“Thaaththa,” Bindu Udagedera asked, “I feel so sorry for Obama…”
“Is it Obama or Osama that you are feeling sorry about?” Bindu’s father Percy wanted to know.
“It is Obama I’m feeling sorry about, thaaththa,” Bindu said.
“And why would you be sorry about Obama?” Percy was puzzled.
“Why, thaaththa,” Bindu asked, “he had Osama killed, didn’t he?”
“Yes, he did,” Percy said, “and I thought he was proud of what he did…”
“And why would he be proud about that?” Bindu asked.
“Why, Bindu, most of the world is hailing him as a hero and he has been able to do what George Bush couldn’t do…” Percy explained.
“But I still feel sorry for him, thaaththa…” Bindu persisted.
“And why is that?” Percy demanded.
“That is because of the way Osama was killed, thaaththa…” Bindu explained.
“And what do you mean by that?” Percy inquired.
“Why, thaaththa, Osama was killed not in America but in Pakistan, wasn’t he?” Bindu asked.
“Yes, of course…” Percy recalled.
“And Obama didn’t get Pakistan’s permission for that did he?” Bindu wondered.
“No,” Percy said, “he didn’t even inform Pakistan about it…”
“And why is that, thaaththa?” Bindu wanted to know.
“Well,” Percy observed, “they say it was because this was a top secret mission and they would have been worried that if they informed Pakistan, word would get around…”
“But what that means, thaaththa,” Bindu argued, “is that Obama has invaded another country for a military operation…”
“I suppose someone could say that,” Percy conceded, “but it was for the purpose of capturing a terrorist leader...”
“Then, thaaththa,” Bindu pointed out, “Osama was not armed when he was killed, was he?”
“No,” Percy said, “now they say he was not…”
“So, what that means, thaaththa,” Bindu declared, “is that Obama’s orders have led to the killing of an unarmed person…”
“I suppose someone could say that too,” Percy conceded.
“Then, thaaththa,” Bindu said, “at first they said Osama was killed in a long gun fight; then later they said he was unarmed and changed the entire story of what happened in that incident, didn’t they?” Bindu demanded.
“Yes,” Percy said, “but that could have happened because the initial information they had would have been vague and without all the details…”
“But what that means, thaaththa,” Bindu said, “is that we do not know the exact circumstances of how Osama died…”
“Well,” Percy said, “someone could make that allegation too…”
“Then, thaaththa,” Bindu said, “they are not releasing pictures of Osama’s body, are they?”
“No, they are not,” Percy explained, “but that is only because they believe if the pictures are released, it could lead to more incidents…”
“But thaaththa, because they are not releasing those pictures we do not know for instance, whether he was tortured or not, even though he was unarmed…” Bindu retorted.“Well,” Percy said, “someone could say that too…”
“And that is why, thaaththa,” Bindu declared, “I feel sorry for Obama…”
“But why should you feel sorry for him, Bindu?” Percy was still puzzled, “after all that has happened, he has emerged as the hero in this event…”
“But thaaththa,” Bindu pointed out, “don’t you see what would happen next?
“Well,” Percy said, “as far as I can predict, what would happen next is that he would win re-election because the next presidential election in America is to be held next year and all this will still be fresh in the minds of the American people even then…”
“I’m not so sure about that, thaaththa…” Bindu said.
“And why is that?” Percy demanded.
“Why, thaaththa, interested parties will now start campaigning against Obama…”
“And what will they say?” Percy was curious.
“They will say Obama ordered the American troops to invade another country, capture an unarmed man, torture him and then have him killed…” Bindu suggested.
“And what would be the result of that?” Percy inquired.
“Well, I suppose they will go to different organizations such as the United Nations and ask that Obama be punished for what he did…” Bindu proposed.
“What would be the outcome of that?” Percy was not convinced.
“Why, thaaththa,” Bindu said, “Ban Ki-moon will appoint a panel of so-called ‘experts’ to inquire into the circumstances of Osama’s capture and killing…”
“What would be the next step, then?” Percy asked.
“This panel of ‘experts’ will say there is a possibility of human rights being abused and the possibility of a war crime being committed and they will demand an independent inquiry…” Bindu declared,
“But, Bindu,” Percy pointed out, “Obama is being hailed as a hero and all this is very unlikely…”
“No, thaaththa,” Bindu disagreed, “it is quite likely…”
“Why do you say that?” Percy wanted to know.
“Why, thaaththa,” Bindu explained, “Mahinda maama launched a similar attack on Prabhakaran in his own country and Prabhakaran was killed while he was armed and fighting with the army and they showed pictures to demonstrate he was not tortured and Mahinda maama is still being accused of war crimes…”
“That is true…” Percy conceded.
“So,” Bindu demanded, “since Osama was in another country, was unarmed and not fighting with anyone and could possibly have been tortured and killed because of Obama’s orders, shouldn’t Obama be answerable to war crime charges by Ban Ki-moon?”
Percy didn’t quite know what he should say to that.
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