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He was as good as dead for a long time now anyway. It's not like he was personally managing and planning all of alqaeda's operations or anything. The significan
by hasenj 16y ago
He was as good as dead for a long time now anyway. It's not like he was personally managing and planning all of alqaeda's operations or anything. The significance of this event is mostly symbolic.
Look at Iraq: alqaeda's influence in Iraq wasn't destroyed by the death of Zarqawi; it was destroyed when the locals stood up and took arms against them.
- MatthewPhillips 16y agoSymbolism can be important. Especially when at the same time this happens, a wave of democratic revolution is sweeping the very region this man was said to "represent".
- trebor 16y agoAnd yet, if that symbolism is twisted to martyrdom it makes democratizing the Middle East infinitely more difficult. I sincerely hope the US government hasn't created a martyr, and that they do have documented proof this was Osama Bin Laden (in case his death is denied). Part of me is still awaiting the extremist's response to all this. I don't rejoice over his, or anyone's, death.
- hasenj 16y agoI don't see this event contributing positively to the revolutions in the Arab world. Some segments of society will surely hail him as a martyr and this is sure to deepen some divisions and could (theoretically anyway) undermine some of these revolutions. This is a time where people need to unite and forget about what makes them different. I don't see this event helping this cause in any way. Rather it has the potential to do the opposite. But I'm somewhat optimistic that hopefully it won't be anything severe.