BIRMINGHAM, England – While Osama bin Laden’s death may see on the surface like the victory the war against terror has been waiting for, we are forced to consider the long-term implications.
It is certainly the boost America has been waiting for to renew confidence in the action against terror, but will it really have the assumed impact? Are we really winning? Or have we given our foes more of a reason than ever to attack?
As the face of modern terrorism, bin Laden topped America’s most wanted list for more than a decade, but to his followers he was their leader.
His death will surely ignite a hunger for revenge and a new wave of determination.
After all, isn’t that why America so craved his downfall? He was responsible for thousands of civilian deaths in horrific circumstances so the United States wanted justice.
We cannot be honest if we do not accept responsibility for thousands of Muslim civilian deaths in the Middle Eastern conflicts where Western troops are fighting.
Although quite notably in different circumstances, the impact is still there.
If all someone has been brought up to know are the concepts and ideologies of terrorism, they are fighting for what they believe to be right – and the death of their leader will only make a martyr of him. His followers will fight to bring their idea of justice.
While I am in no way justifying terrorism, I strongly believe the only way to win the fight is to see the point of view of bin Laden’s followers.
What we have entered here is a vicious circle and so long as this cycle continues there can be no hope for our future stability.
Making A Martyr Is Not A Real Victory
By Nicole Hendry
Junior reporter