The Fringe Benefits of Finding Osama Bin Laden

Osama Bin Laden has displayed the ability to elude the intelligence organizations of a variety of first world nations. Americans, who believe Osama Bin Laden to be the mastermind of the tragic events of 9/11 have sought the terrorist leader with ever increasing fervor, but still with nothing to show for their efforts. The ever increasing amount of men, time and energy they expend on the effort seems to count for very little. Perhaps it is time for Americans to really think seriously about what they hope to gain from this concentrated and seemingly endless effort to catch Osama Bin Laden. Of course finding Osama Bin Laden would mean bringing a terrorist to justice and for this we would all be grateful. But while we wait for that glorious day, we can take a few moments to also consider the fringe benefits of finding Osama Bin Laden.

1.Thank Heaven It's Over. Perhaps one thing we would notice right away is that if we found Osama Bin Laden we could all enjoy never having to see or hear of the search for Osama Bin Laden again on television, radio, on line or in newspapers. Nor would we have to be periodically annoyed by Osama's latest taped address to America. Once Bin Lade is safely in U. S. custody in an American facility, we might have to see Bin Laden footage as he enters prison or a military tribunal but we would after all be saved from the parade of endless file footage of the bleak "badlands" of Pakistan or Afghanistan. That certainly would be a fringe benefit almost as welcomed as not having to watch O. J.'s white SUV on television anymore.

2.How Smart We Are. Once we find Obama we automatically receive the fringe benefit of bragging rights among international intelligence agencies. Our own national intelligence agencies can come out of hiding and stand redeemed. So it took 4,5, 6 , 10 years to find him, once we find him, we can all relax and blithely claim once again that we have the best intelligence system in the world, can't we?