Fuck you, it's another Osama thread.

[tyrannosaurus vex]

Well, it's now 24 hours since the Big News, and all the usual suspects have chimed in. Everything from "We finally won the war!" to "Shut up, this doesn't mean anything" has been heard round the world, a few times over. The speed of news like this is only surpassed by the saturation levels achieved by all the meaningless commentary after the fact. So in the spirit of "one good turn deserves another," here's more on the subject.

As the educated, mature, and rational among us are quick to point out that Osama bin Laden's death amounts to no more than a "symbolic" victory; that now, ten years after the attacks of 9/11, bin Laden was no more than a figurehead -- a functionally irrelevant person more important to America's ideas about terrorism, than to the operations of the various terrorist networks floating around like pond scum. They are right, of course. There are only a few things Osama still meant to anyone, and most of them were definitions given to him by us. There is some talk of his unique position as a fundraiser for Al Qaeda, but that's tenuous and it's about the best you're going to find in the way of "killing Osama makes a real difference."

But, lest these over-thinking blowhards carry the day (and all your jubilation away with it), let me remind you of a few things.

First of all, "symbolic victory" is more important than you might think. America is sliding fast down a greased slope toward a pit of historical anonymity. You can feel it in your bones, if you just admit it. The Empire's days are numbered. And while that's to be expected, and in many ways it may be deserved, it's also sad. And, if you admit it, you know that, too. News like this is rare these days, and you shouldn't let some asshole with a Ph.D. take it away from you, just because he or she knows more than you do. Bullshit. You know what I know?

I know that this...


was as evil an act as has ever been perpetrated against innocent people. And you can climb on the Post-American bandwagon all you want and talk about how America deserved it -- and maybe you're right, maybe we as a collective summoned this -- but it doesn't change the fact that these people didn't deserve it. It's only from the precipice of some imaginary moral high ground where it's nothing but hindsight in all directions, that one could say nearly 3,000 people lost their lives in an instant to an angry shift of fate they brought on themselves. But not from where I stand, where every last one of us dogs is as guilty as the rest.

I'm not a Republican shill, and I'm not a Democrat shill. I only wish there was a political party where I might fit in. I don't always Support the Troops™, and I'm as anti-Empire as the next guy. But at this moment, even if it means "nothing" logistically, emotionally I can say I feel better. Even if this is a "hollow, symbolic" victory, I can say fuck you, it's a victory of some kind. And it feels good. Not because I think America is now going to turn the tide of history against the forces of ignorant extremism, but because one asshole who deserved it, is dead. And I invite you to bask in the radiant glow of Justice, even when it's at the hands of a Government you know has you somewhere on its list, too. Don't let the Realists talk you out of enjoying it while you can.

Because in a century like this, you're gonna need to remember what Justice feels like.

[Jasper]

Aside from this being a great rant, I think you make a good point.  Symbolic victory =/= Pyrrhic victory.

(well, it's not the whole story, at any rate)

[The Good Reverend Roger]

BOO YAH

[Cain]

So Osama's death is a good thing because it is a symbolic victory which will....what, exactly?  Lead Americans to continuing support for the unspoken but blatantly obvious policy of jamming one's dick repeatedly into the hornet nest of Central Asian and Middle East radical politics?  Yeah, that seems sound.

Oh boo fucking hoo.  I'm an asshole for ruining the moment with my facts and reasoned conclusions.  Why cant I just STFU and enjoy the moment without actually thinking about the consequences and reality of the situation.  Right?

[LMNO]

Wrong.  I agree with you.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

But, lest these over-thinking blowhards carry the day (and all your jubilation away with it), let me remind you of a few things.

I had totally missed this line.

"BOO YAH" retracted.  What the fuck, Vex? 

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I think we should appreciate it, purely in that it may be the first time that the US has used its military toward something just since Korea, and it may be the last in our lifetimes.

Frankly, I get more substance from the "over-thinking blowhards" than from the "RAH RAH GO AMURRIKA" crowd.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

The main sense of relief that I have that Bin Laden is dead is that it removes from the US one very convenient excuse they used to invade any country they felt like invading for political and financial gain.

[Dysfunctional Cunt]

I think we should appreciate it, purely in that it may be the first time that the US has used its military toward something just since Korea, and it may be the last in our lifetimes.

Frankly, I get more substance from the "over-thinking blowhards" than from the "RAH RAH GO AMURRIKA" crowd.

THIS!!!!

The main sense of relief that I have that Bin Laden is dead is that it removes from the US one very convenient excuse they used to invade any country they felt like invading for political and financial gain.

Eh, they're still going to do that.  They'll just make up a new excuse for the next time....

[AFK]

I'll admit that I've been rather self-absorbed the past few days and the whole Obama getting Osama thing has been a bit off of my radar screen.  That said, I think there is something to be said about what will likely prove to be a fairly brief point of unity among a good portion of the American public.  Practically, of course terrorism will continue.  This isn't some magical Return of the Jedi moment, where we are finally rid of the bad evil emperor and everything is going to be kum-ba-ya and rainbow-shitting unicorns going forward. 

And if nothing else, it finally gets us off of the dumb news cycle we've been stuck in for the past couple of weeks involving Donald Trump.  He shouldn't have been on the agenda to begin with because he is a clown and a joke.  If it can be a catalyst to get Americans to start thinking about serious stuff again, then it will prove to be helpful and beneficial at least on that level. 

But at the very least, the scumbag was long overdue to have a couple of slugs pumped into his head.  Good riddance to worthless human rubbish. 

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Meh. I think this "unity" is most likely to result in increased acts of domestic terrorism by "patriots" toward marginalized religious and racial groups.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Meh. I think this "unity" is most likely to result in increased acts of domestic terrorism by "patriots" toward marginalized religious and racial groups.

Of course.  It's already started in Maine.

[LMNO]

I think I've already noted that when I started hearing the chanting of "USA! USA!", I got this sinking feeling in my stomach.

Sometimes, I hate being right.

[Adios]

Meh. I think this "unity" is most likely to result in increased acts of domestic terrorism by "patriots" toward marginalized religious and racial groups.

Naturally. It's the "in" thing to do nowadays.

[Suu]

This isn't some magical Return of the Jedi moment, where we are finally rid of the bad evil emperor and everything is going to be kum-ba-ya and rainbow-shitting unicorns going forward. 

Fact: Killing Palpatine and destroying Death Star II made shit WORSE. It was only a turning point, not a victory. Ya'll better hope that Bin Laden doesn't have an Admiral Thrawn or Ysanne Isard.

-Suu
SRSLY.