The night of May 2, 2011, remains etched in the annals of American history.
It was the night when then-President Barack Obama announced that U.S. forces had located and neutralized Osama bin Laden, the al Qaeda leader responsible for the 9/11 attacks and countless other atrocities.
The news sparked spontaneous, largely peaceful demonstrations in major cities across the country, as citizens celebrated the demise of a man who had brought so much pain and suffering to their nation.
According to RedState, the U.S. had nearly captured bin Laden soon after 9/11 as he fled through the mountains of eastern Afghanistan toward Pakistan. Gen. James Mattis had his allied forces positioned across the escape path.
However, the New York Times published information that the CIA was tracking the terrorist leader by his cellphone signal, which subsequently went dead. In a puzzling move, the Pentagon ordered Mattis to stand down and sent in Afghan troops instead. Unsurprisingly, their manhunt failed, and bin Laden escaped.
The global search for bin Laden lasted a decade and only ended when a Pakistani country doctor named Shakil Afridi obtained DNA evidence from a suspicious housing compound in Abbottabad. The blood samples provided enough evidence to convince Obama and his national security team, with the notable exception of Vice President Joe Biden, to send SEAL Team Six 120 miles into Pakistan unannounced to neutralize the target.
However, the fate of Dr. Afridi, who may not have even known why he was asked to collect those blood samples, is less well-known. A U.S. Embassy official in Pakistan, in a careless breach of confidentiality, named him as a CIA asset who helped locate bin Laden.
Regardless of the truth, Pakistan, a supposed ally receiving over $2 billion in U.S. aid annually, was displeased to have its duplicity exposed. Consequently, Dr. Afridi became a scapegoat and has been imprisoned and tortured on unrelated charges ever since. The U.S., it seems, has not done enough to secure his release and ensure his and his family's safety.
This unfortunate incident is not an isolated one. It appears to be part of a pattern in U.S. foreign policy, a stain on the nation's honor that President Trump had no hand in creating. Trump, who has already secured the freedom of dozens of Americans unjustly imprisoned abroad, is ideally positioned to rectify this ongoing injustice.
The week also saw the continuation of the Malcolm's Memories series, focusing on the changes in our lives over the years. Additionally, the Sunday column examined the skilled attack on Iran's facilities to develop nuclear weapons of mass destruction.
The planning, announcement, and decisive follow-through bore the impressive trademarks of Donald Trump, built on the skills and shoulders of America's military volunteers.
The most recent audio commentary discussed the epic population shift changing American politics, which drew a large audience and active comment section. Given the surprising mayoral election results in New York City, this phenomenon seems likely to accelerate.
This shift, along with the ongoing efforts to rectify past injustices, underscores the dynamic and complex nature of the American political landscape.
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