Mission Accomplished...For Now

Osama Bin Laden is dead, having been killed in a firefight at a compound in Pakistan. No Americans were harmed.

The the capture (such as it is) of such an infernal character in such a way is almost anti-climatic. But that cannot completely reflect the true situation. It has taken ten years to bring justice to the world; hopefully, in cutting of the head of the enemy, the body shall wilt. We cannot and should not rely on that, for extremism in any form is rarely put down so easily.

But it's a start. President Obama deserves commendation for ordering the assault based on the information he had; we have said before that it is in the arena of foreign affairs where it is easiest to for a President to make his mark, especially when opportunity rises. Mr. Obama saw the chance and took full advantage of it, and merits praise for a decisive act.

So too do the members of the US military who conducted the project. The training and dedication which they displayed enabled their success with a surgical strike. Their bravery and the bravery of all the courageous men and women of our Armed Forces are what made yesterday possible.

We bask in the glow of victory. And we should, for this is a significant triumph of good over evil in the war which has been fought since the beginning of time. There is nothing wrong in rejoicing when these things happen. Indeed, it should be seen as a tribute to those who fought and died, even those who died in what ought to have been no-combat venues: the World Trade Center and the Spanish rail victims, indeed all who came face to face with terrorists and terrorism, are the ones whose memory we serve in this moment of triumph. The War isn't over. But we can see the light of day now.