http://www.thepunch.com.au/tags/al-qaeda/ Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. en Copyright 2012 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-obls-death/ The death of Al-Qaeda’s leader has sparked a fierce response that lacks an understanding of the real world. The world is not perfect and nobody should pretend that it is. Nor is foreign policy black and white. It is a cocktail of aspirational idealism and hard fought realism but too often we forget this. The last few weeks have seen an army of armchair commentators purporting their often narrow and moralist interpretations of events as the only courses of action that would have been permissible. So let’s set the record straight on ten fundamental questions with some real world answers: 1. Could Bin Laden have been captured rather than killed? No. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-obls-death/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-obls-death/#item5933 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Late Sunday night it was revealed on Twitter - by a well-known TV presenter whom I assume approved - that David Hicks had just received a standing ovation at the Sydney Writers’ Festival. I wanted to know what they were cheering and tweeted: “Fact he abandoned wife and kids? Fact he thought OBL terrific bloke?” There was no answer, but soon after another tweet arrived, from a complete stranger, saying: “God I am so glad you said that… I am no right wing jerk BUT I draw the line.” http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Hicks-aint-no-che-guevara/ Late Sunday night it was revealed on Twitter - by a well-known TV presenter whom I assume approved - that David Hicks had just received a standing ovation at the Sydney Writers’ Festival. I wanted to know what they were cheering and tweeted: “Fact he abandoned wife and kids? Fact he thought OBL terrific bloke?” There was no answer, but soon after another tweet arrived, from a complete stranger, saying: “God I am so glad you said that… I am no right wing jerk BUT I draw the line.” penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Hicks-aint-no-che-guevara/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Hicks-aint-no-che-guevara/#item5903 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Late Sunday night it was revealed on Twitter - by a well-known TV presenter whom I assume approved - that David Hicks had just received a standing ovation at the Sydney Writers’ Festival. I wanted to know what they were cheering and tweeted: “Fact he abandoned wife and kids? Fact he thought OBL terrific bloke?” There was no answer, but soon after another tweet arrived, from a complete stranger, saying: “God I am so glad you said that… I am no right wing jerk BUT I draw the line.” http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/would-you-cheerfully-kill-anyone-who-hurt-your-child/ I don’t care what you believe, what awful things you’ve seen to make you hate - if you think an aeroplane ploughing into a skyscraper full of civilians is a good thing there is something seriously wrong with you. So what was wrong with Osama bin Laden? Like Muhammad Atta, the pilot of the second plane to strike the World Trade Centre, bin Laden was an educated man from a privileged background. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/would-you-cheerfully-kill-anyone-who-hurt-your-child/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/would-you-cheerfully-kill-anyone-who-hurt-your-child/#item5855 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Late Sunday night it was revealed on Twitter - by a well-known TV presenter whom I assume approved - that David Hicks had just received a standing ovation at the Sydney Writers’ Festival. I wanted to know what they were cheering and tweeted: “Fact he abandoned wife and kids? Fact he thought OBL terrific bloke?” There was no answer, but soon after another tweet arrived, from a complete stranger, saying: “God I am so glad you said that… I am no right wing jerk BUT I draw the line.” http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Osama-a-frail-pathetic-poser/ For nearly a decade, the question of what Osama bin Laden might look like ran a close second to where he might be located. Do years of murderous terrorism escalate the hair greying process? Would he be with beard or without? And what are the dress regulations for 21st Century villainy? Semi-criminal or smart homicidal? In the long years between the September 11 terrorist attacks and Operation Assassination, these were key questions faced by US authorities as they tried to keep the visuals on their wanted posters and card decks up to date. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Osama-a-frail-pathetic-poser/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/Osama-a-frail-pathetic-poser/#item5823 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Late Sunday night it was revealed on Twitter - by a well-known TV presenter whom I assume approved - that David Hicks had just received a standing ovation at the Sydney Writers’ Festival. I wanted to know what they were cheering and tweeted: “Fact he abandoned wife and kids? Fact he thought OBL terrific bloke?” There was no answer, but soon after another tweet arrived, from a complete stranger, saying: “God I am so glad you said that… I am no right wing jerk BUT I draw the line.” http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/journal-of-a-washed-up-fundamentalist/ Amongst the rubble of the Abbotabad compound, US Forces discovered a diary which they have leaked to diaryleaks.com.au, after Julian Assange rejected it due to “quality” and “veracity” issues. Read on for selected excerpts. 3 February 2002 Have decided to keep diary to ensure world has record of important post 9/11 career. October 2002 So far contribution to global jihad has mainly been hiding in caves. Somewhat out of touch with day-to-day Al Qaeda operations. Number 2 is running things from Yemen in my absence. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/journal-of-a-washed-up-fundamentalist/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/journal-of-a-washed-up-fundamentalist/#item5812 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Late Sunday night it was revealed on Twitter - by a well-known TV presenter whom I assume approved - that David Hicks had just received a standing ovation at the Sydney Writers’ Festival. I wanted to know what they were cheering and tweeted: “Fact he abandoned wife and kids? Fact he thought OBL terrific bloke?” There was no answer, but soon after another tweet arrived, from a complete stranger, saying: “God I am so glad you said that… I am no right wing jerk BUT I draw the line.” http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/good-guys-are-nothing-without-bad-guys-to-destroy/ Storming a building, in which latest reports suggest there were children, wounding a woman and shooting a man in the head is not your typical story of heroism espoused by the US Military.  It all changes, however, when that man is Osama Bin Laden. There are many theories about how heroes and villains are created. The majority of us are destined to work nine to five and will neither blow buildings up nor end world poverty. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/good-guys-are-nothing-without-bad-guys-to-destroy/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/good-guys-are-nothing-without-bad-guys-to-destroy/#item5781 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Late Sunday night it was revealed on Twitter - by a well-known TV presenter whom I assume approved - that David Hicks had just received a standing ovation at the Sydney Writers’ Festival. I wanted to know what they were cheering and tweeted: “Fact he abandoned wife and kids? Fact he thought OBL terrific bloke?” There was no answer, but soon after another tweet arrived, from a complete stranger, saying: “God I am so glad you said that… I am no right wing jerk BUT I draw the line.” http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/We-officially-dont-know-what-happens-post-bin-Laden/ It’s unlikely John Howard will apologise, but he should at least feel deeply embarrassed. Al Qaeda would be praying that Barack Obama became US president, Howard said in February 2007.  The comment—an obvious diplomatic gaffe then—looks particularly stupid now. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/We-officially-dont-know-what-happens-post-bin-Laden/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/We-officially-dont-know-what-happens-post-bin-Laden/#item5790 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Late Sunday night it was revealed on Twitter - by a well-known TV presenter whom I assume approved - that David Hicks had just received a standing ovation at the Sydney Writers’ Festival. I wanted to know what they were cheering and tweeted: “Fact he abandoned wife and kids? Fact he thought OBL terrific bloke?” There was no answer, but soon after another tweet arrived, from a complete stranger, saying: “God I am so glad you said that… I am no right wing jerk BUT I draw the line.” http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/team-america-shock-and-awe-over-hearts-and-minds/ The world is justifiably relieved that Osama bin Laden is dead. But there’s this niggling little feeling that the whole operation was a little bit too… American. The US as judge, jury and executioner. A daring and dramatic feat, and our brave heroes, kill the bad (really bad) guy. The President declares the victory and the crowds take to the streets chanting “USA. USA. USA.”. Update: Osama bin Laden was unarmed when he was shot and killed, although the Whitehouse says there was a “volatile firefight” underway. All the latest at news.com.au. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/team-america-shock-and-awe-over-hearts-and-minds/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/team-america-shock-and-awe-over-hearts-and-minds/#item5759 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Late Sunday night it was revealed on Twitter - by a well-known TV presenter whom I assume approved - that David Hicks had just received a standing ovation at the Sydney Writers’ Festival. I wanted to know what they were cheering and tweeted: “Fact he abandoned wife and kids? Fact he thought OBL terrific bloke?” There was no answer, but soon after another tweet arrived, from a complete stranger, saying: “God I am so glad you said that… I am no right wing jerk BUT I draw the line.” http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/bin-ladens-death-some-questions-answered-while-others-remain/ The ‘world’s most wanted man’, Osama bin Laden is dead. For all the latest news, see www.news.com.au. For an analysis of what it means, here is what Matthew Gray, ANU expert in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies, had to say. This is a symbolic victory, and there’s considerable satisfaction for those who wanted revenge. I’m not sure it’ll have that much operational or strategic impact on Al Qaeda, though. Osama was not, as far as I can tell, doing much direct operational work or strategic stuff beyond setting vague directions as to where the Al Qaeda ‘brand name’ might go from here – Al Qaeda is now a set of like-minded groups in different parts of the world. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/bin-ladens-death-some-questions-answered-while-others-remain/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/bin-ladens-death-some-questions-answered-while-others-remain/#item5743 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Late Sunday night it was revealed on Twitter - by a well-known TV presenter whom I assume approved - that David Hicks had just received a standing ovation at the Sydney Writers’ Festival. I wanted to know what they were cheering and tweeted: “Fact he abandoned wife and kids? Fact he thought OBL terrific bloke?” There was no answer, but soon after another tweet arrived, from a complete stranger, saying: “God I am so glad you said that… I am no right wing jerk BUT I draw the line.” http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/osama-is-dead.-what-next/ US president Barack Obama has just announced officially the news currently flashing around the world, which is that Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden is dead. Bin Laden was hunted down and killed by US operatives, in a mission which followed a tip-off last August. The strike on Bin occurred in Abbottabad, in northern Pakistan. Members of his family are also believed to have been killed. There were no US casualties in the firefight. It is not known whether any civilians were harmed. The architect of 9/11 and numerous other terrorist atrocities, Bin Laden has been wanted dead or alive by the US for almost a decade now. The immediate question now is whether the global jihadist movement will be diminished or indeed possibly strengthened by his death. penberthyd@newsltd.com.au (David Penberthy) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/osama-is-dead.-what-next/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/osama-is-dead.-what-next/#item5742 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Late Sunday night it was revealed on Twitter - by a well-known TV presenter whom I assume approved - that David Hicks had just received a standing ovation at the Sydney Writers’ Festival. I wanted to know what they were cheering and tweeted: “Fact he abandoned wife and kids? Fact he thought OBL terrific bloke?” There was no answer, but soon after another tweet arrived, from a complete stranger, saying: “God I am so glad you said that… I am no right wing jerk BUT I draw the line.”