The quote forming the title of my blog today is a typical phrase from the famous "24" movie series with CTU and Federal Agent, Jack Bauer as the lead actor. The events of the last one week following the killing of the world's most wanted terrorist, Osama bin Ladin has been totally sensational. The tracking of the terror warrior to his hide-out deep inside the territory of Pakistan and right under the nose of the Pakistani military is more dramatic. The special squad of the US Navy Seals flying under Pakistani radar and invading the massive mansion where bin Ladin was holed up for over five years is a military operation only conceivable by the aggressive search of the United States.
Yes, Osama bin Ladin is dead. President Barack Obama did not just announce this to the world, the family of the slain fundamentalist has confirmed that to the Pakistani officials who have been interrogating them. It is a sorry end for a 10 year search for a run-away fugitive from justice.
I am also not very surprised by the way some people in the Islamic world have reacted to his death. I have heard some of them say that his death was a continuation of the United States' further harassment of Muslims in the world. Some even questioned the mode by which Bin Ladin was buried after US authorities announced that he was buried at sea.
I am not completely a fan of the United States in terms of social justice as it applies to everyone on earth. As a matter of fact, I have realized that the US do not have the same rule for everyone on the planet. Like someone once said, the US does not have permanent friends or enemies but only permanent interests. If only we can understand that this super-power nation operates on the basis of its permanent interests, then it should not be too difficult to rationalize the reason why it would support the invasion of Libya with other allies using the UN's passing of the "No Fly Zone" and almost totally ignore Ivory Coast where thousands had been killed months before and violence was still going on as two Presidents battled for the life of the nation! The interest here is the oil.
So we can safely say that for the US, "no oil, no intervention". As understandable as that is and arguably not acceptable as this is as a system for relating with the rest of the world, we cannot close our eyes to the fact that the same US has served as a protective covering for weak nations who have been threatened and continue to be threatened by stronger nations. It is the reason why it cannot turn its eyes away from Iran's desire to arm itself with nuclear weapons. The last time the late Saddam experimented with some chemicals in the 1980s, thousands were murdered in Kurdish Iraq raising questions about the use of nuclear weapons against innocent people by rogue leaders.
Fundamentalist Islamists who claim to represent the interests of the Islamic world have risen in the past and continue to rise today in defence of Islam by murdering innocent non-muslims around the world. The late Osama Bin Ladin was an arrow-head of such movement with his Al-Qeada terrorist organization. In his life-time, he brutally murdered thousands of life and the high point of such acts of terrorism was the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States during which over 3,000 people died in a single day. How can one rationalize this with the claim that they are fighting for God? Can God not rise to His own Defence? Who really can stand Him in battle? Many well-meaning Muslims have also denounced Osama Bin Ladin's methods of advocacy and have stated that the man is giving Islam a bad name.
After all is said and done, we must all realize that no fundamental religious stand is strong enough to take the life of a human being made in the image of God. Anyone, group of persons who continue to propagate this kind of warfare is anti-God and must face the full wrath of the law. Incidentally, many people will be shocked when they face God on judgement day when He denies ever asking anyone to kill for His sake.
It is time for reaosn to prevail and those who are leaders in the religious circles around the world must properly educate their followers that they have no right to kill anyone for their faith. Every human being is free to practise his or her religious beliefs and this should not be a subject of attack by those who feel otherwise. Hey people! Learn to mind your business!
"Mr. President, this is Jack Bauer embedded with the US Navy Seals, the target is down! I repeat, Osama Bin Ladin is down! We have is body in Custody.. its been an honour, Mr. President".
Yes, Osama bin Ladin is dead. President Barack Obama did not just announce this to the world, the family of the slain fundamentalist has confirmed that to the Pakistani officials who have been interrogating them. It is a sorry end for a 10 year search for a run-away fugitive from justice.
I am also not very surprised by the way some people in the Islamic world have reacted to his death. I have heard some of them say that his death was a continuation of the United States' further harassment of Muslims in the world. Some even questioned the mode by which Bin Ladin was buried after US authorities announced that he was buried at sea.
I am not completely a fan of the United States in terms of social justice as it applies to everyone on earth. As a matter of fact, I have realized that the US do not have the same rule for everyone on the planet. Like someone once said, the US does not have permanent friends or enemies but only permanent interests. If only we can understand that this super-power nation operates on the basis of its permanent interests, then it should not be too difficult to rationalize the reason why it would support the invasion of Libya with other allies using the UN's passing of the "No Fly Zone" and almost totally ignore Ivory Coast where thousands had been killed months before and violence was still going on as two Presidents battled for the life of the nation! The interest here is the oil.
So we can safely say that for the US, "no oil, no intervention". As understandable as that is and arguably not acceptable as this is as a system for relating with the rest of the world, we cannot close our eyes to the fact that the same US has served as a protective covering for weak nations who have been threatened and continue to be threatened by stronger nations. It is the reason why it cannot turn its eyes away from Iran's desire to arm itself with nuclear weapons. The last time the late Saddam experimented with some chemicals in the 1980s, thousands were murdered in Kurdish Iraq raising questions about the use of nuclear weapons against innocent people by rogue leaders.
Fundamentalist Islamists who claim to represent the interests of the Islamic world have risen in the past and continue to rise today in defence of Islam by murdering innocent non-muslims around the world. The late Osama Bin Ladin was an arrow-head of such movement with his Al-Qeada terrorist organization. In his life-time, he brutally murdered thousands of life and the high point of such acts of terrorism was the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States during which over 3,000 people died in a single day. How can one rationalize this with the claim that they are fighting for God? Can God not rise to His own Defence? Who really can stand Him in battle? Many well-meaning Muslims have also denounced Osama Bin Ladin's methods of advocacy and have stated that the man is giving Islam a bad name.
After all is said and done, we must all realize that no fundamental religious stand is strong enough to take the life of a human being made in the image of God. Anyone, group of persons who continue to propagate this kind of warfare is anti-God and must face the full wrath of the law. Incidentally, many people will be shocked when they face God on judgement day when He denies ever asking anyone to kill for His sake.
It is time for reaosn to prevail and those who are leaders in the religious circles around the world must properly educate their followers that they have no right to kill anyone for their faith. Every human being is free to practise his or her religious beliefs and this should not be a subject of attack by those who feel otherwise. Hey people! Learn to mind your business!
"Mr. President, this is Jack Bauer embedded with the US Navy Seals, the target is down! I repeat, Osama Bin Ladin is down! We have is body in Custody.. its been an honour, Mr. President".
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