Another historic moment

"We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm." - Winston Churchill

A friend of mine posted this quote on Facebook earlier today amidst all the flurry of posting about the news that after all these years, Osama bin Laden was killed yesterday by U.S. operatives. I thought it was rather appropriate for the situation. There is a lot that goes on around the world every day that we have no idea of so that we can continue to have the freedoms that we have in this country.

This was another history book moments - years from now, I will remember what I was doing when I first heard the news. I was heading to bed shortly when I saw a post that the president was giving a speech shortly...after 10:30 p.m. on a Sunday night, topic unknown. That got my attention since the only reason to do that is if something big was going on. So I turned on the TV and listened to all the news people speculating about what it could be about. Within 10 minutes, the possibility that it had to do with Osama bin Laden was being menioned. Within another 10 minutes, it was confirmed. By the time the president actually spoke, most of the generalities had been leaked, mainly the fact that the 9/11 mastermind was dead as a result of a U.S. strike.

I have mixed feelings about the whole thing. A big part of me feels relief that he was found at last and will no longer be able to harm innocent people. I do think justice was served and that his death was warranted, so in that sense, I'm not sad or upset at the outcome. But yet, part of me wishes they had been able to capture him instead to gain whatever information he has about others in his organization and other plans that they are undoubtedly making. For as much as I disagree with Obama's philosophies and policies, I think he deserves credit for ordering this operation - it was the right thing to do. I'm proud that our military had the persistance to keep after him and the skill to actually find him after all this time. But I can't say I'm joyful or happy that he was killed, knowing that he will spend eternity paying dearly for his misguided beliefs.

It will be interesting to see how things develop over the next weeks and months as more details come out and decisions are made about our Middle East involvement. I hope and pray that there are no retaliatory attacks, even though it makes logical sense that there could be. These are scary times that we live in which makes me more thankful than ever that I know the God that is in control of it all and knows the future so I don't have to worry about it.