Osama bin Laden is dead...so why the mixed emotions?

Osama bin Laden is dead.  As I do not have cable or any type of television service, I might not have known about this,well as long as it took me to check my facebook account, had there not been a breaking news banner on the Yahoo homepage. I have to tell you I am feeling a bit overwhelmed with mixed emotions.

My first reaction: "Why are we not in the streets celebrating the victory this is?" Ya know, the type that will leave us with iconal images of sailors kissing random women. Flags waving, etc. We cut off the head of the snake. Then reality set in. (*WARNING* DO NOT continue to read if you do not want to think about anything but the positive).

While this is a major victory, we must not lose sight of the fact that if he were as good a leader as we all believe him to be, he has other's trained & primed to take his place. We have increased their motivation of vengeance and retaliation, we have given them a martyr.

Do not get me wrong, I wholly support our military and their mission. This needed to be done, the man is evil. However, I am unable to ignore the trepidation I have for our service members overseas. Especially those in Afghanistan and those preparing to go. The realist in me sees an increase in not only attacks but also an a feuling of the fervor of the estimated 36,000 Taliban fighters in Afghanistan , and other Taliban around the world. I am not alone in this assessment, our government feels the same way. Warnings have been issued to all service members overseas for increased awareness and security.

I am not the only wife feeling this way either, over at SpouseBuzz wives are experiencing many of the same emotions and fear for their spouses, friends and loved ones. So we will do what we always do, take a deep breath, process the emotions, thoughts and fears and continue with our lives. To do otherwise would be giving victory to our enemies. I need the peace of God that surpasses all understanding at times like this...His strength is what keeps me going, on my own I would be a nervous wreck of tears going down many dark paths in my mind. "Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say on the Lord." Psalm 27:14(NKJ)


*Edit* Is it any surprise that within a week of their leader being killed the Taliban release a two-page report stateing on May 1 they will launch a spring offensive? A day before we as a nation knew bin Laden was dead, they show an need to prove that they are still a very real threat.