Who gives a damn what they think of us? Osama bin Laden death edition

Maureen Dowd (via Hub Blog) is exactly right on the end results of Osama bin Laden being killed by United States Navy Seals, under the direction of President Barack Obama. 

What says even more about OBL's death is that there's not only evil still in the world, but cowardice by hand-wringers and the tut-tutters are decrying this as "an unjustified killing." That OBL was in a wealthy suburb south of Islamabad, is a huge clue to OBL's own ego - he loved being a PR man as much as Public Enemy #1.  Those who protected OBL - the wealthy, the government of Pakistan, NGOs with their own twisted versions of utopia - are equally guilty of giving OBL a haven, as he was likely their meal ticket to perpetuate and justify their own myths, to raise funds, or to simply be one of his propaganda points.   Bringing OBL to trial, rather being buried undersea, would have generated far more publicity and fervor for him and his group than to satisfy the blatant ignorance of those who think celebrations are barbaric and medieval.

In fact, maybe this hue and cry is the upper classes of our world chagrined that the lower and middle classes took out one of their fellow travelers - an evil, bloodthirsty thug who ruled with an iron fist, just like the aristocrats of the past did.  They dream of a day where they can rule without question, can execute people for even the slightest bit of disagreement, and take everything they can from those who are too weak to resist.

The myth of Che Guevara as the hero to the oppressed was smashed to bits once it was discovered he was a bloodythirsty murderer of epic proportions as he murdered anyone who got in his way.   Like Osama bin Laden, he came from an aristocratic, upper-class background; he too was executed when he was caught.

We're going to celebrate the death of evil to the end of days - whether it's the arrogant politician who was arrested and jailed for lining his own pockets, the killer who gets hundreds of consecutive life terms plus a few more 99 year terms for good measure, the dictator who draws his last painful breath in his bed from cancer, the foaming-at-the-mouth agitator who gets caught with their pants down on something trivial, or the rogue banker who made the wrong bet and caused an economy to collapse.

A lot of countries praised the USA, but some said "We're glad OBL's gone, but terror still exists."  That caution is completely acceptable, and is more out of wisdom than of fear. Celebrating and shouting "USA!" is also a catharsis of the horrors of September 11, not a sign of jingoism.  And celebrate we should, until we're too hoarse to shout and too tired to lift our arms.  Once the celebrations are through, it's a sign to move forward.