January 22, 2002

Justice for Osama?

Through A Glass Darkly, by John Myers, Internet Photojournalist

The hunt for Osama bin Laden continues and no doubt will until he is either found or clear evidence surfaces that he is dead. But perhaps justice may be met outside of a courtroom.

I read with interest the story the other day quoting Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf, who speculated that bin Laden is probably already dead due to untreated kidney failure.

Osama bin Laden speaks to a selected group of reporters in the mountains of Helmand province in southern Afghanistan in this Dec. 24, 1998, file photo. U.S authorities investigating the Tuesday Sept. 11, 2001 devastating attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon are focusing on terrorist groups tied to bin Laden. (AP Photo/Rahimullah Yousafzai)

Musharraf's comments were just speculation, as he said he had no knowledge that bin Laden is already dead. But he did say that bin Laden had purchased two dialysis machines from Pakistan, one of which he believed was for his personal usage.

The last photos seen of bin Laden are from a video he made, and in that he was clearly not looking very healthy. Hiding out in caves with bombs shaking the earth under and around you is not conducive to optimum health in the first place. But his pasty complexion and lack of use of his left hand -- while he is left-handed -- were cited then as possible evidence of his poor health.

American officials have also noted he is believed to be suffering from kidney disease. And though it has not been said publicly, I will bet our espionage services worldwide are keeping a close eye on all possible dialysis machines anywhere near Afghanistan to see if a pale-looking bin Laden should show up.

But as I thought about this possible scenario, this came to mind. Wouldn't it be poetic justice if bin Laden were to die of kidney failure? When your kidneys stop functioning properly, all the poisonous waste products in your bloodstream don't get removed and without dialysis to purify the blood, you will die.

And that's exactly what bin Laden has been trying to do to the whole world, spread his poison of hate and destruction of everyone who doesn't believe in his brand of militant Islam.

If he should die by slowly stewing to death in the poisons of his own body, perhaps that is more true justice than ever coming before the bar to be tried in the courts of justice of this world.

I know Jesus tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who despitefully use us, but I have to admit it's a real stretch when it comes to praying for a mass murderer like bin Laden.

I feel like praying instead, let him die in his own poisons.

But if I follow my feelings, what's the difference between bin Laden and me? I shall try to pray for this evil man, and in the meantime I shall take solace in another Scripture. Solomon said he who digs a ditch for his neighbor shall fall into it himself.

Osama bin Laden attempted to spread his poison all over the world, and now he may be drowning in his own poisons. That's justice enough for now. But I shall still pray for his final justice, while I am attempting to pray for God to have mercy on his soul.