(Tragic) Situation Room situation

Nice one.
It turns out that this photograph of Obama, Hillary et all watching "Osama Death Live" was staged. The connection with the camera mounted into one of the Seals' helmets was long lost, in fact all those folks looking clearly in awe of the historic drama unfolding before them were at that very moment feeling most irritated by the fact that they did not know anything about what was happening in distant Abbottsabad. Very good acting indeed, considering that there must have been some distracting tension in the room: was the extrajudicial murder going as planned? (The official version tells us: The photos show the President consulting with Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen, Vice President Joe Biden, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton among others.  Some photos are very intense, such as the photo (...below...) which shows the entire team intensely focused on a screen while they all receive live updates on the operation.  Other photos show the President clearly under an enormous amount of stress in the final hours of the operation. The actual raid (...) lasted only 40 minutes.(...) None of the United States service members in the operation were killed or injured.  The major objective of the operation was clearly the capture or killing of "Geronimo," the code name for Osama bin Laden.  In the last minutes of the attack the President and the rest of the team were informed that "Geronimo" was "KIA.")

Ah yes, Geronimo.




Clinton is the best: hand clasped over mouth is a masterful touch. Obama wins first for subtlety, almost humble, as if hidden in a discreet corner of the room, but on closer inspection sternly focused, clearly in charge of Western Civilization and its destiny. Others are either overacting or looking a bit embarrassed, Biden seems not to have understood his instructions and appears to be watching a B&W Ronald Regan movie.

 

Here, a reaction:
Candice Mathers
"So fascinating that the intelligence gotten from Waterboarding...which all Navy seals must do to get their credential...is what helped our cia and military find Bin Laden. I thank George W for this and Obama for having the balls to do a covert operation and to not trust Pakistan--a country that should never be trusted again! Thank God for Waterboarding which should always be used when Innocent lives are at stake!"

Innocent is capitalized, because Innocent R-us.

Aleister and Osama

More thoughts on Osama bin Laden.

I read, a long time ago, of an encounter between Aleister Crowley and an Indian holy man. This has faded in my memory so much that I am no longer sure if I either read, heard, or invented this fragment, but what remains in my memory serves well to illustrate a point, an issue. 

Embellished with detail:

Both Crowley and the holy man were sitting outdoors, by a body of water,  engaged in conversation. Crowley was being bothered by mosquitoes, and he noticed after a while that the holy man was not. He turned to the man and questioned the situation, to which the holy man replied somethin'  loike:
"Gott'a love 'em, mate. Gott'a love 'em."

Now  the epic scale of this event overwhelms my long term memory storage banks, but I do vaguely recall a satisfactory resolution for this problem of Crowley's.

Mosquitoes are not my first choice for projectile love, but when I view them objectively, neo-Wiccan and a bit Eastern like,  I push them aside, gently so as not to damage their blood sucking instruments.
"Pass the word, guys, I'm at peace.  I love you all! No harm will come to you on my exposed forearms, but just go suck someone else, will you?"

This doesn't really work; they do come back. I blame that on a deficit of true love for the insects.  I'm getting there, but it needs more work.

Simply simplistic allegory-wise, but at the core of ethical codes amongst us, creatures on Earth. As Elton put it: love is what we're here for. 

But, unethical rulez.

Osama bin Laden

Triumph?
This morning Osama bin Laden was executed, without trial, by an "elite" US squad. Crowds chanting USA! USA! waving flags, tears streaming, hugging, singing, gathered throughout the country. "Justice has been done," said President Obama.
And now? The pursuit of "justice" has led to the deaths of countless thousands of people around the world. Were all those people, mostly civilians, executed in the name of justice? Is that going to end now?
My feeling is that the cycle of violence will become invigorated by this act, the manner in which it was conducted, and then celebrated.