A Non-Offensive Reaction to a Successful Anti-Terrorist Strike

On Christmas Eve, I had a few moments before family arrived to skim the web looking for news. One story that lept out alleged that the radical Muslim, Iman Anwar Alawki was killed in a joint effort between the US & Yemen military. Alawki is an American who is alleged to have had contacts with the Fort Hood shooter, Major Hassan. There has been much speculation that he may have influenced the actions of Major Hassan. There is no question that Iman Alawki has urged violence in the past.
Apparently, Yemenese military attacked a large Al Quida base camp on Christmas Eve which was holding a meeting of top leaders of the movement. An un-named Yemen official reported that Alawki was killed in the attack.
I quoted the AP article and wished Alawki a very Merry Christmas from all the US and especially the men and women of Fort Hood.
It recieved close to 500 views in less than three hours. Some of whom apparently found it offensive. One person even felt compelled to join FOX4 specifically to tell me that my joy on Christmas Eve over Alawki's reported death was unChristian and that it was never proven that Major Hassan was working with anyone but acted alone.
I responded to the new blogger by stating that: I wasn't a Christian so I didn't feel bad for celebrating the death of a man who has repeatedly advocated violence against the US on Christmas Eve. And that while I agreed that he didn't give orders to Major Hassan, I felt that Alawki's violent rhetoric may have influenced Hassan's actions. (The same way that I feel that Glenn Beck's rhetoric can influence the actions of others.) And since Alawki was in attendence of a meeting of top Al Quida officials...it wasn't like he could claim innocence. I believe I called it "guilt by association". So I stood by my original post and refused to apologize for not showing more Christian mercy on the day arbitrarily picked to represent the birth of Christ.
The post got pulled by Fox 4.
Now, I'm not objecting to that. It actually makes sense to me. If my post caused that much of an uproar, a responsible business owner would pull it. (And let's be clear.....First Amendment Rights do not apply to privately owned web sites. If Fox 4 doesn't like my post because it causes them problems with thier viewers, I have multiple options to post on other sites.)
Unfortunately, since that original post, two things have happened. The Yemenese government is now back tracking on whether Awlaki was killed or not. (Though the report that over 30 Al Quida leaders were killed still stands.) And less than 12 hours after Fox pulled my original post, a man climbed aboard an American flight from Europe carrying a "bomb" supplied to him from someone in Yemen!
Those of you who read my posts often know that I am a firm believer that not all muslims are terrorists. I have never denied having many Muslim friends and I have a deep love for both thier culture and their friendship. But that love does not extend to terrorists.
There are lots of questions about what happened and how it happened. American partisan politics and desperate-for-news-during-a-holiday media will disect this time and time again. But both the US and Al Quida have learned something this holiday season.
Americans have learned that we still have holes in our security. We still have room for improvement. And Al Quida leaders have learned that from top military officials all the way down to American passengers sitting behind your bomber....Americans will not rest in our efforts to stop you. Not even during Christmas!
sources:
http://community.fox4kc.com/_A-Non-Offensive-Reaction-to-a-Successful-Anti-Terrorist-Strike/BLOG/1644730/96364.html