Osama: End and Beginning

The death of Osama bin Laden, which caused so much commotion and jubilation last week, should be examined without passion and adjectives so that elements of analysis, rather than diatribe or propaganda, may emerge.

We should begin with the man himself, whose life story is already well-known, but about whom there is more worth remembering than his multimillionaire origins, his asceticism and absolute dedication to a cause that, though more medieval than modern, clearly resonates amongst millions of Muslims disenchanted with their situations or societies.

The organization that bin Laden envisioned, created and directed quickly became synonymous with religious fanaticism, terrorism, violence and brutality. “The base” today spans a very extensive and non-cohesive network of groups that pursue similar ends using equally aggressive methods. Then there are groups, such as the Chechen terrorists, which are like al-Qaida’s travelling companions; they share bin Laden’s religion and proclivity for indiscriminate violence, but have other goals. All of these groups combine to form an unholy alliance that has sown terror everywhere and contaminated many with a new Muslim radicalism.

Bin Laden and al-Qaida were an inseparable couple, symbiotic and made for each other. When bin Laden went into hiding after the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan, many speculated about what would come of his organization in the absence of its leader, and there was no shortage of people that predicted its dissolution. To the contrary, the new “branches” of al-Qaida sprouted like mushrooms, and its efficacy and capacity for propaganda grew. For many, the charismatic fugitive figure contributed to an increasing flood of donations and volunteers.

It is not by chance that bin Laden found support and refuge in the mountains of Afghanistan, or that he could take hidden shelter at the time in view of everyone in a central city of Pakistan, whose double-game with the Islamic extremism is now exposed. It is not an easy thing to gamble against America on an issue that touches the fibers of her complex social fabric, directly affecting the powerful people of that country and its immediate geopolitical environment.

In every military operation, there is collateral damage, and this operation’s main harm will be to the tense relationship between Washington and Islamabad. The detection of bin Laden and the subsequent operation that culminated in his death was achieved without Pakistani knowledge or consent, and the declarations of United States officials make obvious an absolute lack of confidence that their counterparts deserve.

From a logistic point of view, the United States’ operation was a complete success, but in terms of ethics, justice and transparency, there are many unanswered questions. I will not relate all of the contradictions that the operation gave rise to, including the one which is of the utmost importance: whether bin Laden was armed and if he resisted. In the beginning, the answer to each was a resounding yes. Later, they became timid no’s.

It is not a minor matter: bin Laden was sought, and with reason, for his involvement in acts of terrorism, but remember that the United States has ethical and legal obligations that criminals do not have. Those who argue that he got what he deserved forget the basic principles of rights and the democratic system that the Unites States says it defends, including the right to a fair trial, even for the worst and most despicable criminals. The death of bin Laden smells more like an extrajudicial execution.

Two central matters remain to be seen: the future of al-Qaida without bin Laden and the political future of Barack Obama, whose re-election prospects have gone from dire to secure in recent weeks.

Regarding the first, it seems to me that bin Laden planted an idea that seems malign too many but also resonates with many. Nothing makes me think that this will bring to an end his causes or the environment that has made them viable or desirable for so many. Regarding Obama, it is enough to remember George H.W. Bush’s liberation of Kuwait and successful invasion of Iraq one year before of his spectacular defeat by Bill Clinton.

We will see.