The Osama Fallout

We let him define us for a decade, and now he's gone. After a very American party, the crowds have gone home. Here's one of the more printable Twitter quotes from an online news item entitled "Pornstars Respond to Bin Laden's Death": "Bin Laden is dead. @dirtjunior666 and I are celebrating with margaritas. My foot hurts. Thats my day in a nutshell."

"I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear ..."

It's been a hell of a binge, hasn't it? I mean all ten years of it: the shock, the grief, the togetherness, the anger and political divisions, and finally the party. Now it's hangover time. When the hangover ends, that's when the questions usually begin: more »

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President Obama is receiving the well-deserved gratitude of the nation for success in taking out Osama bin Laden. The nation applauds, with less exaltation than exhaling, as if we were holding our breath for the last decade without knowing it.

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Let’s hope Bin Laden's death marks the close of an era lived in the shadow of September 11th, and the start of a period devoted to the more complex, but equally patriotic task of solving our country’s stubborn domestic problems--even if it rarely evokes the same sense of national unity as hunting a Bin Laden.

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As more details of Bin Laden's life "in hiding" take shape, we may find ourselves with more questions than answers. A quick round of Internet research reveals that he lived in a beautiful climate, in a town along a well-traveled tourist route, near some military sites that included an advanced hospital. He lived in a luxurious neighborhood, a short drive from a golf course and an airport.

And if all that weren't enough, the most hunted man on the planet was also just down the road from a Red Onion Restaurant. There he could presumably enjoy a standard Red Onion appetizer like Thai-Style Steamed Mussels with Lime Leaf, Chilies, Coconut Milk and Mint, followed by a choice of entrees like Grilled Blackfish with Watercress Sauce over Celery Root Puree and Wild Chanterelle Mushrooms. (But remember, Sheikh Osama: No substitutions!)

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Osama bin Laden's demise came after President Barack Obama restored counter-terrorism operations to America's top national security priority, reversing President George Bush's decision -- before and after the 9/11 attacks -- to deprioritize the effort to destroy al Qaeda. more »

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