On May 2nd 2011, we all heard that Osama Bin Laden was killed in a raid by the US Special Forces ( Navy SEALS).
Some were happy, some were not.
I did not know what to feel.
The death of Osama does not mean the end of terrorism.
Besides as General Shepard said in Modern Warfare 2 :-
But you bring down one enemy and they find someone even worse to replace him.
I only knew about Osama after the 9/11 attacks but was surprised to learn that the CIA has been hunting him down since the 1990's.
He was allegedly the mastermind behind the :-
1) bombing of the Gold Mihor Hotel in Aden
2) Luxor massacre of November 17, 1997
3) 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings
4) USS Cole bombing
We all know him as the bad guy but he was once a "good" guy.
During the Soviet War in Afghanistan, Osama joined the Mujahideen in Afghanistan and received Financial Aid and Weapons from the United States from 1979 to 1989.
Again General Shepard was right :-
Yesterday's enemies are today’s recruits. Train them to fight alongside you and pray they don’t eventually decide to hate you for it, too."
There are many types of terrorist out there.
There is this saying, " One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter"
Is Osama a freedom fighter ?
From one point of view he is. He is motivated by a belief that U.S. foreign policy has oppressed, killed, or otherwise harmed Muslims in the Middle East.
He himself said :- "They hate us for what we do, not who we are."
Does this make him noble and rightful ?
Some say yes .
But I say NO. The use of VIOLENCE to accomplish his mission is NOT the way.
He has made matters worse, NOW everyone in the Western world label all Muslims as terrorist.
Hate crimes against Muslims have accelerated after the 9/11 attacks in Western countries all over the world.
Osama's fight for all Muslims through acts of terrorism as resulted in many people viewing Islam as a religion which preaches violence.
However, this is not true as NO religion views the act of killing innocent people as something good
The cycle of violence just continues as people continue to fight.
US wages a War against Terrorism which just agitates the Muslim world even more.
People were parading the street in New York city when the news of the death of Osama was announced by President Barack Obama.
Al-Qaeda acknowledged his death on May 6, 2011, vowing to retaliate.
Ayman al-Zawahiri takes over the leadership of al-Qaeda.
Then recently,
Pakistan's Taliban, a close ally of al Qaeda, has threatened to carry out a series of attacks against American, British and French targets to avenge the death of Osama bin Laden.
"Soon you will see attacks against America and NATO countries, and our first priorities in Europe will be France and Britain," said deputy Pakistani Taliban leader Wali-ur-Rehman.
Will it ever end ?
"Someone's killed for killing another, and then that guy is killed for killing him... how is that kind of twisted thinking ever gonna bring us peace?!"
Cagalli Yula Atha, Gundam Seed
Do we have to continue the fight ?
Are we not tired of fighting ?
Is fighting our only option ?
Mahatma Gandhi said ,“Nonviolence is a weapon of the strong”.
If we are the STRONG, let's use it.
Gandhi also said , “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”
Forgiveness is the key isn't it ?
I am not a Christian but.......
I like a phrase in the Bible which goes like this :-
Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
I believe that God never asked anyone to kill in HIS name.
Any religion which says God asked to kill in HIS name, is not a religion at all, it is a CULT.
God's path is that of peace and love not violence and God has no religion.
P.S-
Peace for all. Let God do the rest.
If you do not believe in God, chill !
The FORCE will balance out the imbalance eventually.
