I felt no joy on hearing of this creatures death. There have always been and there will always be members of the human race who feel the pull of evil. Over the last hundred years we have seen our share of these characters. They all eventually come to their end.
When I first heard the news skepticism was my initial reaction. I had figured he was dead long ago despite the periodic releases of his video/audio tapes.
It did not take long to realize this was real.
What did I feel if not joy? It was not satisfaction. It was not relief. At first there there was no feeling at all, just an immediate desire for information. I wanted to to know who, when, where and how.
When the who was revealed, American warriors of Seal Team Six I felt pride. Pride as an American, pride as a veteran, and pride as a man who had a few small tastes of the covert world of the secret warriors. These men are a rare and special breed. You do not know who they are even when they are standing next to you unless you are supposed to know who they are. Do not be fooled by those you meet who boast and brag of heroic deeds. They are posers and nitwits.
There are a few like Eric Haney, who write books and make TV shows, but that is rare and in my mind shameful.
The when of the operation was no surprise. A moonless night with little overcast. Dark enough to create cover and assist confusion. No ground light bouncing off of clouds and increasing visibility. These conditions are perfect for maximizing night vision apparatus advantage.
Where. Well a bit of surprise there, but after a little thought it should not have been a surprise. Hiding in plain sight is an old and dependable strategy. The Pakistani government has made a lot of money off us by "aiding" in the decade long search. We admit to giving them a billion dollars a year. Accounting for all of the additional and publicly non-existent funds that are out there I would bet it was more like five or six billion a year. Hopefully that gravy train just ran right off the tracks.
The how is the best part. For far too long we have attempted to do our dirty work without getting down onto the dirt. Smart bombs and guided missiles are wonderful tools to have in your belt. They serve a purpose and can be very useful in the right circumstances. There are times however, when you need to put the tools down and use your hands directly. This was one of those times.
The warriors of Seal Team Six, just like the men of Delta Force who took out Pablo Escobar some years ago have already passed into legend and there they shall remain. That is where they belong and where they wish to remain. They will continue to shoot millions of rounds of small arms ammo every year as they practice and hone their deadly skills.
They will not be the drunken dunderhead standing at the bar regaling you with his tales of selection, martial arts exploits, or encounters with sexy and exotic female operators.
Thank you to the secret warriors and thank you to a President who had the sense to use them.
