Osama Gets Lazy, Obama Gets Busy

I think the term “surreal” is over used and used incorrectly sometimes, but that is the only way I can describe my morning. I woke up to the alarm set like any normal day to wake my kids up for school. I rolled over to my phone and checked the Facebook updates and subscribed updates that I missed in the night. This is my routine – I look through blurry eyes every morning and read funny and interesting things to wake myself up gently and get a heads up on the day. The first entry I read was, “Osama Bin Laden Dead!” 

Waking Up to One Less Bad Guy in the World

I was immediately confused and I knew it was a joke. There has been so much going on lately here in America surrounding President Obama, the birth certificate, the negativity, the Trump bashing at the Correspondent's dinner this weekend – I just knew this Bin Laden news was some twisted ruse. But then as I became more conscious I thought, “What if???!” I couldn't get online fast enough. I can literally get to Facebook with my eyes closed, but I couldn't read any of the tiny text! It seemed like it took forever to get my eyelids peeled up. When I was finally able to see, I discovered post after post of the news of Bin Laden's demise. 

WOW. Goosebumps, adrenalin, tears, and some other stuff that went through me like a tidal wave. It was the oddest reaction to anything I've ever experienced. To feel such happiness over the death of another human being is certainly a conflict for me. “Emotional gumbo” is the best way I can describe the range of emotions as my mind went from disbelief to joy to pride for Obama and snarkiness directed toward his “haters” - and to 9/11 and everyone who died there, the survivors who have had to live without them, soldiers who gave their lives in search of the terrorist leader, and eventually thoughts of Al Queda's reaction to the act. 

By the time I stumbled out of bed and turned on the television just in time to see the crowd gathered at Ground Zero in New York City – I burst out into tears and I said out loud, “This is really happening.” 

The Operation

Months of surveillance, a remote location, kill orders, undetected helicopters, Navy Seals, and a double tap! I don't mean to make light of this serious situation or to glamorize it but that sounds pretty bad ass.

According to Senior White House officials, as reported by MSNBC, the “mansion” where the stand off took place had been under surveillance since last August. Although you might question its description as a “mansion”, it is certainly a far cry from being underground in caves as we had come to believe to be his whereabouts. Tucked away in an affluent neighborhood, the property stood out from the rest of the landscape and had many signs of being a hideaway for SOME body. Once it was confirmed who, the when and how followed. 

President Obama gave the approval and the Navy went to business. From what I have read, Bin Laden did resist, even using a woman as a shield. I hate to be cold, but that right there is the act of a desperate man. Did he think at this point we were going to not take the shot because one of his own people happened to be in the way? Really, as the details of this thing continue to unfold, I find myself questioning this whole “mastermind” moniker we gave him. I move we take it away. 

While predictable naysayers question pictures, dna, and burials at sea, a couple other things popped into my head. Like how could Bin Laden's camp not think that a newly built structure with no windows that had giant fences, burned its trash and had no phone or internet wires might appear at least a little suspicious? Also – if I understand it correctly that the operation lasted for 40 minutes, how did it go completely undetected by local officials? Apparently they scrambled once the the military intentionally blew up a chopper upon their departure, but it seems like someone would have noticed something. Admittedly, my lack of understanding of the area and too many movies are helping form these thoughts. I'm not at all questioning the operation or the details, here. I am simply surprised that some folks got that comfortable and sloppy. Doesn't seem very mastermindy at all. 

Obama in 2012

I really don't want to give Osama Bin Laden any more attention than I have to. It is the operation we are celebrating today and the prospect of closure for so many people. Things may get sketchy for a while in terms of retaliation, but we can finally look toward this group falling apart, and we're thankful for that today. And I can't help it but I am also celebrating my President today.

Bubbling up in the gumbo stew of emotions is a happy dance! President Obama has accomplished so much in his first term, yet there are people who refuse to recognize any of it. I guarantee there are Americans who actually heard the news and were disappointed that it happened on Obama's watch. People who would rather Bin Laden remained a threat, than have to give Obama credit for a job well done. Even so, it's hard to deny the truth in this case, even for the most stubborn sayers of nay. Coupled with putting the birth certificate drama to rest, this Bin Laden operation adds up to big victory for the POTUS. Add in a resulting economy about to take a boost from Wall Street going up and gas prices going down – I can't stop thinking about hard it is going to be to beat Obama in 2012.