Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Friday, April 19th, 2024

Osama’s Death Versus Our Reputation

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Osama’s Death Versus  Our Reputation

Perhaps, there are fewer events in the world to find such a large worldwide coverage by Media as the death of Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al-Qaeda, has had since last Sunday. The news has become more like a popular entertainment program. People around the world have gazed on TVs, Videos posted on News websites, Social networking to watch out a spectacular program—the death of Osama whose evils shot on the highest stage of fame. His death has indubitably has given relief to those who lost their family members in attacks he recognized the mastermind behind. And huge numbers of people around the world celebrated his death congratulating one another.

And, meanwhile, definitely there were thousand others who were shedding tears and snarling on those who sent him beside of his demised devotees. His death message soon spread to all over the world and paradoxical message heard from Arab World countries. Perhaps, his death was not welcomed among those Arab youngsters who feel humiliated by western dominance and prowess. The news have been found most hurting for Jihady groups as Khaleej times quoted, "Oh God, please make this news not true ... God curse you, Obama," said a message on a Jihadist forum in some of the first Islamist reaction to the Al-Qaeda leader's death. Oh Americans ... it is still legal for us to cut your necks." "On the streets of Saudi Arabia, bin Laden's native land which stripped him of his citizenship after Sept. 11, there was a mood of disbelief and sorrow among many." "I feel that it is a lie," said one Saudi in Riyadh. He did not want to be named. "I don't trust the US government or the media. They just want to be done with his story. It would be a sad thing if he really did die. I love him and in my eyes he is a hero and a jihadist," Khaleej Times, April 2.

But there are still who are deeply suspicious about the authenticity of the news and actually unable to convince themselves of his death. The suspicions are not limited to civilians, on Wednesday May 04, 2011 Iran's defense as well as foreign ministers both expressed their doubts and requested for further investigation into the event. According to Mustafa Mohmmad Najjar and Ahmad Wahidi, the foreign and defense ministers respectively, the incident was suspicious and seemed that United States of America wanted to utilize it for her own benefit.

Anyhow, ignoring such baseless concern, Osama bin Laden, A Saudi Arabia citizen, founder of Al-Qaeda, indubitably was famous among some People in Middle East countries. He emerged as hero who can challenge the most sophisticated intelligence services of US and Israel. Regular release of video clips and scripture linked to him on the websites was the sign of instant failures of Intelligent Service of US and Israeli to track him. During past ten years, when the United States attacked Afghanistan to arrest and give him due justice, he was an escapee and many deemed that he might be hidden along borders between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The released documents which were showing that he was still alive provided relief to his follower and sympathizers across Muslim countries. He emerged as hero who can challenge Israel, US and western countries interest and threaten their security but still these countries were unable to hunt him down. Enjoying such sympathy in Arabian countries was largely due to contentious and controversial relationship with Israel. However, many Arab countries have changed their mentality towards Israel and try hard to build a friendly relation, but a large spectrum of civilians would never forgive Tel Aviv for what it has been doing with Palestinians. According to them Israel and those who support it, particularly U.S., are enemies, and those challenge them and deal blow to their interest anywhere in the world would win their sympathy.

But his death sent a quite different message for Afghan people. We have been the greatest sufferers of his mentality. Thousands of Afghans have been killed during past ten years of international community's military engagement just because of "explosive men" who were instructed his ideology and committed suicide attacks. Though, it said that he came Afghanistan in the very second weak of Soviet military invasion, but his Al-Qaeda style of war and fighting emerged right after devastation of New York towers. Moreover, if he was deeply engaged in helping Taliban regime and played important role in bringing them to power as claimed by popular worldwide newspapers, then was responsible for assassination of tens of thousands of other Afghans. Unfortunately, if ever my message reached him, I would have suggested him to carry other then "white cloth" (Kafan) with himself to the next world, like bombs, rifle and other explosive devices to avoid probable dangers from those innocent people who were killed because of his radical interpretation of Islam.

His death also is important from another point of view for Afghan people. the repeated reports about his close tie with Taliban-led militants, hideout in Afghanistan as well as assumptions about that he might had been still in the country had made him more like an Afghan man. Mass around the world was increasingly forgetting of his background and was deemed as citizen of Afghanistan. "Have you ever made Osama bin Laden? Do you know him very well" were repeated questions asked from those Afghan people travelled out of the country. Oops! For the God's sake we have not even seen him how he looked like. But such kind of answers was completely found far less expectable by questioners.

I hope at least the skeleton of such a mentality weakens in recent month as discussion continues on websites, Blogs, Social Networks, TV and etc and detail about his childhood and adulthood profile. Or, if being so optimistic, the incident creates something to make understand, at least, a particular spectrum of people across the world that Afghans are not Al-Qaeda member but they are the main victims of such ideology, and the ideology was exported from beyond borders and has nothing to do with Afghan innocent civilians.

Jawad Rahmani is the permanent writer of Daily Outlook Afghanistan and Writes on National and International issues. He can be reached through mail@outlookafghanistan.com

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