Sabres Rattle

May 2nd, 2011

The Taliban responds predictably to news of Osama Bin Laden's death. From Agence France-Presse via RawStory:

"PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AFP) – Pakistan's main Taliban faction on Monday threatened to attack Pakistan and the United States after the US confirmed that Osama bin Laden had been killed near the Pakistani capital.

"If he has been martyred, we will avenge his death and launch attacks against American and Pakistani governments and their security forces," spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan told AFP by telephone from an undisclosed location.

"These people are in fact the enemies of Islam," he added.

The Taliban spokesman said the militia had not itself managed to confirm bin Laden's death, which was announced by US President Barack Obama.

"If he has become a martyr, it is a great victory for us because martyrdom is the aim of all of us."

Let us all be clear. Bin Laden died cowering behind one of his sons and a woman he used as a human shield. This was no act of self sacrifice. This had no bravery. This is an important distinction.