Osama Dead

A few hours ago President Obama announced that American forces killed Osama bin Laden and, importantly, captured the body. So there should be proof.

Couple of points. Obviously, I'm happy this finally happened. We haven't heard much from Osama, but he's the kind of guy who's better off dead. So good for Obama for keeping the pressure up and taking the shot when the chance came. There's no doubt the President was in the loop on the final decision.

Second, if I can be permitted a little glibness, Osama's death penalty - executed less than ten years after the crime of which he was guilty, actually came faster than the average time on death row in the United States (which stands at 169 months in the latest statistics I could find - here - and hasn't been less than 120 months since 1993).

Third, while I'm pleased Obama ordered this mission, it's just one more indication of the difference between running for President and being President. I have no doubt that, had this operation been announced during the 2008 campaign, Obama's reaction would have been something like: Great, but we should have captured him and tried him with due process. He now realizes that Presidents often do not have that luxury.