Hate on me

I'm going to catch some heat for this blog posting. So here are some caveats up front:

1. I have not lost anyone in 9/11 or the wars in the Middle East, so I don't pretend to know how hearing the news of Bin Laden's death would make those grieving this loss respond.
2. I'm not at all an expert on foreign affairs, diplomacy, the war, etc.
3. I understand the roll call of Osama's evil deeds is long and gruesome. He was evil. No question. 
4. I'm a christian, and that impacts (hopefully) my worldview and response to daily events.

I remember 9/11, and I only watched it unfold on TV. I've heard harrowing stories of family members who feared their loved ones were dead and waited HOURS without news. I'm proud of those public servants who risked their lives and health to rescue the few survivors after the towers fell. And I definitely recognize that Osama Bin Laden's history is pretty horrifying. He coldly used innocent lives in a calculating and Machiavellian way for a perverted ideal of God's justice. And I understand people's jubilation that he's dead and will no longer be responsible for master-minding terrorism on a global and personal scale.  I hope our celebrations aren't in vain and that his death will turn the tide of terrorism. I also hope that victims of Bin Laden's horrible acts can find some closure or reassurance in the justice of his death. The son of a fallen hero at 9/11 put it this way: Bin Laden's death won't bring his father back or restore their lost years. "But it does ensure that [Bin Laden] will never play a role in taking the life away from an innocent person." Well said.


Here are my problems with peoples' responses to the news of Bin Laden's death. I believe that all humans are created in the image of God, even Osama Bin Laden. So when people write ecstatically "I hope he rots in hell forever" or "we should've tortured him just like he tortured all those men and women in the twin towers," I'm horrified that anyone would wish this form of retribution and eternal separation from God on anyone (yes, I believe in hell and take the bible seriously). Hate breeds hate, so I guess OBL's hate for America has engendered Americans' hatred for him. That makes me wonder, though, what will Americans' hatred breed?


Since I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook, today is leaning toward the "hate" side. I'm disgusted with the political vitriol surrounding the event of OBL's death. Liberals bash Bush and vindicate Obama as commander in Chief. Conservatives bash Obama and bristle at his audacity to take victory for this feat when "G.W. deserves all the credit." What about the troops who killed Bin Laden? My hat goes off to them and to both presidents for pursuing justice in the first place (even if in hugely flawed ways) and for refusing to back off until justice was served.  


Finally, I'm deeply sad that so many Americans don't understand the human cost of war. So many people feel like the 10 year man-hunt for OBL somehow offsets the 3,000 lives lost in 9/11. Maybe for those who lost loved ones at Ground Zero it does. I don't pretend to stand in their shoes. But what about the 6000 troops who have died searching for OBL and fighting in the war on terror in Afghanistan and Iraq? (click on that link for a sobering map dictating geographical locations of war deaths) What about the innocent Afghan civilians, women and children, who have been killed by pro- and anti-government forces in our decade-long pursuit? What about those lives and those families still in mourning? Or those men, women, and children so severely wounded physically or psychologically as a result of the war?

Afghan civilian deaths

Click headings to sort

Year	Anti-goven't forces	Pro-govn't forces	Other	Total
SOURCE: UNAMA
2006	699	230		929
2007	700	629	194	1523
2008	1160	828	130	2118
2009	1630	596	186	2412
2010	2080	440	257	2777
TOTAL, 2007-2010	6269	2723	767	9759

So, while I (sort of) understand the jubilance behind the news of Osama's death, I can't quite move past the human cost of this victory, even in light of (hopefully) the lives that will be spared because of this justice. If only war came in nice, neat packages with clearly defined good and evil, easily distinguishable enemies and civilians, and methods that spared as many lives as possible. But war is not like that, especially a global war. And this war still continues, especially in light of expected terrorist retribution in the name of Bin Laden's legacy. As I read in one soldier's words: “It’s a joyous time, don’t get me wrong, but we also have to look for what’s to come. It's not over."