It’s always interesting to see how countries outside the U.S. report the news. The coverage today on Osama’s death was non-stop most of the day.
Both written and oral reports are mostly supportive of the U.S. Kenya is very pro-Obama and many commentators are touting this as a personal victory over Bush. One editorial, though, noted:
“As President Obama proclaimed victory in the war against terrorism from the safety of a televised White House address – and no doubt immeasurably boosted his re-election prospects – he blithely ignored the fact that his armed forces had turned prosecutor, judge, jury and executioner.”
Kenya has no great love lost for Bin Laden. 212 people were killed and an estimated 4000 wounded in a bomb attack at the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi in 1998. Terror attacks in November 2002 killed 15 people near Mombasa and seriously injured another 80.
Nonetheless, there already are reported death threats against Obama’s grandmother, who lives in western Kenya, near Lake Victoria, and she has been given additional security. There are general concerns about retaliation and warnings for U.S. citizens to be cautious.
Kenya's Muslim population is relatively small -- about 10%.
Not unexpectedly, there are more negative reactions coming from the Middle East.
I, for one, slept a bit easier last night.
I had forgotten Obama's grandmother lived in Kenya! Wow, you certainly are living the stuff books are made of!
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