So Bin Laden is Dead, what now?

[zerobudgetgamer]

Best Case Scenario, Al Qaeda dissolves, and we can begin the slow, arduous task of lifting the Middle East out of their sand dunes and into the 21st Century and beyond.

Worst Case Scenario IMO, someone picks up the "shattered" remains and goes into hiding for a few years while they plan their next move. Sorry to sound corny, but where there is Light/Good there will always be Darkness/Evil. There will always be some opposition lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike, and it is only in the true absence of that opposition that our darkest hour will arise.

Absolute Worst Case Scenario, Pope Benedict rallies Al Qaeda and all of Catholicism into the Fourth Reich and continues his Fuhrer's great plan, not only starting World War III, but finally succeeding where Hitler failed.

 

[Torrasque]

He was still alive?
Oh... ok then.
Grats I suppose.
It'll be annoying to see all my favorite sources of lulz, filled with Osama-related stuff, but oh well.

 

[HyenaThePirate]

I won't be surprised if over the next few weeks we hear about "terrorist groups" and cells being dismantled and obliterated. I'm reasonably certain that the one thing we AREN'T being told is the tremendous amount of information we probably obtained while killing him. I mean, if that was where he was hiding, there was BOUND to be a computer, lists, names, documents, hard drives, something that gives us leads and clues to his organization... usable intel. I'm certain that Al Qaeda will probably try to mount some sort of retaliation, but ultimately the scales have tipped for now into the US's favor.

Also, who is going to step up into his role? Anyone who decides to become the "new leader" of his organizations is going to be measuring his life in days and months, not decades. They'll essentially be committing long term suicide, becoming a major target for elimination (or capture if we run out of bullets during the capture). On top of that, there is sure to be in-fighting as the few brave idiots who actually WANT to take his place start vying for dominance against each other.

I'm really wondering though if we ever had the opportunity to take him alive, or if those SEALS made the decision that dead was better on the spot.

 

[II2]

Hopefully this will bring a sense of closure to many people. Normally I'm not the sort to get celebratory (or particularity mournful) over unattached people's deaths, but I think we can all agree:

Osama Bin Laden was an asshole and the world is better with him at room temperature.

 

[Calbeck]

Yeah, can you wrote that thing down on the monument that you (American) build in place of the world trade center. Also, tell their family that those who perish was just collateral damage.

Okay. We did that with the Germans and Japanese, too. And a whole HELLUVA lot more of THEM died. Of course, we DID kind of have the Brits helping out with the German part of that (Dresden, "de-housing the industrial populace", etc).

I wonder if the insurgents give half a crap about the civilians they've killed --- which, according even to the Lancet report, is well in excess of TWICE what the Coalition has. Mainly because they were deliberately targeting civilians most of the time (my personal fave is the guy who hid a bomb in a cart of toys he wheeled onto a school playground).

 

[Akalistos]

Short term, probably not.
Long term, I think we may have just kicked a hornets nest...

Like making the guy a Martyr for them to rebuild the cause for example. Because, really, they needed a figure to follow in death now.

Question - from who? Whose gonna follow them now? Bin Ladens charisma was one of their last bankable resources.

Like nobody follow a guy with a nice smile to death or rage war in his name century after their demise. Yes, I'm taking about Jesus Christ and why, I just made a parallel with Christianity.

Can I have my cookie now?

The wars that happened a 1000 years (I think) maybe 700 with a guy who's life/death made the biggest religion known in the universe today. You're really comparing him to a guy in a cave with a copy of lying congressional style and the comprehension perk.

Can I borrow you're ability to see into the future? I need to know some lotto numbers.

What? You can see into the past to prove Jesus's(that's not right...Fuck, Jesuse's?... Whatever!) power? Can I borrow that Ability? Let's trade.

Seriously, a story will change with time, rewrite (and yes, there were rewrite in this case also) and oral tradition. Thing is, they all believe in what they do. Trust me, you don't strap a bomb on your chest when you're unsure. Also, the world is full of story like that. What you learn in school is deferent base on your location. People that wrote history book don't took a American one and translated it. What I said to @OutragiousEmu: still hold true. Japaneses learn in school that You started it and It was your fault for Pearl Harbor. Here, in Canada, We didn't learn that we sold Alaska first to the Russian... They skip it to you. I had a argument with a friend about it. He was right.

Point is, It doesn't matter what You think. What's matter Is who wrote that story and how they teach it to their follower. Surely, even you know that.

 

[2733]

this is a symbolic victory for the US, this will affect Al Qaeda deeply and retaliation is not a question of if but when. homeland security is buckling down and getting ready.

I wonder what will happen next?

 

[Akalistos]

Yeah, can you wrote that thing down on the monument that you (American) build in place of the world trade center. Also, tell their family that those who perish was just collateral damage.

Okay. We did that with the Germans and Japanese, too. And a whole HELLUVA lot more of THEM died. Of course, we DID kind of have the Brits helping out with the German part of that (Dresden, "de-housing the industrial populace", etc).

I wonder if the insurgents give half a crap about the civilians they've killed --- which, according even to the Lancet report, is well in excess of TWICE what the Coalition has. Mainly because they were deliberately targeting civilians most of the time (my personal fave is the guy who hid a bomb in a cart of toys he wheeled onto a school playground).

Sorry but I don't know where you're getting at with this reply. My point was; Those number had name and life Eri and that's what Ice car was trying to get at. I made it more exaggerated just to make sure he listen.

 

[nondescript]

Short term, probably not.
Long term, I think we may have just kicked a hornets nest...

Like making the guy a Martyr for them to rebuild the cause for example. Because, really, they needed a figure to follow in death now.

Question - from who? Whose gonna follow them now? Bin Ladens charisma was one of their last bankable resources.

Like nobody follow a guy with a nice smile to death or rage war in his name century after their demise. Yes, I'm taking about Jesus Christ and why, I just made a parallel with Christianity.

Can I have my cookie now?

If Osama wakes up on Thursday, I'll give you the cookie. Until then, I think Jesus had one or two stronger reasons to follow him than Osama.

If I had to pick between a person who made his life into bombing kids and a person who spared a hooker's life, I say no contest.
Better examples, however, would be Ghandi, who was assassinated and many were beaten for following his march.

 

[andeve3]

Question - from who? Whose gonna follow them now? Bin Ladens charisma was one of their last bankable resources.

The idea of a worldwide Islamic theocracy did not die along with him. Al qaidas greatest recourse is the fact that their ideas appeal to the emotions of intellectual midgets who will, not only gladly but filled with enthusiasm and bliss, die and kill complete strangers.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Now we just wait to find out who he regenerates into.

 

[Sacman]

As if he ever mattered.

My thoughts exactly... it's not like anything's gonna change...

 

[JochemDude]

What now?
Probably not that much, He was more a symbolic character than anything. He was probably not even in charge anymore. The only thing that'll happen is as you can see in the comments here, are that the USA will get a massive morale boost and that Al Quada will be searching for some retaliation.

 

[HyenaThePirate]

I just hope we are at least told which one of our agents got him.. Jack Ryan or Jack Bauer.

 

[linkvegeta]

I think it was unnecessary, to shoot at him 41 times while he was on his deathbed, while going into lybia where American are not allowed to go, the taking his body back for a "Demonstration" and they are dumb enough to allow Osamas son fly to The USA to have a Meeting with the president. I mean if someone killed my dad like that then took him away id be getting serious revenge. but then again America has pretty much been asking to get invaded/go to war.

 

[DefinitelyPsychotic]

the internet explodes for 4 minutes, and then everyone goes back to their lives. I mean.. after 10 years who the fuck cares?

He was the most wanted man in the world. Apparently, millions of people care.

 

[Jegsimmons]

Just saw the news, Bin Laden is dead, check any news channel, its true. So, what now, will the US pull out? or what?

mop up the rest of the shit now that they're leader, moral, and huge percentage of financial support is gone, and pull out.
we act quickly we can end this shit (finally)

 

[havass]

Frankly I feel rather unnerved by so many people celebrating a death. C'mon, it happened nearly a decade ago.

OT: Aaaaaand the world champion of Hide and Seek has finally been caught!

 

[Wintermoot]

mt mom says it,s mostly about revenge for 9/11 and that they would most likely pick a new leader.
in other words not much would change (Except that moral for the terrorist organization (don,t knows how to spell their name) would either drop due to the loss of their leader or rise for more revenge)

 

[Bobbity]

Heard about this just over four hours ago, and from then it spread through school like wildfire. I didn't actually believe it at first; the US has been hunting Bin Laden for almost two thirds of my life.

Anyway, this is damned exciting. A hearty well done to all the people involved in taking this fucker down.