Get the latest news to your email inbox FREE!

REGISTER

Get the latest news to your email inbox FREE!

REGISTER
HomeYour LettersAssassination of Osama Bin Laden

Assassination of Osama Bin Laden

So 86 per cent of Americans approved of the assassination of Osama Bin Laden.
The only advantage from this reprehensible act is, possibly, electoral votes for President Obama.
Putting aside Osama Bin Laden, along with fanatical extremists of any religion who act equally as dangerously and crazily, they are still entitled to a civilised trial in a regular Court of Law.
In the first instance the USA’s action, in not respecting another nation’s sovereignty is nothing unusua. This is something they do regularly, when assassinating, kidnapping, “Renditioning”, or invading.
These activities are not confined to America. Israel, remember France’s Greenpeace incursion in NZ? The USA was, quite rightly, incensed at the attack on their soil in 9/11, but indignantly and hypocritically have no qualms when using the same actions themselves.
Bin Laden, evidently unarmed, was not given an opportunity to surrender to an overwhelmingly superior armed force invading his bedroom.
Initially it was claimed his murdered wife was used as a human shield.
It is more likely that she threw herself in front of her husband to protect him, in the mistaken belief soldiers wouldn’t shoot an unarmed woman. She was so wrong; it has never stopped other unwarranted killings of unarmed innocents.  Democracy is best summarised by: “A nation governed for the people, by an administration which accords with, and is regulated by established Laws and Courts”. The summary execution of Bin Laden is in stark contrast to this basic tenet.
Not only will this action not stop the Al Quaeda Movement, in my opinion, it will garner new, and willing, recruits to the medieval philosophies of these fanatics. If ever there was an action that was designed to further exacerbate the contempt for the hypocritical standards adopted by the USA (and others) to promote “democracy” then this was it.
It hasn’t surprised me. The USA is often viewed as being a nation of violence and revenge. Is it any wonder that many Americans believe that justice comes from owning a bigger and better gun, with the willingness to use it, when their own government pursues the same ideology? The cheering, exuberance and blood lust shown, concomitant with the leader’s own examples and encouragement, is reminiscent of the public executions in Europe’s not so glorious past of public executions, and the still inglorious days of Saudi Arabia, amongst others, who still maintain this medieval mindset. All this shows that education for the masses hasn’t been very successful in advancing neither intellectual comprehension, nor compassion.
Once again the biggest disappointment is in the blanket acceptance by Australia’s two political leaders for this illegal and undemocratic episode. True friends are those with whom you can disagree, in this instance the acquiescence is just another example of obsequious sycophancy. “All the way with the USA” or the American “My way or you can’t play”.
Yes Bin Laden, and his actions, was evil. That is not an excuse for us to be just as bad.
Tom Edgar

Digital Edition
Subscribe

Get an all ACCESS PASS to the News and your Digital Edition with an online subscription

Limited margin for error

Australia’s dairy producers are facing the 2026/27 season with “limited margin for error” as they juggle rising input costs, Rabobank says in its annual...
More News

Close game for Association play

Lesley and Julie Grayson have won a close one in the only Warwick Croquet Club Association Play game on Tuesday 12 May. The duo defeated...

Vintage holdens headed for Stanthorpe

A blast from the motoring past is coming to Stanthorpe this June, with the 35th annual FB-EK Holden Nationals bringing almost 100 vintage 1960s...

Alcohol ad rules failing Australians, AMA warns

With alcohol-induced deaths at their highest rates in more than 20 years, the Australian Medical Association has called for tougher regulation of alcohol advertising...

Volunteers power animal rescue efforts

National Volunteer Week is a time to celebrate the people who quietly make our communities better. The people who give up their time as...

Hole in one for McLennan

Melanie McLennan experienced every golfer’s dream during an afternoon round on Saturday, 16 May, producing a remarkable hole-in-one on the picturesque fifth hole —...

Cirson and Flint win districts

Warwick Bowls Club’s Marian Cirson and Faye Flint have taken out the ladies district pairs held at Inglewood on Saturday and will now represent...

State urged to preserve key water basin protections

Farmers say they are relieved that key land use protections for the Condamine Alluvium will be retained following mounting concerns over proposed changes to...

Olsen wins countback

Helen Olsen has claimed the Warwick Women’s Norco-sponsored Red Stableford event held on 13 May. Olsen claimed victory on a countback from Gwen Mills after...

Australia’s oldest family circus heads to Stanthorpe

Australia’s oldest family circus returns to Stanthorpe, bringing three days of acrobatics, motorbike stunts, contortions, and archery acts to the Southern Downs. Ashton’s Great Australian...

Grief turns into 30 years of cancer fundraising

Gwen Carnell began hosting ‘Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea’ following the death of her youngest daughter Helen, aged just 33. Just months later, despite her...