‘The worst images are those that were unseen to the world,’ said US President Barack Obama during his first public confirmation of Osama bin Laden’s death.
‘The empty seat at the dinner table. Children forced to grow up without their mother, father. Parents who would never know the feeling of their child’s embrace. Nearlly 3000 citizens taken away from us,’ said the stalwart president, painting those unseen images in the minds of millions.
Well, Osama bin Laden is dead. But, even his death tends to have innumerable ramifications for the world to still witness.
Past President George Bush who declared war on Afghanistan and Iraq has stated that the war on terrorism would still go on. Many believe that the mere end of one person does not terminate the ideology.
‘The impact on Middle east’
John Rapley states that most of the governments in Middle Eastern countries acted like US puppets. This was one of the reasons that fuelled the establishment of Al-Qaida.
Al Qaeda works in quite fragmented form, with its singular cells scattered in this region. Also, this militant organisation has been audaciously demanding radical Islam views.
On the contrary, the need for political Islam working under democracy is the new voice in the Middle east. Obviously, it does not follow the footsteps of Al-Qaeda.
The form of Islam currently being demanded in the streets of Libya, Egypt, Yemen or Bahrain is not violent or barbaric.
Hence, it would be quite a herculean task for al–Qaeda to estbalish its rule or even connect with the rebels, at this point in time.
‘Swift in US Foreign policy’
Matthew Ashton writes that over the years, there has been a drastic and dramatic change in the adoption of values stated by the US Foreign policy.
Initially, they started with interventionism and then drifting towards isolationism and vice versa.
Bush administration, chose to adopt ‘an eye for an eye’ principle, intervening in Iraq and Afghanistan. Obama administration chooses to isolate itself, especially in the middle east conflicts by not playing the main role in aiding the rebels in Libya.
Hence, Osama’s death is once again, going to affect the foreign policy rules of America and how would it been seen as ‘super power’.
‘Al- Qaeda’s agenda’
The transnational agenda of Al-Qaeda is another matter of debate. Expecting the world to be a safe place just because Osama bin Laden is dead seems frivolous. For example, Iraq did not become a safe place after Saddam Hussein’s death.
No doubt, Osama was an inspiration to this militant group he had founded decades back. With Ayman Al-Zawahri, an Egyptian surgeon taking over the control after Osama’s death, nothing can be predicted so soon. Though, both Cameron and Obama government are expecting reprisal attacks and have increased the alert levels.
‘Terrorism and Palestine’
Also, with or without Osama bin Laden, the impact of terrorism would not lessen till peace is established between Palestinian Arabs and Israelis.
In 1973, the Palestinian arabs had been displaced in a six day war. And now, they want to have their own government on the west bank of the River Jordan. Until and unless this agenda does not get solved, terrorism in the name of mass murder and barbaric butchery will not get solved.
‘Pakistan’s involvement with Osama’s death’
With more chances of Pakistan being called as a ‘failed state’, a lot of contemplation needs to be done on what relationship did US and Paskistan actually have.
Najmuddin a Shaikh states that the entire relationship was based on convergent interests of the US by using Pakistan for transit routes for American operations in Afghanistan. On the other hand, Pakistan needed military and economic assistance from US.
After Osama’s death in Abbottabad, Pakistan definitely would have to defend its establishment and answer its ties with terrorism, if so, proven under legal limits.
shubhdachaudhary 