Monday, May 2, 2011

Now What?

So, Osama bin Laden is dead. Many cheer, a few mourn. But the real question is what will this change? In part, I ask honestly, and in part I ask rhetorically.

Our wars will continue to rage, people will continue to die for religions and flags. We didn't declare 'War on bin Laden', we declared 'War on Terror'. Terror is a little harder to kill. It isn't hiding in Pakistan and no number of Navy SEALs can kill it. But we'll keep trying.

The machine that profits from the war will be just as hungry, if not more so. It's one hazy psuedo-goal has been removed from public view in a barrage of bullets. The powers that be will have no choice but to find a new villain for us to revile, a new ghost to chase.

On the other end, religious zealots, idiots, the gullible and the desperate will continue to be easily goaded into thinking that dying in the name of an omnipotent imaginary friend and taking some people with you will somehow grant you a cushy afterlife.

So I don't think a damn thing will change.