Why Sarah Palin should never be allowed near the White House lawn

“Show (the) photo as a warning to others seeking America’s destruction. No pussy-footing around, no politicking, no drama, it’s part of the mission”. These were the words by America’s one time presidential pretender, Sarah Palin, following the death of Osama Bin Laden. To think that this lady had the slightest chance of being the main tenant of The White House is not only baffling but equally mind shuddering. Sarah Palin, like many other likeminded politicians in America, have been calling for Osama Bin Laden’s body to be published. According to her, she wants the photo/s to be published as a “warning to others seeking America’s destruction”.  She cannot be further from the truth. If anyone was politicking, it was Sarah Palin, riding on the crest of the emotional wave that gripped the nation. To make the public sentiment on the side of all that is just, true and noble is the highest use of life. This was an error of judgement on her part.  (Photo: Abdulai Mansaray, author)

Like Sarah Palin, Republican, Duncan Hunter,  a former Marine and member of the House of Armed Services Committee also “wants to see them personally….I did three tours ……As Americans we deserve to see them”. With such protestations, you wonder what purpose if any, this will serve; other than embolden the fanatics and fanning the flames of terrorism further. The one common oversight here is that, these terrorists have already condemned themselves to die. You wonder what worse things can be done to them. But like she once said, “In matters of style, swim with the current”. Sounds like that is exactly what Sarah Palin is doing; swimming with an emotion laden current. On the other hand, Obama once said, “in matters of principle, stand like a rock”. In this case, Obama’s decision not to publish the photos is purely a matter of principle. It is out of decency, principle and sense of civilisation that he has refused to publish the photos; and not out of fear or fear of reprisals. If Aljazeera or any other news outlet had those photos, it would have made the rounds long ago.

The very essence of leadership is its purpose. And the purpose of leadership is to accomplish a task. That is what leadership does, and what it does is more important than what it is or how it works. The above brings to mind George Bush, who, though Machiavellian in style, laid the foundations for the eventual death of Osama Bin Laden. His method of getting the information from suspects, as epitomised by the symbol of Guantanamo Bay have been well documented and evenly condemned. Nevertheless, some quarters have credited him with setting the ball rolling for Osama Bin Laden’s demise. I am no sympathiser of anyone who seeks to maim and kill their fellow human beings as an act of terror. But to publish such photos will only serve as revenge. In taking revenge, a man is but even with his enemy; but in passing it over, he is superior. Revenge is always the weak pleasure of a little and narrow mind; cause the tree of revenge does not carry any fruit. Sarah Palin should remember that killing Osama Bin Laden was NOT an act of revenge; but a form of justice that is worth preserving with the memories of the dead and continued suffering of their families and relatives. Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them. Success against the terrorist will be the best revenge. The sense of fulfilment which comes with being in the right fight is a wonderful thing. Justice comes when those who are not injured are as indignant as those who are. The world should dedicate itself to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of this world.

Sarah Palin once said on Facebook (June 30 2010) that “we have a president,(Obama) perhaps for the first time since the founding of our republic, who doesn’t appear to believe that America is the greatest earthly force for good the world has ever known”. Perhaps, Obama’s refusal to publish the photos might just rekindle her faith in him. Sarah should realise that in order to win the war against terror, we need a complete ideological shift. Terrorism is a state of fear that is perpetuated by faceless and invisible foes. It’s easy to win the war on terror but the battle can only be won, if we succeed in making the terrorist know that their ways of solution will not hold. Reason can wrestle and overthrow terror. Fighting terrorism is like being a goalkeeper. You can make a thousand brilliant saves but the only shot that people remember is the one that gets past you.

The thing about terrorism is that ultimately, it destroys those who practice it. Slowly but surely, as they try to extinguish life in others, the light within them dies.  Bob Kennedy once said in 2007, that “the threat to America is the way we react to terrorism by throwing away what everybody values about our country; a commitment to human rights. America is a great nation because we are a good nation. When we stop being a good nation, we stop being great”. It is these fundamental values that set the modern world apart from those who want to return to Neanderthal epochs.  Others may see terrorism as a tactic of demanding the impossible, and demanding it at gun point.

Obama must be commended for withstanding all the pressures demanding that the photos be released. In reality, it will serve no purpose to the ultimate aim of rooting out terrorism in our societies.  As expected, the death of America’s and the world’s most wanted man has been met with various emotional persuasions. However, this should not be seen as a game changer, but a demonstration of the world’s resolve for good to triumph over evil. Like Obama said, it is not the end of season trophy chase. This is about making the world safer. It is not about revenge but justice. But in doing so, the world should not be dragged to the same cesspit as the perpetrators in the first place.

When news broke out that Osama Bin Laden had been taken out of circulation, the demand for the proof was fuelled by hysteria. Conspiracy theorists went into overdrive, simply because “we had heard it before”. This time, proof was demanded and some will say, rightly so. But to expect the Obama administration to provide such proofs by way of the pictures was bothering on the comical. You would expect Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda, known for their penchant for propaganda victory to refute this instantly. If Osama Bin Laden was still alive, Al Qaeda would have said so the minute the news broke out (which they acknowledged later). As I mentioned in my earlier article, the burden of proof was with Al Qaeda. Unfortunately, Sarah Palin fell for the trick.

As for Duncan Hunter, his emotion was understandable. He served his country honourably, not once but three times in the hunt for Bin Laden and in the fight against terrorists. Sadly, some of his comrades never came back from the line of duty. May their souls rest in peace.  Their deaths have not and would not go in vain. His take on the photo controversy is understandable; as a former Marine. But in the cold light of day, with his Armed Services Committee hat on, I’m sure he agrees that not publishing the photos was the right thing to do. But to think that if Sarah Palin had got her wish in 2008, she would have had access to the nuclear button is scary stuff. When you have to kill a man, it costs nothing to be polite (Winston Churchill).

Abdulai Mansaray

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