Bin Laden is Dead, Now What?

Numerous conspiracy theories, a deep recession, and ten years later, Osama Bin Laden has been found and killed. So, let’s take a look at what this really means. First of all, it’s a great boost of confidence to the people of the U.S. It’s something that people have been waiting for ever since the twin towers fell that September 11th morning. Second, this will bring some type of justice to the families of the people who got killed in the attacks, and it will also bring a sense of justice to the American people. Furthermore, this will bring a sense that the two (or three if you count Libya) wars this country is engaged in have some type of legitimacy to them. Up until this point many people have had no real idea why the U.S. has been engaged in Afghanistan and Iraq, and while many questions still remain about America’s engagement in Iraq, the fact that something concrete has actually been done brings a sense of victory to the mess that has been these two wars. When the troops start retracting back home later this year, they will do so with a sense of victory, not a sense of abandonment.

With all that said, I can’t help but wonder about two major things. Number one, what will the retaliation be? These Talibans haven’t been happy with the U.S. so far, this will only anger them even further. With all the extra security measures that is in place I doubt that there will be another terrorist attack anytime soon, however I think that there will be a lot of angry Talibans tomorrow and they will find a way to express that anger. Number two, now that one of the biggest elements of the American people’s anger is gone… will more attention be paid towards (maybe) more significant things? Will focus be turned away from the feeling of being nonsecure and the fear of the boogyman that has been terrorism and instead turned toward things that may be more immediately threatening to society? There will always be people that wants a lot of defense and focus on military, but maybe a few people will turn nationally and see what is wrong inside the country, and shine a light on the domestic terrorists that is the people that brought this country into a recession.

I’m hoping that this focus on fear and not feeling secure because of what a few crazy arabs did will go away. Fear only leads to stupidity and the making of big mistakes (Iraq is an example of this). A sense of urgency over a situation is different, but being scared can only lead to bad things and bad decisions. I’m really hoping that the news of Osama Bin Laden’s death will rid the American people of this fear that has been dominating people’s everyday life for the past ten years. This is a good thing, and I don’t say that about news of people that just died often.