By Stuart Crawford
The world woke up yesterday to the news that Osama bin Laden, spiritual leader of al-Qaeda and presumed architect of some of the most audacious, meticulously planned and awful terrorist outrages of the last two decades, was dead. Apparently this disaffected son of a Saudi millionaire family – America’s most wanted and successful enemy – was killed by US special forces at his hideaway in Pakistan.
The news immediately gave rise to two emotions. The first was relief that one of the world’s baddies had now been put where he could inflict no more destruction and harm on innocent folk – and that, to some extent, justice had prevailed.
The second emotion, on seeing the crowds of young Americans shouting “USA! USA!” in triumph in Washington and New York, was one of extreme disappointment that the death of any human being, no matter how wicked, could prompt such joyful celebration. Satisfaction perhaps, contentment at closure possibly – but triumph, no. It’s as if they were actively inviting the retaliatory attacks which are bound to materialise.
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Wiser heads are already questioning the decision to eliminate bin Laden in this fashion. Arguably, the Americans have now successfully enshrined his memory for far longer than would have been the case had he been arrested and put on trial or died of old age. After all, do not all jihadis seek martyrdom, and have they not just handed their most feared enemy the greatest martyrdom of all? Of course he would have been a rallying cause for all jihadis had he been captured, put on trial, and incarcerated. But as a martyr he will be a rallying cause anyway, and maybe more so. And the world – including the families of his victims – has been cheated of the opportunity to see due process of justice being carried out. That, perhaps, would have brought true closure. It is interesting just how muted some of the responses to bin Laden's demise have been from victims’ family members. The reported rapid disposal of bin Laden’s body by burial at sea is unsatisfactory. Notwithstanding its purported compliance with Islamic custom, it carries the whiff of the underhand and cover-up. I think I know why the Americans chose to do it that way, and I’m absolutely sure they are convinced they have the right man, but others will not be so sure. Without a trial, and without a body, there will be many who simply will not believe that he is dead, and why should they? No doubt we are in for a raft of Osama sightings all round the globe, à la Elvis. If I were the Americans, I would be looking to publish incontrovertible evidence of his death pretty damned quick. The point being, of course, that the Americans can be satisfied they have got their man, but if significant parts of the global population don’t believe them they may as well not have bothered. What leaves a slightly bad taste in the mouth is not that an undoubted baddy has got his ultimate comeuppance. Personally, I am content that bin Laden will no longer be a threat to innocents, and it’s just a pity that he wasn’t removed from the scene much earlier. But the whole episode has elements of the lynch mob, of a spiteful revenge which is tainted by the more basic and unattractive human instincts. It doesn’t need me to point out that lynch mobs have a certain resonance in American history, and is it not that long ago that the antecedents of the very man who sent in the lynch mob to get bin Laden were themselves suffering the very same treatment at the hands of men in white robes. Special forces as judge, jury and executioners just don’t cut it for me, I’m afraid. The paradox is, of course, that by killing their avowed number one individual enemy, the US may have made its enemies stronger. Beneath the expressions of joy, there have been many fears of retaliation – and retaliation there will undoubtedly be. What that might be, where it might be, and what it might entail is in the hands of the jihadists, but it will only be a matter of time and its manifestations are likely to be truly awful. The high-fives and the bottles of Bud may gladden hearts for a day or two, but the creeping fear of the response will last for years, if not decades. So forgive me if I don’t join the celebrations. We are all safer without bin Laden, but less safe because of the manner in which it was achieved. And for America, with the long-running sore of Guantánamo still gnawing at its innards, the long climb uphill to regain the moral high ground in its “war against terror” has just got a bit steeper.Want to discuss other issues? Join the debate on our new Scottish Voices forum
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