Over in 40 minutes: history's biggest manhunt!

Dennie Quill, Columnist

One fewer terrorist on the face of the Earth! And he was no ordinary terrorist, but one who has been branded the greatest evildoer of modern times. What made Osama bin Laden the object of so much hatred around the world was his decision to turn on ordinary citizens travelling in aircraft or working in offices, or simply going about their everyday business. In his jihad on the West, he made ordinary people his targets.

Let's not forget that during the 9/11 attacks on American soil, nationals of 90 nations, including Jamaica, perished. But even before that he was the mastermind behind the 1998 bombings of two US embassies in Africa. The world as we once knew it was radically altered by Osama bi Laden. He started psychological warfare against the world. That's why from his ancestral home in Yemen to Honduras, people have been reacting to his death. Most have been celebrating, although his followers have called him a martyr and are promising revenge.

I have mixed feelings about celebrating death, but in this case I will make an exception. It is personal for me because every time I have to board an aircraft and have to take off my shoes or place cosmetic items in a Ziploc bag, I know exactly who to blame. What's more, one is never ever comfortable while on board an aeroplane because the passenger seated next to you could be a terrorist plotting to blow up the plane. And when one reflects on the horrors of 9/11, one has to conclude that justice has been served.

history in the making

So I can understand why this story has gained world attention. For me, more than anything else, I was simply fascinated by the four-year intelligence trail that led to bin Laden. The unfolding of history's biggest manhunt lasting some 10 years has gripped onlookers. From the way in which the CIA latched on to the courier who helped to unravel the mystery of Osama bin Laden's whereabouts, to surveillance of the three-storey house in a Pakistani suburb known as Abbottabad, to dry runs by a tactical team in a replica of the compound in Afghanistan and executed in a mere 40 minutes, is the stuff that is often created in the minds of filmmakers.

And all this time President Barack Obama did not let on. He didn't even allow himself a little indulgence after pinpointing the target, and during the time that he was being battered by his Republican foes. He showed that he is an able commander-in-chief and that he has what it takes to make tough decisions when necessary. Did I read that Rush Limbaugh was singing Obama's praises? Yes, Limbaugh, who has been one of Obama's harshest critics, was effusive in his praise of the president after reports of bin Laden's death. At least for a while, America is united again.

No one need mourn bin Laden's loss right now - he should be enjoying conjugal relations with his 72 eternal virgins. But is he?

Dennie Quill is a veteran media practitioner. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and denniequill@hotmail.com.