For the past two days the news has been nothing but killing of Osama Bin Laden and details of how the operation was executed. Of course more details are coming in by the hours and bigger picture of what took place in that compound is becoming clearer.
Many Americans upon hearing of the news of Bin Laden’s death poured out to the streets to celebrate the news. Is it really necessary to celebrate this news? There is no question that Osama Bin Laden had brought death and misery to many people around the globe through his group called “Al Quada”. Also there is no question had he been captured alive and tried in many courts around the globe, he would have been found guilty with capital punishment for his crimes. But celebrating his death as if the war is over as it happened after end of World War II is self condemnation.
Osama Bin Laden was nothing but a rich boy coming from a very wealthy family. He had strict Islamic beliefs which contradicted with overwhelming majority of the Moslems throughout the world. He became involved in politics and military activities, when the old Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. He along with a few fellow countrymen went to Afghanistan to fight the Soviet troops. He was natured and trained by the US government to fight against the Soviet as the US herself did not want to directly confront the Soviets. That is when Al Quada was borne. Bin Laden along with the Taliban who were group of Islamic fanatics fought the Soviets while receiving continual covert operation and military training as well as financial supports from the West, in particular the United States.
What the west should do is to support the local governments which these religious fanatics are trying to over throw.
It was during the Carter administration when the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. At that time, Zbigniew Brzezinski was the United States National Security Advisor to President Jimmy Carter. He was under the belief that the best way to control and fight Soviet Union forces was through religion, in particular Islam and by having Islamic nations surrounding the Soviet Union, it would stop the Soviet’s. This became known as the “Green Belt”, as green being color of Islam.
That doctrine was promoted and as the result the Taliban forces along with Osama Bin Laden kept receiving supports. This doctrine was also one of the reasons that the Shah of Iran was toppled. The belief was Ayatollah Khomeini would be anti-communist who do not believe in God or any religion and would prevent any Soviet’s influence in the region. Of course Ayatollah Khomeini came to power, killed off all the known communists who helped him to gain power and then turned against the US.
When Ronald Reagan defeated Jimmy Carter, he pursued this doctrine more feverishly and given that President Reagan was truly anti-communist and he increased the support for Taliban and Osama Bin Laden many folds. In one instance President Reagan compared the Abu Mullah Omar and Osama Bin Laden to the Founding Fathers of the US. That is how much these groups were being supported by the USA.
History is full of cases where the US supported individuals who end up becoming dictators, tyrants and in some cases turning against the US. Taliban, Bin Laden, Saddam, Noriega, Mubarak, Saudi family, Marcus, the Shah, Khomeini and much more examples.
Thousands have died because of Bin Laden’s operations, but what is more tragic is that the US government under President George W. Bush administration increased the Bin Laden’s stature by many thousands folds by declaring war on terror and using all of the US sources in fighting with Bin Laden.
Bin Laden was trained and supported by the US government while fighting the Soviets. When the Soviets withdrew from Afghanistan in defeat, rather than the US government to gradually and politically dismantle these fanatic groups, but instead left them alone and allowed them to reign free throughout Afghanistan to cease power and impose barbaric laws which allegedly was in strict interpretation of Islam.
Bin Laden became dismayed when the US government refused to leave the Saudi Arabia’s soil after completion of freeing Kuwait from Saddam forces. Bin Laden was outraged that the infidels remain in the holy land and then took arms against the US. He saw the US government like another Soviet Union and the terrorist operations started. First by blowing up the US embassies, then attacking USS Cole and finally the tragedy of September 11.
Thousands have died because of Bin Laden’s operations, but what is more tragic is that the US government under President George W. Bush administration increased the Bin Laden’s stature by many thousands folds by declaring war on terror and using all of the US sources in fighting with Bin Laden. The importance that the US government gave to Bin Laden and his group, was beyond Bin Laden’s imagination. He suddenly became a household name. Many laws and rules were enacted which impacted the American lives. Bin Laden impacted the US economy and way of life.
These steps were giant mistakes. Bin Laden should have never been given the level of attention that was given to him. He was not head of any states, he did not have any troops, nor any noticeable armed groups. The total number of Al Quada’s membership has never been estimated more than a few hundred.
From day one US should have conducted a commando with surgical precision operation to capture Bin Laden and his operatives along with Abu Mullah Omar, leader of Taliban.
Bin Laden should have been treated as a criminal and to be pursued by the law enforcement and not by the might of the US armed forces. Invading three countries (Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq) in the name of fighting with Bin Laden’s group and losing thousands of American lives along with thousands of allied forces lives and untold number of Iraqi, Pakistani, and Afghani lives just to go after Bin Laden and his group was over kill by any definition.
From day one US should have conducted a commando with surgical precision operation to capture Bin Laden and his operatives along with Abu Mullah Omar, leader of Taliban. After almost ten years of military operations and spending over a trillion dollar it ended up to be just that, a surgical operation to defeat Bin Laden.
US helped to create a monster and US had to bring the monster down. What a waste of ten years of resources and loss of so many precious lives?!
Now that Bin Laden is gone, what is next? Is the terrorism over? Not really. Al Quada has a line of succession and the number two man, Dr. Jawaheri, is still alive and free and may now become the leader. Furthermore, there may be operations to avenge Bin Laden’s death. The world needs to be vigilant at least for the near future.
What was the exact relationship between Pakistan and US in this operation? Did US inform Pakistani government of the operation before hand?
What is clear is that the Pakistani government’s role has been very disappointing. The fact that the compound in which Bin Laden was residing was not too far away from the elite military base which is compared to the West Point it astonishing. How could the Pakistani military not know what was going in that compound with unusually tall walls around the compound? What kind of intelligence operation does Pakistan run that failed to find Bin Laden who was living very close to the military base? What was the exact relationship between Pakistan and US in this operation? Did US inform Pakistani government of the operation before hand? If so, then lack of Pakistani’s involvement in this operation might be to prevent revenge against Pakistan by Al Quada.
If US did not notify Pakistani government of this operation before hand, then how come the Pakistani security forces could not detect the US helicopters entering Pakistan’s territory and conducting this operation?
If Pakistan did not know of Bin Laden’s presence in that compound nor about the US operation in advance, then there are serious flaws in their security operation which should make every one alarmed with their lack of competency.
If Pakistani government knew of Bin Laden’s presence in that compound, but did not know of the US operation in advance, then US should be much concerned with sincerity of the Pakistani government being a true ally of the US.
These questions are important to get answers to, because Pakistan has many nuclear bombs which make it much more dangerous for the entire world if Pakistan fails to have effective security and intelligence system to detect and prevent any terrorist operations which may jeopardize the security of these bombs. The US government may need to re-examine her relationship with Pakistan. Also, now that Bin Laden is gone and it is a well known fact that the Al Quada is not located in Afghanistan, then the US should re-examine her reasons for being in Afghanistan and should plan to withdraw from Afghanistan sooner than was planned before.
