A momentary respite?
by Me
Whilst it is a victory for the US, it is little more than a moral victory today.
The world woke up this morning to news that Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, the man who masterminded the murder of over 3,000 people in the 9/11 attacks, had been killed by American forces in Pakistan.
Bin Laden was apparently holed up in a compound in Islamabad, and was living in a mansion, a stark contrast to the picture of a bearded man darting between caves that we have come to expect over the past decade. American troops shot bin Laden dead in a ground operation, the result of US intelligence first brought to light in August of last year.
Of the attack, President Obama said it was "the most significant moment in the US war against terror to date." Bin Laden had been number one on the FBI's list of most wanted criminals.
But what does his death really mean? Is it perhaps more significant to the US public than it is to those who followed Bin Laden?
As crowds gathered outside the White House today, merrily chanting "USA USA USA!" they'd be forgiven for believing that the world was all rosy again. The US has after all made catching Bin Laden it's priority since September 2001.
However, in the middle east, the probability is that members of Al Qaeda were merely moving on and planning their next action. The terrorist group would no doubt have been prepared for this eventuality. Whilst they were briefed and trained to protect Bin Laden with their lives, the fire fight within the compound gives proof of this, they would have also been briefed on the moves which would follow Bin Laden's death. As arrogant as he was throughout his years in hiding, Bin Laden himself cannot have expected to evade capture from the US for the rest of his natural life, and he would have made sure that plans to move on in his absence were drawn up.
So whilst US citizens celebrate today, there should be a feeling of anxiety in the air. Whilst we would all like to hope that this sort of thing would extinguish the threat of violence, the probability exists that it merely strengthens the resolve of those who seek to bring harm to the Western World.
Just my short take