The course of events that led up to the death and alleged burial at sea of Osama bin Laden were strictly strategic in nature. There was no moral analysis that went into the planning of those events. Moral considerations were a luxury the US did not have in regard to the execution of justice for bin Laden's alleged crimes.
If bin Laden had been taken alive his physical location would become the focus of the world. His supporters would spare no expense, including acts of treachery, to exact his release. Westerners everywhere would be in danger of kidnap, torture and execution and/or mass terror attacks as bin Laden's supporters attempted to free him. He would not be safe from his captors, as many soldiers and other officials would bear tremendous hatred for what he represented. There is no guarantee that lynch mob justice would not be carried out, with the potential for enraging bin Laden's supporters even more.
If he had been killed and then his body turned over to his family or even to a neutral entity to dispose of as dictated by his religion, the site of his burial would become a symbolic location subject to further turmoil and would act as a rallying point for those who support the ideals of Al-Qaeda.
The quick execution and disposal were the only strategic options available. Presumably there is incontrovertible evidence that bin Laden is dead. Of course without the evidence the act as carried out serves little strategic importance as well. With no proof then bin Laden could still live as an ideological spectre indefinitely.
While the deeds that occurred could be construed as immoral or even criminal, to pursue and finally capture bin Laden there was only one course of action, to take him completely out of the equation. Any other path would have led to greater harm than good.
Of course the effects of killing him are yet to be seen. Only history will grant us the full picture of how the events of May 2, 2011 have affected the world.
My big question is: Why now? Bush dropped the ball. Obama carried through to the goal. Bush seemed to have as great a motivation for snagging the prize of a dead bin Laden, maybe even more so, as Obama. Why didn't W diligently pursue the enemy? Why did it take nearly ten years after 9/11 to finally catch bin Laden?
Cynics could point to the recent controversy over Obama's birth certificate, his falling ratings in the polls, or any number of less than admirable reasons for the timing.
Bin Laden's execution could be a very subtle message directed at Gaddhafi or other enemies of the West.
Obama may have just desired to clean house a bit, tie up an important loose end. I have doubts that it was only recently that we finally had enough intelligence to pinpoint bin Laden's true location. I just don't believe we wanted to catch him until now. There is a purpose behind the timing and the finality of the endgame of Osama bin Laden.
Hopefully we will look back with hindsight in years ahead and see that Osama bin Laden passed relatively quietly from life on this earth to meet his Maker. Hopefully we don't look back in a few days or weeks or months and look at a spree of death and destruction as evidence that Al-Qaeda still has vigor and purpose to apply to revenge.
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