From Lafayette Park across from the White House to Citizens Bank Park, the home of the Philadelphia Phillies, ad hoc celebrations of Osama bin Laden’s death broke out late Sunday night (May 1). A decade removed from the 9/11 attack that killed nearly 3,000 people, its perpetrator — the personification of evil and the world’s most notorious fugitive — was now dead. Chants of “USA! USA!” — sounding not unlike the jubilant cheers for American Olympians or World Cup players — filled the festive, high-fiving air.
Party on. The commemorative T-shirts, hats, coffee mugs and mouse pads would soon follow.
Chances are, some of you had a gut feeling — upon hearing this welcome news — similar to this: Relief. Satisfaction. A fist-clenching “Yes!” And to quote an unsmiling President Obama: “Justice has been done.” Deferred too long, but now done.
We did, indeed, learn from that botched attempt to rescue the Iranian hostages in 1980. Thank you, SEAL Team Six.
But I personally have a hard time with successful assassination as a party theme. Even of one whose demise benefits non-jihadists everywhere. “I think we can all agree this is a good day for America,” added Obama, who remained in somber mode.
Agreed. Of course.
But this wasn’t “VJ” Day. This wasn’t the triumphal end of a war. It was the end of a war’s iniquitous symbol. The war on ever-splintering terrorist networks continues, and at least in the short term, there will be some sort of retaliatory attack(s). But it was the price to be paid to take out bin Laden, who — it should be underscored again — needed taking out in the worst way. Plus, this daring, well-honed operation yielded a cache of hard drives and DVDs that could prove valuable against al-Qaida. Possibly more valuable than the death, per se, of bin Laden.
“This is a time to rejoice,” crowed The Dallas Morning News. I really can’t go there.
Of all people, I think Tampa resident and former Buccaneer quarterback Vinny Testaverde had it about right. Testaverde, a New York native, was playing for the Jets when 9/11 occurred. He was instrumental in lobbying the NFL to postpone its games the next weekend.
“What’s happened the last 24 hours has brought a lot of people satisfaction,” said Testaverde. “But it doesn’t make me happy that he’s dead. Satisfied? Yes. But I’d be happy if 9/11 had never happened. …”
But I’ll give the final words to Stephen Colbert, whose parody prism doesn’t preclude the truth. Acknowledged Colbert: “I hope I am never again this happy over someone’s death.”