Why Did The White House Decide To Publish Bin Laden's Memos And Documents?

Telling The Enemy What We Know -- James Jay Carafano, New York Post

If the White House hoped that releasing documents scored by Seal Team Six at Osama’s hideaway would ease anxiety about the threat of terrorism, it badly misjudged the value of reading bin Laden’s mail.

The government turned over a cache of the captured documents to the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point for translation, analysis and publication. The center is a crackerjack outfit that turns out some of the world’s best analysis on global terrorism. And it did a bang-up job with the 17 declassified documents released yesterday.

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My Comment: There are some good points in this commentary. As a blogger I love having this information released .... but as someone who is concerned about national security .... was this disclosure the right move?

What Is My Personal Reaction To The Death Of Osama Bin Laden

WNU Editor: After waiting for almost 10 years .... it feels surreal to now know that that Osama Bin Laden has finally received justice. For the past 10 years a part of me was convinced that he was dead .... that he was probably killed at Tora Bora, and his body buried and long forgotten. The videos and audio recordings that always cropped up in the months and years after 9/11 gave me the other perspective .... that he was actually alive, and well protected by his followers and supporters somewhere in Pakistan.

I am learning right now that in the raid to capture/kill Bin laden, one of the 4 helicopters that was used was shot down by Osama Bin Laden loyalists. Besides Bin Laden , three adults were also killed including one of Bin laden`s sons. This tells me that Bin Laden kept a minimal security detail, and was most comfortable when he with his own immediate family.

I suspect that in the next 24-48 hours we will be receiving an avalanche of news information and details. I will try my best to summarize the important details, and to point out those bits that a need a second look.

As I get ready to go to bed I have only one thought on my mind .... today was a good day .... and that is my reaction to the death of Osama Bin laden.

Ayman al-Zawahiri Will Probably Replace Al Qaeda

Al-Qaeda member Ayman al-Zawahiri is shown in this undated television screen grab. AFP/Getty Images

Al Qaeda No.2 Zawahri Most Likely To Succeed Bin Laden -- Reuters

(Reuters) - Egyptian-born doctor and surgeon Ayman al-Zawahri is al Qaeda's second-in-command expected to succeed Osama bin Laden following his killing in a firefight with U.S. forces in Pakistan.

Zawahri has been the brains behind bin Laden and his al Qaeda network, and at times its most public face, repeatedly denouncing the United States and its allies in video messages.

In the latest monitored by the SITE Intelligence Group last month, he urged Muslims to fight NATO and American forces in Libya.

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My Comment: Ayman al-Zawahiri is now the number one target .... not a great promotion when you think about it.

Will We Ever Find Osama Bin Laden?

Will We Ever Find Osama Bin Laden? Don't Count On It. -- Peter Bergen, Washington Post

We have almost 100,000 troops in Afghanistan. We've launched more than 200 drone attacks in Pakistan's remote tribal regions. We've spent billions of dollars on intelligence. And as the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks approaches, we're still no closer to finding Osama bin Laden.

It seems possible, even likely, that we'll be saying much the same on the 15th anniversary of Sept. 11, and again on the 20th. Given the sorry state of the hunt for the man who masterminded the largest mass murder in U.S. history, we should not be surprised if bin Laden dies, years from now, in the comfort of his own bed.

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My Comment: A rather good commentary from Peter Bergen .... read it all.