MU students celebrated the news of Osama bin Laden’s death with an impromptu parade, fireworks and chants of “U.S.A.” But another issue hangs in the balance.
After the killing of bin Laden during a CIA-United States military operation, media personnel and political analysts have raised the question of how the murder of a major Al Qaeda terrorist will affect the United States’ level of national security.
MU political science professor Cooper Drury said this feat is an important symbolic victory for the U.S. but at the same time cautioned there are more terrorists out there and that bin Laden was merely one.
“What would make this victory even greater (is) if the U.S. is able to stop any attacks in the next (six to nine) months that are probably on revenge,” Drury said. “They’re going to start being more careful who gets close to any U.S. embassy around the world.”
Similar to discussions on the potential rise in national security, Drury said he thinks military units worldwide will be forced to heighten their security levels but that this will not affect decisions on whether to bring in new troops or send some home.
U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., issued a statement on bin Laden’s death Sunday.
“After a long and very bad chapter of world history, Osama bin Laden is dead and justice is delivered,” she said. “Thank you to all of our intelligence and military personnel who have served and sacrificed to protect our freedoms and ensure our security.”
U.S. Senator Roy Blunt, R-Mo., issued a similar statement, adding that bin Laden’s death brings justice and closure for Sept. 11, 2001 victims and their families.
“Osama bin Laden’s death is a major victory for America,” Blunt said in his statement. “This development is the culmination of the sacrifices and dedication from our brave troops and intelligence professionals. After nearly a decade, it also brings a great measure of justice and closure for all Americans who lost loved ones as a result of the brutal attacks against our nation on 9/11.”
MU political science professor Marvin Overby said in light of recent events, the U.S. should be able to better gage how terrorist groups — and more specifically, Al Quaeda — operate.
“But clearly the prudent thing for the American government to assume is that there is going to be some retaliation from this,” he said.
Overby said he thinks domestic military bases will continue operations as normal, because he said a domestic attack on the U.S. would require plenty of planning and preparation, therefore making it unlikely. Overby said he thinks it would be more likely to see an attack on the American military abroad or to see a soft western target somewhere else.
“I think it’s important not to make too much of this, either,” Drury said. “We didn’t just slay the dragon. It’s a whole bunch of bad dragons. We killed one. There are many more.”
