OBL

Dubya, 6 months after 9/11. I think he's basically right. Symbolically, this may be important. In terms of justice, YMMV but I'm very happy OBL is dead. In the grand scheme of things? I don't think it's especially important. bin Laden had not been an important source of al-Qaida strategy for a long time.

Some random thoughts:

1. Apparently OBL had been living in this compound for 5 years. People have called this a great achievement (finally!) by the CIA. Excuse me? 5 years?

2. It sounds like some of the intel that led to the couriers that led to OBL came from Gitmo detainees. That's unfortunate, because it will be used to validate that wicked policy. Let me be clear: if I had to choose between bin Laden dying naturally in isolation and a systematized policy of extraordinary rendition, indefinite detention, and "enhanced interrogation" torture, I'd choose the former. Every day. Twice on Sunday.

3. Related to #2, I'm very happy that the speech tonight wasn't given by President Giuliani.

4. All the talk is about how this changes our relations with Pakistan. I don't think it changes anything, but then I don't know anything about it.

5. I'm happy the Obama administration isn't desecrating the body, Guevara-style. I'm perplexed as to why they've apparently already dumped it out to sea. Fire up yer conspiracy theories.

6. This is the best account I've read so far about what happened. A lot is still very, very murky.

7. This does not validate the Obama administration. This does not disparage the Bush administration. This does not validate the Bush administration. This is the CIA finally doing it's job.

8. I'm looking forward to Hitchens' Slate column tomorrow. I hope he's healthy enough to rise to the occasion.

This is mostly political spectacle, not IR. So I don't expect to have anything else to say about it.