Osama's Death – Significance and Symbolism

I've never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure. - Mark Twain

On 1 May 2011, at about 11.30pm PST, US President Barack Obama gave a rare address to the nation, where he declared that Osama bin Laden, US’ worst enemy since 11 September 2001, has been declared dead. There was great jubilation in different parts of the United States – in front of the White House, at Ground Zero, at Times Square and in the streets of the different US cities. Osama was killed by a precision strike by US Navy Seals, a highly trained and sophisticated team of US combatants, in a 40 minutes operation in Abbottabad, a city in Pakistan that is just two hour drive away from the capital Islamabad.

Barack Obama in his now historic address declared “justice has been done” and seemed to be rather relieved at the fact. At the same time he was quick to add that the US’ war is not against Islam and called Osama ‘a killer of Muslims’. Now what is the significance that the killing has on the world affairs or the international community’s fight against terrorism? Experts believe that the killing of Osama is more about symbolism than significance. Had he been killed within about 3 or 4 years after the 9/11 attacks it would have been a significant event. But Osama bin Laden doesn’t have a great following among radical Muslims around the world now. Today we don’t see t-shirts with Osama’s picture being sold anywhere in the world and Osama has almost receded to oblivion and obscurity. Other than some video messages that he came up with occasionally, he was not involved in any serious propaganda or action against the so called “enemies of Islam”. As Osama was able to escape from the clutches of the US, even after the deadly attack against him by the US forces in the Tora Bora mountains in Afghanistan, there was a belief among the terrorists that they can escape even from the military might of the US. This gave them a sort of added confidence in pursuing bigger terrorists strike in the different parts of the world. But now that Osama is killed it would have become clear to terrorists that they can create mayhem in the world only at their own peril.

It must be said that the end of Osama bin Laden doesn’t mean the end of al-Qaeda, as it is more of a loose network than a structured organisation to be affected by the death of their leader, unlike say, LTTE that was entirely under the control of Velupillai Prabhakaran. Ayman al-Zawahiri, the Egyptian born No.2 of the al-Qaeda would most probably take the charge of the organisation. There are also many affiliates of al-Qaeda around the world who act more like a franchisee of the deadly organisation. Though organisations like al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in North Africa are inspired by Osama, they are believed to be largely independent of him. There are chances that such organisations would project Osama's death as martyrdom and organise various attacks all over the world. The US buried Osama’s body in the sea as they were afraid that his burial site might become a place of “pilgrimage” to his devotees and a rallying point from where to launch more attacks on the world. Countries around the world are beefing up their security as they foresee a reprisal from the al-Qaeda network.

The fact that Osama was hiding in a sprawling campus in Abottabad city of Pakistan, some 800 metres away from a military training camp and not in any remote places, has become an embarrassment to the Pakistan government and the military. At a time when US-Pakistan relationship is at a crossroad, this fact would become a new thorn in their relationship. It is really hard to believe that the Pakistan intelligence was unaware of such a high profile terrorist hiding in the country. Pakistan authorities have much to answer as to whether they have ignored what was going under their nose, or worse, did they collude with Osama in providing him a safe haven in the country. It is very much clear that the US did not have any trust on the Pakistani authorities as was clear from the fact that they didn’t inform the Pakistan authorities about the attack on Osama. Anyways Pakistan government has distanced itself from the attack and called it an entirely US operation as they are afraid of any backlash that might happen in their own country. Senators of the opposition benches as well as the leadership of many mainstream religious and religio-political parties in Pakistan called the killing of Osama a direct attack on the sovereignty of Pakistan as foreign forces entered Pakistan’s territory and killed Osama without even informing the Pakistan authorities. At the same time, the fact that Osama was found hiding in Pakistan has vindicated India’s long time claim that Pakistan is supporting global terrorism.

There is no doubt that the killing of Osama bin Laden will be a massive boost to Barack Obama as he is preparing himself for the Presidential election in 2012. It would surely create a lot of turbulence in the Republican camp as they themselves are struggling for focus. Obama would certainly use the killing of Osama as a major weapon against GOP’s criticism that he is ineffective in the foreign policy front. Many of his conservative foes including Donald Trump and Rudy Giuliani are lavishing praises on the President. It should be seen for how long Obama’s triumph over Osama would influence people’s minds. Though the killing of Osama would enhance Barack Obama’s chances in the Presidential elections he has to do more in the domestic front where joblessness, a slow recovery from the economic slump and high gasoline prices have made people agitated against his Presidency.

At the same time is quite heartening to see that the youth in the Arab world is not influenced by malicious propaganda of the terrorists but is embracing democracy, as is evident from what we have seen in Egypt, Tunisia or Libya. The young people of the world must draw inspiration from Anna Hazares and Wael Ghonims (the Google executive who used social media in organising revolt against Hosni Mubarak in Egypt) and not Osamas.

While the killing of Osama bin Laden, a deadly terrorist, is a triumph to the world community, it must be noted that our struggle against terrorists and radicals hasn’t ended. There is a larger challenge for the global community and that is to completely dismantle and destroy al-Qaeda affiliates and other such terrorist organisations all over the world. We have to be more alert and vigilant against the terrorists who have no moral base or human character.