Community Corner
Bin Laden's Death Means 'It Wasn't All in Vain,' Local Residents Say
Locals happy the al-Qaida leader has been killed, even though they know it may not change the course of the war and might bring on more acts of terrorism.
Plainfield’s military moms were buzzing about Osama bin Laden’s death all day and feeling "ecstatic" about the news, one mother said Monday.
“We feel our kids who lost so much of their lives – and (lost so much ) mentally – that something was accomplished and it wasn’t all in vain,” Wendy Meyer said.
Meyer’s son Brandon served three tours in Iraq as a Marine, where he specialized in convoy security, training and patrolling with Iraqi soldiers. Now, his mom says, she is less worried about him being called back to active duty.
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“I think there’s a lot of relief,” she said. “My son spent way too much time in Iraq. Now I have hopes that not so many of my friends’ kids will be going over there.”
Locals were digesting the news that the notorious terrorist behind the 9-11 Twin Towers attack had been killed in a raid in his Pakistani compound in Oakistan Sunday. There was with cautious optimism - and a lot of reservations.
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“It’s closure for them,” Plainfield American Legion Commander Frank Pecoraro said. “I think our local vets are glad it’s over with, even though we know somebody else may step up and take his place.”
Many soldiers and their families are on heightened alert for al-Qaida retaliation and do not want to make any kind of public statement, said Doug Flagg, an active American Legion member who spoke with several area military families.
“It’s been a long time coming – way too long,” said John McMahon, of Plainfield, as he sipped a drink at Gruben’s Uptown Tap and Grill in downtown Plainfield late Monday afternoon.
“But I won’t say the war on terror is over. Bin Laden was just a figurehead, anyway. There is no reprieve from terrorism.”
Bin Laden’s death may not mark the end of the war on terror, but it’s a victory in one of its most important battles, Meyers said.
“They say it’s a curse to be happy over someone else’s death, but bin Laden didn’t think about all the people he killed on 9/11,” she said.
“Now we feel like it’s not all a total loss.”
