Introduction
Operation Geronimo was carried out by the US military in 2011 in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad. In accordance with the document that was signed by President Barack Obama, this operation was listed as military and provided for the capture of the criminal, both alive and dead (Dunlap, 2019). As a result of the actions of the special forces, the head of Al-Qaeda was killed. The terrorist leader was identified by his appearance, and his identity was also confirmed by DNA analysis (Marks, 2019). Shortly after the special operation, bin Laden’s body was buried in the sea. The American side stated that the ceremony was held per Muslim customs. The process to eliminate Osama bin Laden was scheduled for Sunday, May 1 (Shabbir, 2019). Osama bin Laden was killed in a shootout in a fortified complex of buildings on the outskirts of the city of Abbottabad. There was no task to take him alive without fail, but if it had been possible to save his life, he would have been arrested. The legality of this operation is in question due to various ethical considerations. Osama bin Laden committed many crimes that violated human rights, sovereignty, and justice. Thus, operation Geronimo had legal grounds and was conducted in accordance with US law.
Operation Geronimo
Thousands of people suffered from the atrocities committed by Osama bin Laden, which ethically and legally justified Barack Obama’s decision to make the operation. American services began to develop an operation to capture or eliminate Osama bin Laden. Bin Laden was given the codename Geronimo and had to be identified to avoid the appearance of duplicates or other impostors. Furthermore, it was not only the decision of the government to administer justice and capture bin Laden. According to the Constitution, the voice of the Americans must be heard. There is a need for public endorsement when it comes to such situations as the capturing of bin Laden. Consequently, there was both the consent of the communities and the administration to take measures.
Bin Laden is an international terrorist and the founder of the Islamist terrorist organization Al-Qaeda, which has claimed responsibility for various terrorist attacks. His murder, which occurred during the operation to capture him, is partly considered to violate human rights and the norms of justice (Dunlap, 2019). Nevertheless, all the numerous murders he committed fully justify the actions of President Barack Obama. The president was legally found not guilty of Geronimo’s process per US laws (Marks, 2019). Barack Obama was supported by the people whose relatives and friends suffered from bin Laden’s actions. In this sense, it was evident that society took the president’s side.
The most acute situation that led to the decision to catch the criminal was the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001. During this action, there was a considerable number of casualties (Shabbir, 2019). Thousands of people died during the attack and numerous people were injured both physically and mentally (Shabbir, 2019). The US Congress decided to use military forces to capture and arrest bin Laden. This decision was directed not only against the terrorist but against other organizers of the September 11 attack (Dunlap, 2019). Based on the authorization for the use of military force, the administration of President Barack Obama was able to justify its actions that led to the death of bin Laden.
Another major reason was that Al-Qaeda was a potential threat to the United States and that the operation was justified by the need to protect the country from possible terrorist attacks. The Obama administration explained the necessity of force by applying international law (Dunlap, 2019). It was justified since, at this time, the conflict with Al-Qaeda had been going on for several decades (Dunlap, 2019). Using no measures against terrorist cells was not an option in the given situation, considering the circumstances and recent casualties. Consequently, it was of primary importance to protect the country from new terrorist attacks. For self-defense, the US government has the international right to protect and be responsible before its citizens for the safety of their lives (Shabbir, 2019). Thus, the state has the right to use deadly force and start actions in order to safeguard and protect itself from criminals and their acts.
Nevertheless, when conducting an operation to capture bin Laden with the use of force, it was imperative not to cause unnecessary damage. The aim was to guarantee the reduction of any accompanying danger (Dunlap, 2019). Despite the fact that bin Laden was killed by the service of America during his capture, the question of the expediency of his total liquidation remains debatable. One of the main reasons for justifying the elimination of the criminal is that he posed a threat to the entire country and millions of its population. In this regard, any method of capturing or destroying the enemy was acceptable.
The assassination of the leader of a terrorist organization justified Obama since bin Laden was not going to surrender to the special forces. This means that the atrocities he committed on the country’s territory could continue further. Some still believe that bin Laden’s killing was dispensable since he was unarmed and did not resist being captured (Dunlap, 2019). The citizens of the US feared the repetition of terrorist threats and expressed a positive opinion about the liquidation of the organization’s leader (Marks, 2019). In addition, many of the UN members took the side of the US, confirming the legitimacy and legality of the actions (Marks, 2019). Thus, the actions of Barack Obama were justified, although there is still no consensus in society regarding the decisions.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it should be said that Obama’s operation to eliminate the terrorist leader is justified. Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan during the Geronimo special operation on May 1, 2011. According to international law, the United States was in danger posed by bin Laden and such efforts to eliminate the criminal were necessary. In the decision of the country’s administration, it was a priority to save people’s lives and minimize any potential danger. Therefore, the decision to take bin Laden alive or dead played a potentially important role, and his elimination could be justified by the desire to protect hundreds of thousands of lives. Armed actions were also allowed because Al Qaeda posed a significant threat to the United States, and the country could use military force in self-defense. The general question is whether Osama bin Laden posed a threat during the capture. The answer is important in order to determine how inhumane the murder of the criminal was rather than his capture and imprisonment.
References
Dunlap, C. (2019). Yes, the raid that killed Osama Bin Laden was lawful. Lawfire.
Marks, J. (2019). How SEAL Team Six took out Osama bin Laden. History.
Shabbir, D. T. (2019). American imperialism in post 9/11 era: Perspective from Pakistan. Stratagem, 2(2), 59-79.