dead.  This may be the first time I've ever felt that.  I've been callous before, shrugged my shoulders about other terrorists and criminals who get themselves killed.  I've thought, "well, if you're going to lead that kind of life, then this is what could happen."  I have never been glad, though, that someone's life was taken.

When I saw the news at 5:50 that morning it all came rushing back.  The horror of that terrible Tuesday ten years ago.  I could remember exactly where I was when I heard about the planes crashing into buildings, the disbelief on everyone's faces that an attack of that magnitude was occurring and I remembered how much I wanted vengeance for what was happening and now, ten years later, that feeling is quieted.

My politics lean liberal, as regular readers here know, but liberal doesn't mean weak or imbue me with a penchant for turning the other cheek.  What this man and his gang of thugs orchestrated was the murder of innocent men, women and children, of first responders, of Americans and other citizens of the world.  We simply cannot progress with men like this willing to hurt us this badly.  So finding him and killing him was a matter of justice and a matter of moving forward.

We've become immune to killing in the decade since the 9/11 attacks.  Thousands of our men and women in uniform have died in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Hundreds of thousands have died in those countries due to the warfare.  Now that we've been reminded that death matters we should demand a cessation to hostilities in Afghanistan and bring our troops home.  It's time for President Karzai to stand on his own two feet because there isn't anything important enough in that country to lose one more American life.

The Taliban is no longer in charge and we've killed the man responsible for 9/11.  The goals we set for ourselves have been met and our dead are avenged.  It's time to look inward and see how we progress from here.