As IF Times

link Osama Bin Laden had not left room where he was shot for last 5 YEARS, claims wife | Mail Online.

Here’s something no one has considered.  Bin Laden wanted to be found and killed. 

This is as logical as any other of the theories surrounding his masterful hiding for over 5 years and subsequent discovery.  According to revelations by one of his 3 or 4 wives living with him all this time in the large house in Pakistan, they never left the walls of the gulag style compound…in all that time!  How is this much different than being imprisoned in the federal hoosegow in Joliet for example? 

Paranoia had to be Osama’s normal state since literally the entire world was looking for him.  From sophisticated spy satellites, to night vision monitors to orphan boys delivering newspapers, there was the possibility of detection at any time.   He wasn’t allowed any telephones or cable or satellite service, so amusing himself on Facebook was out.  He was constantly surrounded by smelly men with guns who were likely humorless stooges.  In his darker moments, I’m sure he was reminiscing about his privileged, rich and comfortable youth.  “What was I thinking?!”, he must have asked himself a million times.  Of course he was trapped.  He couldn’t just retire and pass on the leadership reins to the next fanatic.  There is no retirement resort for ex-terrorist Jihad leaders.   There was no upside in being the world figurehead of terrorism if there were no perks.  Directing terrorism from inside a walled prison for 5 years was probably not in the original plan.  When news got to him that Al Gore was being wined and celebrated as a visionary worldwide, it must have eaten him up.

Near the end, the reality of living with not one, not two but up to 4 wives in the same place had to take its toll on the poor guy.  ” You never take us out”, ” Is Fatima prettier than me?”  “You never take out the garbage” etc.  The constant refereeing of cat-fights among his wives must have wore him down.  Five years of this while looking at the same stone walls would drive anyone insane.  Even with 4 real life wives, I’m sure he was musing about the 72 in the hereafter.   He saw giving up as his only out.  When the Navy Seals broke in, he may have been relieved for a split second until he realized that he was wanted DEAD or ALIVE and they were ignoring the Alive part.   The truth will come out eventually.

link Analysis: Core Qaeda priority is survival, not succession | Reuters.

Survival is right.  With the death of Bin Laden also dies the financial benefactor of the Al Qaeda movement.  It’s well known that Osama was worth a few hundred million bucks, or at least was until he decided that the rich playboy lifestyle wasn’t enough stimulation.  Instead he opted to spearhead a higher calling and no doubt used a lot of his money to fund it.  And so he launched Al Qaeda with the intent of lobbing missiles, bombs, mayhem and terror upon the West.  As long as the troops and the bombs and guns were paid for, it was all tickety boo.   No doubt the World Trade Center bombings impressed lots of rabid supporters and most certainly his fund raising was helped by the new street cred.

He could buy protection from governments and pass out some bonus cheques to keep the recruits loyal.  Now that he’s gone, the payroll may be iffier to meet.  Think of it;  someone has to pay for food, weapons, housing, transportation and benefits.  I’m sure the recruits were not all dummies.  They could read about the rich pension and work benefits received by other workers elsewhere.   Even  here in B.C. the minimum wage went up yesterday.  It’ s going to be harder to convince families to give up their sons as suicide bombers  if there is no certainty as to being paid for it.    The funding uncertainty may be what kills Al Qaeda in the end.

Every organized war since men first began disagreeing depends on financing.  Even Coke versus Pepsi needs dough.  Now that the main benefactor is gone, either some state has to come to the table and guarantee the costs of running a worldwide terrorist organization, or else that organization shrivels and becomes only regionally effective.  Who would that state now be?  All middle eastern states are in disarray.  Even Ahmadinejad in Iran may be tossed out by their supreme Poohbah.  As psychologically important as it was to cut off the head of the snake, it was more important to cut off the flow of funds.  It doesn’t matter how charismatic the new guy is if he can’t write the cheques.  It’s possible the zealots will chase after someone with deeper pockets.  Yikes, global warming may get a whole new army!

Update: June 19th 2011:   http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iF3Qn-z3csL9aYAC9C8EDkXqodnA?docId=64989b1e8d634c01ba004f04c52b1b03