[AtLast]

[QUOTE=Nat;331674]I think this is complex. I've been listening to Al-Jazeera and Npr this morning, and I've also been reading different friends' from different circles reactions.

My understanding is that many Pakistanis feel their sovereignty has been violated. Also, possibly that the command was to kill him rather than to capture OR kill. There is the hope that since he was found in a city rather than in the hills between Afghanistan and Pakistan, that maybe there can be negotiation for the drone strikes to stop now.

A Marine stationed in Afghanistan was interviewed on NPR and he stated the general mood where he was stationed was mixed relief along with the knowledge that they have at least 6 more months to go. They have not been celebrating but have been cautiously discussing the event with Afghanis, and he said the people in the area where he is have said it's good bin Laden is dead.

There is a story that bin Laden's wife threw herself in front of him and shielded him with her body - and that she was killed too - and there was a mention of how that sort of story is likely to be seen as heroic.

The fact he was buried at sea has also been discussed. Many Americans are talking about conspiracy theories or at least distrust regarding the information given. One of the interviewees on Al Jazeera said it was probably done because it was practical. That if they had buried him, his burial place could have become a shrine and that it would have been inappropriate to bring him back to the US. I suppose I like the sea burial better than having pictures of his dead and mangled body on the front cover of newspapers and on tv (like they did with Saddam's sons under Bush), but to me it seems very weird to dump his body at sea before anybody starts asking hard questions. I do hope all this means that things can become more peaceful and that the world can stop being so us-against-them for a while. (no matter which us and which them).

A girl I've know since elementary school now lives in Turkey. This was her reaction last night: A decade and a pan-Middle East genocide later, he's dead. The MOST conservative estimates put the number of civilian deaths across Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq at around 300,000. So, please excuse me if I don't join in on the jubilation.
I think it's important to remember that although bin laden was (as I see it) a villain, al qaeda's success in radicalizing young Muslims has been fed a great deal by what has been perceived as injustice toward Muslims as well.[/QUOTE]


I hear you and I hear the shame of Muslims (quite a few people from the middle east live around me) around me that do not and have not viewed him as a true Muslim for many years. How he was buried matters not to them. He was not recognized as religious. Talk to people that have had young people in their families fall prey to what Bin Laden and his followers have been doing for years worldwide. There are far more Muslim deaths under his belt.

I don't personally like the idea of defaming anyone's faith or burial customs, but, there are many people worldwide (as well as US folks after 9/11) that have never had any remains to apply their traditions and customs to!

I am not feeling jubilant about this- I still feel rather numb. But, I am a bit embarrassed by some of the conspiracy theories floating around. The facts are not out yet and there will be mountains of research done from every perspective. Yet, many jump to conclusions long before the facts are out. Many of which never engage in anything other than complaining.

Sometimes I really wish that youth in the US had to do at least a year of some kind of foreign service before entering college or a trade school. Not necessarily military- Peace Corp, vista, red cross, any number of organizations. There should be a system to support all to be able to do this as many do work early to help support their family (but not in our middle class). Go see the world and how other people really live and experience other forms of government. Then, criticize the US with some knowledge outside of your own little world. I can’t relate how many times I hear how spoiled and self-centered kids are in the eyes of middle eastern immigrant families I know. How disrespectful and aimless these people think our kids are. Sometimes, I have to agree.

I have issues with our governmental actions. I certainly have many about our standing with Muslim nations. Yet, to be honest, I see our educational system failing our kids in world affairs and international understanding as well as science and technology. I see far too many kids here without any sense of family honor being instilled in them or responsibility. Maybe it is my age and ethnic background, but how can we build better relations internationally when most of our kids haven’t knowledge of world history or even US history? Let alone an understanding of world religions and cultural differences. And at home, what do we model? “Oh, don’t worry, if you mess up, Mom & Dad will fix it. You don’t need to take responsibility for your actions, let everyone else pay for your mistakes.”

There may very well be some suspicious situations in this. But, I would like to see the varied accounts and the back up sources before making any judgments.