RSN Fundraising Banner
FB Share
Email This Page
add comment

writing for godot

A Miracle Almost Happened, a World at Peace

Print
Written by Richard Kane   
Monday, 30 May 2011 17:46


Spur of the moment decisions after the helicopter crash, both allowed bin Laden to look like a coward to his supporters, and created a world with less hate in it. But the split second decision not to hold their fire is a real problem. Karma can be a real problem. One or two Navy Seals only had moments after discovering bin Laden was unexpectedly likely totally unarmed to decide whether to hold their fire. Maybe if that Navy Seal expresses regret for that split second decision, the world can be at peace. Bin Laden’s villa walls were topped with barbed wire, and a double entrance that would have been convenient to flood with gasoline. In previous attempts to capture al Qaeda, suicide-bombers blew themselves up also in one case blowing up one of the officers trying to apprehend them. Bin Laden’s supporter’s thrive on Rambo imagery. How he died prevented any more Rambo imagery in the future. Nevertheless I think the world would be even better off if he had lived.

I am aware that if bin Laden lived longer he could have pushed himself and/or a Navy Seal out of the helicopter in flight or a drugged out of his mind bin Laden could have claimed later that he tried, and try to find ways to lessen the image of him dying a coward. or in some way lesson the shocked view of his followers that he died a coward. Relatives of 9/11 victims could have increased their pain arguing with each other over how the trial should proceed like they did over whether the 9/11 mosque should only be built only outside of NY City. The trial could possibly even have resembled the lynch-mob Iraqi trial that ended Saddam’s life. Bin Laden might have begged his followers to blow up the trial.

Nevertheless, I believe that world peace could also have been the result of bin Laden living.

President Obama planned for years just like bin Laden always did. When the helicopter crashed the Navy Seals and Obama could have decided to bunker down and call in the drones to take over. The likelihood of them surviving, what looked like gasoline alley then hand to hand combat seemed remote. I would not have faulted them had they decided not to risk what looked like almost certain death. I do not fault them for seconds after they discovered that bin Laden seemed totally unarmed, not deciding to try to take him alive. Since al Qaeda will have a price on the heads of Navy Seals who become public, I realize I am asking that Navy Seal to again risk his life by publicly expressing regret for not taking bin Laden alive. That would be asking a lot from a brave man.

Everyone close your eyes and listen to John Lennon’s “Imagine no more war”. Then open them to a world when super-hawk Cliff Stearns after bin Laden was stopped, decided to stop supporting the war,
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/04/cliff-stearns-bin-laden-afghanistan_n_857630.html

Only this time rather than his remarks being all but ignored, Cindy Sheehan, Noam Chomsky and Rep. Dennis Kucinich would have cheered him, and other hawks would follow.

Think of India telling Afghan President Karzai that they now support whatever peace-plan he can arrange with the Taliban, despite in the past being upset with the Taliban’s anti-India activities, such as blowing up Indians on business trips to Afghanistan. If bin Laden was alive the Swedish peace group that met with the then head of Pakistan in pursuit of peace would have joined the negotiations,
http://tribune.com.pk/story/167929/indian-pm-backs-afghan-peace-talks/
http://www.peaceproposal.com/power4.html

They and other peace groups would have suddenly remembered that Saudi Arabia refused to mediate between the Afghan Karzai government and the Taliban unless the Taliban would first denounce bin Laden, and they would have visited the Saudi capital asking the Saudis to reconsider,
http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/02/02/us-afghanistan-saudi-idUSTRE61117E20100202\

Many peace activists have been numbed by the cheering like a sports team that never won anything before. Yes al Qaeda won every previous skirmish by dying in victory. The reality bin Laden imposed on the world was a little insane. In England an exposed terrorist crashing a bomb-loaded truck into a US military base gate, victoriously destroying the gate. I personally thought it very inappropriate when the renowned (I thought world citizen) Archbishop Tutu put on South African green and danced around for the South African soccer team that never won anything before but somehow won the championship.

Most of us are old enough to remember the cheering following the Chilean miners being rescued, but the roar of celebration after the World Wars ended was overwhelming. In Germany US GIs were so amazed to see Germans cheering that some packed their bags and started home. Any peace gesture by the Taliban would make war-heroes who had been though many tours of duty after signing up for just one, start thinking about civil-disobedience, even if only risking wearing an unauthorized hand drawn slogan.

A bit of sad reality that I hope won’t break the spell. Not long after the USSR left Afghanistan the death-rate became higher than when the Russians were bombing, from warlords fighting with each other. The only US demand to the Taliban should be to make Kabul a temporary autonomous area, like China slowly assuming jurisdiction in Hong Kong. China could guard Kabul city limits for a while.

Al Qaeda members who want to continue must keep watching their backs since bin Laden let the computer records survive, except in the provinces of Pakistan near Abbottabad where bin Laden lay low. Since bin Laden would have nothing to do with cyber-terror since it wasn’t conducive to suicidal victory, those who were urging it, can continue, on their own, somewhat confident that bin Laden didn’t bother to record the requests they had made to him for cyber-attacks.

Many disillusioned al Qaeda members disappointed in their leader’s behavior may want to quit. Perhaps the US could offer provisional amnesty. Any al Qaeda member who turns himself and agrees to be monitored with a listening bracelet around their necks, and a tracking cuff on their leg, that would be linked to a siren if the two objects are more than 6 feet apart, then would be free to leave. If they then try to hide from the monitoring, they would only be housed in a decent prison with TV and exercise equipment, and depending on circumstances at least be able to talk to the guards. Let all the prisoners at Guantanamo be able to leave or agree to similar electronic restrictions.

When it comes to other conflicts why not the same thing The UN should agree to Gadhafi’s lying peace proposals providing he agree to be electronically monitored. If he doesn’t, perhaps the bravery of the Navy Seals after the crash, continuing forward without drones allowing bin Laden’s wives and children to live, will inspire a UN posse to try to serve an arrest warrant on Gadhafi, that followed by an assault by France and Qatar, Spanish police style with percussion grenades like the Spanish police tried to use to capture the back-pack bombers of the Madrid commuter-trains, who instead blew themselves up and a police officer. And the US warning that US cruise missiles were next if the French and Qatar posses were killed or held for ransom, with Gadhafi trying not to be captured as he tries not to kill those trying without deadly weapons to capture him.

I also want to deal with what I see as too much blame for Libya and the world’s problems blamed on the US, for details see the last part of,
http://my.firedoglake.com/richardkanepa/2011/05/09/peace-movement-get-over-it-peace-is-still-possible/

I personally think the so-called failed underpants bomb screwed up airport security more than a real bomb going off would have. Bin Laden’s future plans of derailing trains could lead to a fortune spent guarding the tracks, even mice near the tracks setting off alarms. If al Qaeda began releasing mice more spent on hysteria. None of it leading to a draft, a less expensive way to fight. Remember the world trade center was the business hub. When it comes to world currency collapse due to too much US defense spending bin Laden’s dreams are right on track. Can we derail this final dream even though we killed him?

By Richard Kane
e-max.it: your social media marketing partner
Email This Page

 

THE NEW STREAMLINED RSN LOGIN PROCESS: Register once, then login and you are ready to comment. All you need is a Username and a Password of your choosing and you are free to comment whenever you like! Welcome to the Reader Supported News community.

RSNRSN