I read once that Osama Bin Laden never believed that he could conquer the US Military. He never believed that his bombings of American facilities and even indeed the American nation, would lead directly to any change.
I read that he believed that the change would come from:
- A destruction of the American economy.
- A destruction of the American moral code.
And it seems that despite having died in the process, Osama Bin Laden may have won his battle. In the end, it would appear that he and not George W. Bush or Barrack Obama won.
The American economy is a mess and to a very large extent that is because of George Bush’s foray into Iraq and Afghanistan and the perpetuation of that foray by Barrack Obama.
These two wars have cost so much money that they have drained the coffers of the United States to such an extent that it is now unable to stimulate that economy or get it back on track.
One corporation, Apple, now has greater cash reserves than the US Government.
Most Americans are now suffering as a result of the poor economic conditions and as a result of high unemployment. If the money that had been spent on war had been spent on restructuring of the American economy, would those people be suffering to the same extent now? I wonder?
And then there is the issue of morality. Guantanamo Bay exists to this day despite Barrack Obama saying that he would close it. To this day it contravenes the Geneva Convention and exists to surround the protections individuals receive under American law and the American Constitutions.
Renditions occur on a regular basis. People like Bradley Manning held in appalling conditions for long periods of time despite never having been convicted of a crime. America enters sovereign countries like Pakistan and bombs its citizens (even the innocent ones) and murders a political adversary (Bin Laden) despite the fact that this absolutely illegal.
I have never considered the American nation that ethical but Osama Bin Laden has certainly been successful in creating an environment in which the United States can throw all of its values out the window and behave in a manner which is completely unethical and then try and justify it.
When an individual or a nation loses its moral backbone and integrity then ultimately it has lost everything. One time American Senator, Alan Simpson said “if you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don’t have integrity, nothing else matters”. I rest my case.
Who won the war on terror – Osama Bin Laden of course!
That’s what I say, what say you?
