More thoughts

There's a lot being tossed around in the wake following the killing of Osama. As was to be expected.

There's a lot of people saying that we shouldn't be celebrating the death of another human. That in the profession you should never rejoice that your enemy is dead. In some ways I agree with those statements. However, OBL reneged on his dues to humanity a long time ago. So, yes, I will celebrate his demise. And screw professionalism for the moment. If he had a terrestrial grave, I'd make a pilgrimage and dance the tarantella on top before urinating on the marker.

Thank you, unnamed SEAL Team Six member. For both your attempt to allow him to surrender and your accurate shot. You, sir, rock.

My guess is there will be some crossing ceremony created for when a ship crosses the place his wrapped body slipped beneath the waves. GPS is a wonderful thing.

To those saying it would have been better had he been brought to jail, found guilty, and allowed to rot while we occasionally interview him to watch his slow ruination, I agree. It would have been better for both our justice system, our war effort, and it would please the little vindictive bastard inside of me that wanted him to suffer much more and for a longer time. But I never really held the belief that it would ever happen. In fact, my first thought before I heard more of the operation was, "I wonder if it was one of ours or an 7.62 round that took him down?" My guess was he had a standing order to shoot him rather than allow him to be captured.

There are those who say that the death of the woman who was used as a shield was tragic. I disagree. In the larger sense, yes, I see your point. But, you know, it's not like they grabbed some poor innocent bystander off the street. This was a woman in the house. And no, I don't blame the SEAL who took the shot. It's exactly what I would have done in the same circumstance. I'm sorry, unnamed SEAL Team Six member who took that shot that you'll probably remember her for the rest of your life and have to deal with that. But thank you for doing what was necessary in the situation. It's little consolation, I know.

And then there is the idiocy that this was actually a success for GW Bush and garnered from the intelligence out of Gitmo. Really? Screw you. That president said he was no longer pressing Osama, that "he wasn't important anymore", and dismantled both the kill teams and the CIA hunt teams that were pursuing him. The intelligence was gathered "though interviews" which means it could have been anywhere. My guess was it took a long time to gain the confidence of the person who spilled the obtuse angled lead that lead to the courier who helped us confirm the compound held Osama. Also, 9 months is a damn long time to take credit for "operational intelligence." From what I hear, we had identified the compound a long time ago (he had been living there for over 5 years), but could never tie Osama to it. And that we never did make a visual conformation that he was inside. That's good ground work and intelligence gathering, all of which occurred in the last 9 months. All because one of the first actions President Obama took was to reinstate the kill teams and directed Leon Panetta to make killing Osama his top priority.

And here I will take a moment to reiterate what the President said, we are at war with Al Qaeda, not Islam. So to the fuckers who spray painted the Portland Mosque last night (and those contemplating similar actions), screw off. Buy a clue, won't you.

Finally, thank you to all those involved. The little boy inside of me who wondered just what happened to American Power under the former administration is now convinced it only took a vacation for awhile. Glad to see it back. Thank you for your service, for volunteering (many are triple volunteers), for limiting the damage in this action, for coming back alive, and for making me proud. Again.

I'm not going around singing, "Ding dong the witch is dead" (because we all know how long that celebration lasted), but I do have a smile on my face. What? This is my happy face.