At first I felt nothing when I heard of his death.
I've now had time to take in the news and decided just how I feel about the Bin Laden saga.
I argued at the time that going into Afghanistan was a mistake and would serve no purpose, I was called unPatriotic and unAmerican [amongst the most polite] for my pains . I cant say that it didn't hurt, I seem to remember few fellow spirits at the time.
I argued against going into Iraq with the same result, but I was less isolated in this resistance to war. The facts didn't stack up but jingoism triumphed over reason.
Laws were twisted and turned and created, our rights were sacrificed on the later of the common good, the basic tenants of innocent until proved guilty were ignored, no right to know even the charge.
I watched us kill and maim in the name of justice, we lied to have our way. I watched a brave man slandered as a coward and lose an election he should have won because criminals represented the other side.
The hate and fear ground on.
I watched the news as we renditioned people for torture by our "friends", I cried as it was revealed that we did the same. I hear echos of justification even as I type, the results justify the means. Once again I am appalled.
As the reality became apparent that neither war had a purpose the politics began to change, out with the old and in with the new, a brighter future beckoned...an end to the current wars.
The shock of looking forward and ignoring the past and the crimes we committed in our name are there for all to see, no justice for those that died.
Our military might and technology know no boundaries; no sovereignty is respected, and the innocent we kill are merely labelled collateral damage. We have reduced human life to a commodity.
We killed a man, an an evil one. He brought death and ruin, and if the truth be told so did we; it is a hard lesson to grasp.
To be honest the cries of USA USA sadden me as much now as they did before..
It's been a hard ten years something must change, will one mans death change the plot?
The Bin Laden legacy.....No...at least I hope not......
But where do we go to from here?