You have heard it a hundred times before and it certainly applies here…We will all remember where we were and what we were doing on May 1st, 2011 when we heard the news…Osama bin Laden is dead. Great day for Americans! Justice has been served. And maybe most importantly, mission ONE is complete.
Admittedly though, as I watched thousands celebrating in Washington DC and New York, I thought about the decade long search for the man and felt something different. Still too early to rein in all the emotions but I know I disagree with one CNN correspondent’s assessment that likened Sunday to “our generation’s D Day”. I am definitely not there yet. We did not defeat an army, a regime or even a movement. We killed one man that for many, symbolizes an ideology that still exists and will continue on tomorrow.
I will celebrate when we turn the tide on the radical fundamentalism that continues to persist. Our way of life and all that we value will not truly be safe until that time. However, recent events in the Middle East and surrounding countries may provide the momentum to turn that tide. For many of the worlds disenfranchised, a “real” democratic uprising might just provide the solution to the status quo. Radical thinking loses traction in the face of true and viable alternatives.
Back to bin Laden, how excited are you for the movie? My guess – the first is out before the end of the year and it is the highest grossing film in the history of cinema. If played correctly, our government could pay down a huge chunk of our debt. We have several stories here and a trilogy should be the starting point – The Navy Seals dropping in and taking out the world’s most wanted man should make for the best action film of all time. The back story and hunt for bin Laden has the potential to be the best spy thriller of all time. And I could go on…
Great day for America!
Brad
The recent 9.0 magnitude earthquake and devastating tsunami in Japan is a shocking tragedy. The immediate impact of the earthquake and tsunami has been catastrophic. Transportation and production interruptions have caused an abrupt stop in supply chains. The constant uncertainty and damage to six nuclear plants has caused power outages all over the country. The northeast region, which was hit by the tsunami and earthquake, is home to ports, steel mills and auto and electronic manufacturers. Prior to earthquake, Japan was already experiencing a slowing economy so recent events will certainly have a negative impact for Japan in the near term.