Terror and Credulity
I don't know what to say about the hoopla over the reported death of Osama Bin Laden, except ... really? Really really?
After ten years, over a trillion dollars, probably close to a million dead — 6,000 American — and many more maimed, we got our guy: a crackpot diabetic with kidney trouble and secondary osteoporosis hiding in a cave, who in recent years was fond of making audio tape rants hand-delivered to local news outlets. Killed in a firefight, he was then immediately "buried at sea" by American troops in accordance with Islamic custom (nice touch).
This is being called "a foreign policy triumph" in the New York Times.
Americans do so love their happy endings.
Oops. What's that? "Senior political figures cautioned that the killing did not necessarily mean an immediate victory over the Taliban."
We return you to your regularly scheduled programming.
...and the Tea Party has already begun asking, "Where's the death certificate?"
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All I can say in response to this is - Thank you.
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When I saw what was going on, it made me think of your recent post on the Tillman story and the connections between militarism, team sports, etc.. The killing of one terrorist hardly seems like the occassion for running around Kenmore Square and waving a flag, but I suppose it's a little like winning the World Series. What makes my laugh the most is the headlines like "We got him" and people using the word we all the time to describe the killing, which they do when their favorite team wins the Superbowl. Right, like you had something to do with it.
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Pyrrhic victory, I say.
And I'm not buying into the bloodlust, frothy-mouthed fervor either.
Just bring our troops home now, please.
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