OSAMA BIN LADEN, DEAD OR ALIVE DOES IT MATTER ? - THE SUNDAY COMMENTARY

Yesterday the world awoke to reports that Osama bin Laden was dead of Tyfoid Fever and that his demise was in August. As the day progressed the uncomfirmed report began to back down some with claims that he was either dead or extremely sick. Toward the evening and especially as night fell it was reported that the claim of bin Laden's demise was from a leaked document from French intelligence and the claim was denied by French President Jacques Chirac and that an investigation was underway as to how this report was leaked. As this breaking news transpired somtime after 9PM Eastern US time CNN, in whom I am not a great fan but do watch on occasion to get a liberal perspective of the news, was airing a bio-documentary about bin Laden beginning with his emergence in the 80's. The CNN reporter hosting this program was non other than Christiane Amanpour a reporter that has never impressed me because she obviously has a disdain for The United States as evidenced in her sympathetic reporting of anyone who opposes the US. As she described the exploits of bin Laden there was almost an awe in her voice and one would think that she was refering to a Head of State or a world dignitary rather than the evil leader of a equaly as eveil murderous terrorist organization. Of course this should not come as a surprise since CNN always treated the terrorist Yasar Arafat with awe and respect as a world leader. Additionally the ticker at the bottom of the screen never mentioned Chirac's denial only bin Laden's demise. CNN Headline news as late as 10PM Eastern US time was still reporting of the possible demise of bin Laden and not mentioning the Chrirac denial. Contrast this with Fox News who was airing regularly scheduled programing with no mention of bin Laden's demise on the ticker and the lead report at the top and bottom of the hour news brief was of the Chirac denial. I mention this reporting because it greatly follows the thinking of both the right and the left when bin Laden is concerned Fox of course representing the right and CNN representing the left. While the majority of the left is in union with the right in the desire of seeing the end of bin Laden and by no means do I believe that the liberal loyalist nor the leadership hold him in awe but rather desire his end, the perspective of the importance of his demise is significant. Most on the left from the grassroots to the leadership portray the idea that the demise of bin Laden would end the war and the terrorist threat bringing a desired peace with the Islamic Facsist world. Do not misunderstand me we on the right from the grassroots to the leadership would love to hear of the demise of bin Laden but we also understand that while his death is desired and would be a victory in the War on Terror it would not effect niether the war nor the plans and attempts to impliment those plans by Al Qaeda and especially other terrorist groups like Hezbollah and Hamas who have no ties or loyalty to bin Laden. This is a global war on terror in which Al Qaeda is a part. Additionaly Al Qaeda and most terrorist groups consist of cells and individuals who operate independently of leadership and would continue to carry out the finatical Islamic philosophy regardless of a living or dead bin Laden. Even large plans are implimented independently of leadership evidenced by the recently thwarted attempt to destroy several US bound airliners originating in London. Islamic finatic terrorist though they may follow the teaching of people like bin Laden carry out their Jihad as a service to Allah to recieve after life rewards and not to satisfy Osama bin Laden. While his death would be a moral boost for our soldiers and our country it would have no effect on the war and the enemy other than the loss of a man they admire.

The best historical example that closely resembles the finatisism in following a belief is Imperial Japan of WWII. The Boshito belief that the nation and especially the military followed had the finatical belief that one should sacrifice their life for the glory and by the command of Emporer Hirohito. Their finatisism was to the extent that even if the Emporer had died or had been captured or killed by allied forces their beleif in the Bishito creed and loyalty to the idea of the Emporer would have continued. Even after the dropping of the Atomic Bomb on Hiroshima and the Hydrogen Bomb on Nagasaki this finatical belief continued to the point that the military was preparing for every man, women and child to die in one last fight for the glory of Japan. Hirohito ordered the surrender and even this nearly failed as the military attempted a coup to, "protect," the Emporer from the," weakness," of politicians who did not believe as they did.

While the coup failed and Japan did surrender terrorism will not even if bin Laden were dead or were to order it. This finatical Islamic belief in rewards by Allah for their death drives them to kill all infidels and even any Muslim who disagrees with their finatisism. This is why though desired the death fo bin Laden and the use of a great amount of resources in the search for him would not accomplish the,"end, " that many on the left believe. While the hunt for bin Laden and seeking his demise is good keeping it in perspective in the global war on terror is not only a sound strategy but a better use of the necessary resources needed to fight this war. Using an exorbatant amount of men and material in the hunt for one man whose demise would only be a momentary victory and more a moral boost than a stategic necessity would be foolish. Osama bin Laden will meet his end if in no other way than wasting away in the dire conditions that our forces have pushed him into in order to hide from capture. This war is being fought on many fronts and in many ways all of which are seeking to deny and destroy terrorism as a whole and not just the death of one man as many on the left believe will bring about the desired result of victory against global terrorism.

Ken Taylor