After a brutal week of nature-induced devastation in the deep South and continuation of military-induced devastation in Libya, America began this week with President Obama announcing to the world that the military had officially killed Osama Bin Laden.

Perhaps I am just an idiot, but I would never have thought that this event would be covering the news with joyous jubilation in the way that it has. Hardly a sober consideration has crossed my computer screen via Facebook, Twitter, or otherwise. Even Chris Preble of the generally libertarian Cato Institute begs to differ:

“All Americans celebrate the news that we have been waiting to hear for over nine and a half years: Osama Bin Laden is dead. The operation that resulted in his demise is a credit to the prowess and professionalism of the men and women in our military, and our intelligence and law enforcement agencies. All Americans — and the world — owe them a huge debt of gratitude.”

Really? A debt of gratitude? For cleaning up one dirty spot amidst the colossal mess they themselves created? No way. Bin Laden was hardly a threat to me personally. If he was a threat to anyone, it was largely because of United States foreign policy to begin with. Instead of rejoicing at his death, perhaps the USA could consider the laws of cause and effect, reflecting on the concept of “blowback” from interventionism in other countries.

To make matters even stranger, the military buried Bin Laden at sea. What was the purpose? According to the White House, they wanted to bury him within 24 hours in accordance with Islamic customs. This seems somewhat ironic, since the military seems unconcerned about burials in accordance with Muslim tradition or anything else with the multitudes of innocent people who have died as a result of American interventionism.

On a different note, you’ve got to love how the timing of this event was near perfect. Certainly this will help Obama’s desperately low approval ratings. Make no mistake, he’s going to bring this up in the 2012 race. I can see it now…

Republican candidate: “I am tough on terrorism. We need a president who stops coddling terrorists.”
Obama: “Uh, I’m the one who caught Osama – remember how you guys failed to do that for ten years?”

Of course, Ron Paul would say: “Don’t forget, the CIA trained Bin Laden. He is a monster of our own creation.” Zing.

It looks like the Vatican has the best perspective on this deed:

“Faced with the death of a man, a Christian never rejoices, but reflects on the serious responsibility of everyone before God and man, and hopes and pledges that every event is not an opportunity for a further growth of hatred, but of peace.”

Truly, Bin Laden leaves a dark legacy in America, with wounds running deeper than 9/11 can approximate. We should not cheer or rejoice in this evil man’s death, but contemplate what has been lost in the meantime.