Osama bin Laden, the world’s most wanted man, is dead, killed by US Navy SEALs in a daring raid Sunday. Everyone who believes in freedom and opposes the slavery that Islamic radicalism would impose on us all must join us in celebrating bin Laden’s end. Every American should take a moment today to give thanks to the brave men who assaulted the compound in Abbotabad, Pakistan, killed bin Laden and extracted successfully, taking with them his body without incurring any US casualties.
Our intelligence community, which has been working day and night since 9-11 to find bin Laden, apparently scored on this one, and the SEALs took him down with one or more bullets to his brain.
There are many SEAL units capable of this action but one whose members are known throughout the SEAL community by a unique color-coded name are probably responsible. Our heartfelt thanks and a huge “hooah” to those members of the special unit known as “the Jedi.”
Is the war then-President Bush called the “global war on terrorism” over? No. The death of bin Laden will be just another excuse for the radical Islamists to continue their war against us. The Palestinian terror group Hamas has already condemned the U.S. action as an assassination of an “Arab holy warrior.” To which we should answer, “Yes, and we’re not done yet.” As long as nations such as Iran, Syria and others sponsor terrorism, this war will not end.
We should note that bin Laden’s body was apparently disposed of quickly by burial at sea. That bin Laden is shark food is a thought to warm the heart. But under the hyper-sensitive diktats of Islamic law, burial at sea is only permissible if the body is lashed tightly between two wooden planks so that it may drift to shore and have a proper burial. It’s only a matter of time for the jihadis to announce this as another reason to hate America. We’re not sorry, chums, that bin Laden is chum.
Bin Laden’s refuge in Pakistan was reportedly built in 2005. The mansion complex, eight times larger than the other homes in the Abbotabad area, may have been a safe haven for him for an extended period since.
We have allowed Pakistan to play a double game since 9-11. That must stop right now. The Zardari government is very weak and cannot control the ISI intelligence agency or the terrorist groups it harbors.
We should, today, tell Pakistan their game is over and demand that they surrender any and all of their people who aided and abetted bin Laden, al Qaeda and the Taliban. If they refuse, Pakistan should be a nation whose borders we ignore in pursuit of any and all terrorists who we deem a danger to our nation.
And while we undertake the actions toward Pakistan, American diplomats should be renewing and strengthening our alliance with India, a nation which has suffered greatly from Pakistan-based terrorism. Whatever mistakes we have made in the past by allowing Pakistan too much flexibility should be reversed by promises of direct cooperation with India’s anti-terrorist efforts.
While it is understandable that President Obama would want to take credit for the action that killed bin Laden, it was unseemly that in his speech Sunday night, Obama implied that without his personal leadership, the death of bin Laden would not have happened. Too many people have worked to that end for almost a decade. To them — in the intelligence and special operations communities — should our thanks be directed.
Jed Babbin was appointed deputy undersecretary of defense by President George H.W. Bush. He is the author of such best-selling books as “Inside the Asylum” and “In the Words of Our Enemies.”
