Adil Najam
Late during the night between May 1 and May 2 in Pakistan there was news floating of a low-flying helicopter having blown up in the city of Abbottabad. There was much speculation, some wild rumors, but no confirmation of what had happened. Then, late night May 1 US East Coast Time (some six hours after the news about from Abbottabad had first started circulating in Pakistan), television screens in the US started flashing a notice that President Barack Obama would soon speak to the nation on a security issue. Rumors and speculation started flashing again.
(Unconfirmed – and, now, reportedly fake – photo of Osama Bin Laden’s dead body being shown on a private TV channel in Pakistan)
Soon it was confirmed that the news was that Osama Bin Laden had been killed: President Obama then confirmed that ke was killed in Pakistan, in Abbottabad, in an operation led by the US but conducted with support of Pakistani authorities (still not clear how much support, and whose). Reportedly, the US now has possession of Osama Bin Laden’s body.
This is a huge development in the War on Terror, even if Osama Bin Laden’s actual role had now become symbolic rather than operational. It is a development that also has huge implications for Pakistan, and for Pakistan-US relations.
More details are trickling by the minute. And partly for that reason it is not yet clear just what happened and which details are confirmed and which are speculation. What is now confirmed is: (a) Osama Bin Laden has been killed, (b) Osama Bin Laden was killed by US forces, (c) Osama Bin Laden was killed in Pakistan, (d) Osama Bin Laden was killed in an operation that was eventually supported by Pakistani authorities, and (e) CNN has no idea about anything that has to do with Pakistan (according to them Abbottabad is an outskirt just outside Islamabad!
As details come in and as a narrative and reactions develop both in Washington and in Islamabad, the one big – the one biggest – question that every Pakistani is thinking about is: What will this mean for Pakistan-US relations? What will this mean for Pakistan and Pakistanis? What will this mean for terrorism within Pakistan as a backlash of this incident?
What do you think?
After Bush, Obama would be thankful that yet again he used OBL to gain next election. Should I cry or laugh at the simplicity of American people? The people of secular America follow media so religiously. I hope that the symbolic death of already a dead man might help to win next election because Americans don’t appear more smarter than Pakistanis who buy the words of their politicians. Second, the “death” of Osama would help AMericans to get a “Respectable” exist from Afghanistan. Now Americans can’t say,”we came out as loser” like they did in Vietnam. Well played Mr. Obama. You know well how to manipulate the mind set of your people
@Mike: You forgot to add few names like Mi5 etc.
Breaking News
Osama was not shot dead. Apparently he fell off his balcony. Kamran Akmal dropped him.
Surprising how Gilani and others are calling a breach of Pakistan’s national air space and territory by a foreign military as a great victory. Shaikh Usama Bin Laden’s entering Pakistan, whenever he did, should also be seen as a defeat for Pakistan’s defense of its borders. The way Pakistan is being portrayed today in foreign media and Pakistan’s utter silence is also a shameful defeat.
Pakistan will not be respected around the world if Pakistanis don’t respect themselves or feel pride in themselves and their nation. It’s hard to find any Pakistani nowadays who can speak two sentences in their own Urdu language. They seem to have the need to use broken English words in order to try to sound like their masters.
If you speak pure URDU, for a change, think of how much Umreekan intelligence would have to spend to pay translators. These translators would probably be pakistanis – jobs for them, and some bring back useful info about what Umreeka is up to. Now as it is, Umreeka gets intelligence without any effort. Any American with a keen ear can understand more than half of what anyone in Pak is saying.
Those who are saying that the burial at sea is out of respect for UBL don’t know about the Amnerican psyche. It’s out of LACK of respect, exactly the opposite. Those saying DNA evidence is there should know that DNA evidence can be forged – a technique called PCR can amplify a little DNA into large quantities that can be put anywhere. That is not to say that he is not dead. Only a crisp and clear video showing him on alJazeera denying his murder would convince anyone.
Getting him on May 1st is to make it look dramatic and to help Obama bin Laden get reelected. Obama is playing the George Bush game – he’s found out that a little war can bring people behind you no matter what, so the bombing of Afghanistan, the drones and now Libya. US will NOT leave Pakistan the way Pakis are treating them – presenting them flowers at every opportunity. On the contrary, the US did leave Somalia rather unceremoniously, if you catch my drift.
BTW, the next time I slap any of you Pakistanis on your face, I think you’d call it a great victory for Pakistan if I mention that I am American! When Umreekah says “jump”, both Zrdari and Gilani scream “HOW HIGH”!
Comments from the ATP Facebook Page:
– “Allah plz protect pakistan.we love n want Pakistans stability.”
– “God bless American Arm forces took EVIL out from this World, it’s a great day in all around the World”
– “This means nothing! Nothing will change . Drone attacks will get carried out and innocent people gonna get killed!”
– “Yeah…innocent people like Osama bin Laden are gonna get killed. What our army should do is to take a stroll through waziristan and ask them to send away the terrorists. That way, our army wont get killed because of course no suicide bombers going to want to hug them…why get USA to spend money when we can do it ourselves.”
– “We are proud on our troops. Good job.”
– “Symbol of terror is gone.”
– “Just a Drama! Nothing real!”
– “Pakistan does owe an explanation as to why they were hiding bin laden in the heart of their country for so long….at the cost of so many innocent lives that were lost in the process”
– “Where is the damn body? Why haven’t we seen pictures?”
– “The body is dump in Arabian Sea, now be happy, god bless American Armed Forces & god bless America.”
– “Good Riddance to Bad Garbage!!”
– “just a drama to start another story….”
– “Shaheed ki jo mout hay wo quom ki hayat hay.”
– “He is dead,buh can’t say ny thng bout Al Qaeda and wut da hell isi dnt even knew He was dat close to Kakul military akadmy”
– “How embarrassing this is for pakistan that he was hiding so close to Islamabad and the military training camps and Pakistan couldn’t do anything. Indian minister has deemed Pakistan a sanctuary for terrorists! Hopefully Pakistan can recover from this. However a bit skeptical as the body has been disposed at sea?! Would they really dispose of the body of such a wanted man so fast!”
– “CATCH -22 Pakistan
As reported by Obama over CNN The Last night Operation In Pakistan BY US, If it is all true the way it happened, This May well go as ” This Darkest Night In our History” , Our Govt Does not Know Who is Living So close to us. Or IF they Know ! then Why he is living so deep inside Pakistan. We are in this sate of CATCH 22.
One reasons could be gross oversight as The Govt is busy Building Parliament Lodges (3 Billion), Sahraifs are running to UK for Nose Bleed, The Choudhris of Gujrats are running fro Deputy Prime minster ( NO Constitutional Provision Post), Mr Altaf is busy on the phone, Judges are busy letting (Mukhtara Mai Gang Rapest ) Scot free. We are one busy nation doing self service & the masses are very busy in mundane jobs.
A wake up & Shape up call is need of the hour.”
– “We have our LADEN in LONDON , usska kyaa kerna hai ???????”
– “its means Pakistan will be in more trouble… bcz there are many reasons to launch new operation in Pakistan now”
– “baat fake ya not fake ki nahi hai ab dakhna ye hai kay itna bara drama kis new reason kay liye create kiya gaya?? kuch din mai pata chal jaye ga”
– “These are Testing times for Pakistan, May well be in Catch-22 Position; Now Whats Next Do More !!!!!’
Ladies and Gentleman,
The Hobson’s choice before us is we are either
a) STUPID (for not knowing OBL was with us for 10 years right next to army/ISO) or
b) EVIL (for harboring OBL).
Oh, God! Please let us be stupid! Oh, Please!!!
Though I know my brain tells me that it is really the latter!