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Winnie Kung Global Issues Article Summary August 26, 2011 Grade 9

BBC News Article Summary on Osama Bin Laden’s Death The Raid: How It Happened Link: []

On May 2nd 2011, Osama Bin Laden, al-Qaeda leader, was assassinated in his hiding place 192km inside of Pakistan. The article explains the planning of the assassination, the search of the al-Qaeda leader’s location and the actual raid.

For weeks, the US military, senior officials and President Obama knew about the raid. Using some of the United States’ best technology, the CIA monitored the suspected location of Bin Laden’s hiding space for weeks. In a windowless room somewhere in the CIA headquarters, Leon Panetta, CIA official, gathered President Obama and a few close advisors.

The planning of the raid started late last year after there was an intercept from a phone call of one of Bin Laden’s trusted courier in August 2010. Bin Laden’s hiding place had walls surrounding the perimeter and there was no internet connection nor were there any phone connection. Garbage was burnt rather than collected by garbage men. The US intelligence started to observe the location harshly from a CIA satellite and a safe house was set up near by. Using a RQ170 Sentinel, an aircraft made specifically with a bat-winged shape and can take photos at a high altitude without being detected, the CIA took photos of the target.

Originally the plan was to have one of the two aircrafts hover the location whilst the other drops off the 23 seals. But the Black Hawk hovering over the destination started to skid around the heat-thinned air forcing the pilot to jump to the ground therefore leaving the plane to crash. Loosing the element of surprise, the teams, unharmed, had to enter the location with bombs and guns. Behind the perimeter was a three story house where Bin Laden and his family lived and hid.

One of the world’s most deadly threat was killed in an instant. What took months of planning, using the United States’ most expensive and smart technology, took a few seconds to terminate.

My solution:

While it is true that Bin Laden deserved to be captured after years of hunting him down, people all over the world believe Osama Bin Laden deserved to go to the International Court of Justice. When 9/11 occurred, it shook the world. I wanted him captured but I never really thought of the idea of him being killed on the spot. The part that really shocked me whilst reading this article was that Osama Bin Laden’s family died as well. Killing Osama Bin Laden, let alone his family, wasn’t the first thing the US could’ve done to solve this situation. I think that they should’ve contacted the Pakistani officials and worked out a trap for him. I think going to ICJ would’ve been the proper way to decide his punishment.

Update on the Killing of Osama Bin Laden:

Many people wondered about the killing of Bin Laden and if it was even legal being on Pakistani grounds. Sources say that the Pakistani Military was unaware that Bin Laden was even living there. US Attorney General, Eric Holder, spoke to BBC News about skeptics who asked if the kill was even legal.

"lawful, legitimate and appropriate in every way".

Pakistan kept quiet about the assassination for 11 hours and eventually word got out. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13269925

Winnie Kung Global Issues OBL Update September 23, 2011 Grade 9

**100-Attack Campaign**

On May 2nd, 2011, the death of Osama Bin Laden was announced to the world. To avenge the death of one of America’s most wanted terrorist, the terrorist group Bin Laden was the leader of, Al-Qaeda, announced that they were doing a 100-Attack campaign. Attacking started in mid-August and a statement was posted on the group’s website.

“We have started this stage with an invasion called 'Revenge for Sheikh Osama bin Laden and senior leaders'."

When attacking began in mid-August, it was the Muslim fasting month, Ramadan. The website also had a few ideas as to why they started in the midst of Ramadan.

“The campaign started in the middle of the fasting month and, if God wills, it will end after 100 attacks."

So far, there have been several attacks, one involving the death of a member of the parliament. The group has decided that the killings would be spread out all over Iraq. Starting on August 15th, this date has become the deadliest day in the country since May 2010.

On another note, several brochures were passed out in the night in south and west Baghdad. The brochures were recruiting followers to join the ISI and go against US forces. So far, 18 cities were attacked and several lives were lost amongst hundreds of lives traumatized and hurt. http://www.aina.org/news/20110820150317.htm

Reflection:

Many people believed that death of Osama Bin Laden would be the end of attacks, bombings, and others. What they don't realize is that this would only begin what people would say was the avenging of Osama Bin Laden. I believe that yes, killing Osama was right in some terms, but killing his family in the process was inhumane. Killing him might've ended unresolved problems, but it also rose some. My prediction was the US should've talked to Pakistan and the ICJ. Instead, they killed Al-Qaeda's leader. The group eventually set the 100-Attack Campaign which made things worse.

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