Pakistani Treachery and Bin Laden's Demise

Pakistan's Prime Minister Gilani is almost utterly correct when he attempts to deflect the glaring fact of his country's complicity when he characterized the intelligence failure as being that of the whole world. No one knew until recently that top Pakistani active and retired military were keeping Bin Laden safe under their wing. As for his own 'plausible deniability' position that may sell in Islamabad or to the ears that wish to hear that kind of tripe. But that dog won't hunt. As for Pakistan's transparent duplicity, on this and how much more we aren't hearing about ... yet, they now stand naked before the world.

It is precisely for that reason that the United States had to take unilateral action. Informing the Pakistani authorities would have resulted in Bin Laden's hasty departure.

As for whether or not he was in fact armed at the moment he was shot it is a moot issue. Once he was told to freeze if he made any motion suggesting non-compliance it was a reasonable assumption that someone who has used suicide bombers, and airplanes would not hesitate to seek to kill the force that sought his capture. Unlike his mislead zealot adherents, Americans do not seek to die for the cause, but are culturally imbued and militarily trained to arrange for the enemies to die for theirs.

Obama's sound decisions - the burial at sea and to withhold the photographs - have presented me the unique experience of finding myself supporting his actions. The many victims worldwide of Bin Laden's bombs and airplanes were denied any kind of proper burial. Explosions, plane crashes and building collapses tend to destroy the possibility any such consideration. He was in fact given much more. He received a proper Muslim funeral with all it's considerations and ceremonies.

His burial at sea was just. As with the withholding of the photographs, it denies his supporters and disciples the shrine they undoubtedly crave just as the families of those he murdered were denied that rest to their souls.

Karma is indeed ... a bitch.

For Mrs. Smith & Her Compatriots

Irene Smith, who lost her son Leon, a firefighter at Ladder Co. 118 in Brooklyn Heights, lays bare a truth that startles me every year at this time. "Throughout the year, I always feel I'm going fine, but as soon as 9/11 comes around, I feel like I'm back to square one. I feel like it was just like yesterday. The families will never forget -- rain, hail, shine, whatever."

Thankfully, I am not in that same group. My daughter-in-law was not at her desk on the 22nd floor of the South Tower that morning. My grandson, a first grader a few blocks north at P.S. 89 on Warren Street was picked up and evacuated by a family friend. My brother-in-law got clear even though he was caught out in the open when the South Tower came down. I made it through and can sit here eight years later and write this piece. Still, each in our own way, we note the day. Each in our own way feel the weight of our own remembrances.

For me each year brings the determination to stoically face it this time. Each year brings the anger. Each year reopens the unhealed wound. Each year brings the flood of unbearable sorrow and the unstoppable tears.

Here it is, September 12th. The two blazing beacons are gone from the night sky. The tears have dried. The alcohol I consumed last night is sufficiently gone from my system that, with a deep exhalation, I will pick up the chores left undone yesterday. The images of sweet faces and hellish horrors recede into the shadows of my mind to wait upon their next calling forth by a date, by a low flying aircraft, by a page of paper floating by on a beautiful cloudless autumn day.

Never gone.

Never forgotten.
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