Death, Be Not Proud: Osama The Caveman?

by Ferzana Versey
Cross Connections
May 2, 2011

We cannot say it was only a matter of time. We can say it is good timing. Barack Obama makes an announcement about the US killing Osama bin Laden, but there is not a word from him about NATO forces murdering the Libyan leader’s youngest son and grandchildren even as there were rumours that Muammar Gaddafi may join the al Qaeda, as though he is some ordinary recruit looking to use his skills.

The US forces have been in Pakistan and Afghanistan for a long time now, so what happened on Sunday, May 1, that finally brought the strapping “most wanted terrorist” in the line of fire, not in some hideout but in Abbotabad, not far from Pakistan’s capital Islamabad? If he was in that country for a long time, what prevented any “targeted operation” earlier? They had got leads since August. Al Jazeera states that the intelligence authorities traced him through his couriers. Osama bin Laden had been openly using identifiable couriers to connect with his team? Are we to believe that a man who has eluded every attempt to be caught for over ten years, even after sending videotapes of himself, left himself open to such assault? Since none of the “small team of Americans” died, it was obviously not a bloody skirmish.

Read the rest here.

Comment: The manner in which the US says it disposed of the body raises many questions.  Islam does require that the body be buried before the lapse of a 24 hour period.  Islam, however, mandates that a body be buried in a grave of soil and facing Qibla (Mecca).

Muslims across the board do not bury at sea.  So I am wondering who advised the mighty US and what exactly was buried and how and by whom?

Versey raises important questions about the timing of this killing.  It is all so convenient for Obama and the crumbling empire.

In this context it is even funny to see the unemployed masses dancing in the streets.  It is all misplaced nationalism.

The US was hated before Osama and it will be hated after Osama (Obama too).  And it is so because of its historically undemocratic and downright evil role in global affairs.

If the US wants to survive and to redeem itself it has to look deep.  Sadly, its built-in arrogance will not allow for such stock-taking.

Onward!