September 11 2001, the World Trade Centre demolished by two hijacked commercial planes commandeered by Arab terrorists linked to Osama bin Laden's Al-Qeida terrorist organisation.Nearly 3000 died in the final collapse of the Twin Tower, landmark of America's pride.
For nearly a decade, Osama managed to elude the dragnet put up by the U.S military and the CIA. For many years he was assumed to be hiding in the mountainous region bordering Afghanistan and Pakistan, protected by the Talibans and war lords, in one of the most lawless and restive regions on the globe.
For almost a decade the U.S military was fooled of his whereabouts, searching for him in all the wrong places, dropping bombs hopefully to hit the intended target, but Osama always seemed ten steps ahead and was never found, dead or alive.
American bombs, more often than not, hit innocent civilians rather than Osama and his wild and wily supporters but America claimed otherwise, that they hit terrorist's encampments.
U.S military might with all its sophisticated hardware and advanced surveillance and stealth technology could not, in George Bush's best cowboy slugger, smoke Osama out of his lair. Osama remained elusive and was the most wanted man on the FBI Ten Most Wanted list with a bounty of $25 million from the US government plus $2 million offered by the Airline Pilot Association for his head, dead or alive.
Despite the huge bounty on his head no bounty hunter or squealer in his fold has taken up the offer.Osama remained the most elusive fugitive.For almost a decade no one had dared sell him to the American.
First presumed dead by the American in the battle of Tora Bora, Osama and major Al Qeida and Taliban leaders under the pretext of a truce to give them time to surrender their weapons managed to give US forces the slip and escaped to the mountainous region of Pakistan.
George W.Bush's big bluster about capturing Osama was a source of embarrassment and spent inordinate amount of time in pursuing the Al Qeida leader.Humiliated, Bush said "I truly am not concerned about him" and his war on terror turned out to be America's longest horror.
The Vietnam War lasted 103 months, by this June the Afghan War would have exhausted 104 months and still no end in sight.
How come Osama managed to fool the American hiding in plain sight in million dollar high security residence in an area full of soldiers and close to Pakistan premier military academy and only 30 miles from the capital Islamabad without the knowledge of the Pakistani military and government?
Osama bin Laden's Abbottabad compound - in pictures
Was the Pakistani government complicit in giving him protection or knew of his shelter but kept it from the American?
The Pakistani government may have a lot of explaining to do on how the most wanted man in the world living among the general population could have escaped detection.
America's so called allies in Afghanistan and Pakistan might not be so allied.
The US indiscriminate bombing in Pakistan that have hit civilian targets have angered the Pakistani population and put tremendous pressure on the government.
America's arrogance would continue to destabilise the region and a long fought war would not bring any change to both countries other than more anger and more militant attacks on civilians targets in the country and Western targets overseas.
Obama should be congratulated for having done George Bush's unfinished job.
Like the Soviets withering war in Afghanistan, the American will walk out of Afghanistan with their tails in between their legs.
