--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If bin Laden is in fact publicly killed…" description: "\"If bin Laden is in fact publicly killed, then the US military will find itself standing around with its hands in its pockets, wondering what's supposed..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd5/bruce-sterling-3596_bin-laden_if-bin-laden-is-in-fact-publicly-killed_810250.png" --- # If bin Laden is in fact publicly killed, then the US… ![“If bin Laden is in fact publicly killed, then the US military will find itself standing around with its hands in its pockets, wondering what's supposed to come next.” quote by Bruce Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd5/bruce-sterling-3596_bin-laden_if-bin-laden-is-in-fact-publicly-killed_810250.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd5/bruce-sterling-3596_bin-laden_if-bin-laden-is-in-fact-publicly-killed_810250.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd5/bruce-sterling-3596_bin-laden_if-bin-laden-is-in-fact-publicly-killed_810250.png) > “If bin Laden is in fact publicly killed, then the US military will find itself standing around with its hands in its pockets, wondering what's supposed to come next.” [Bruce Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-sterling/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If a high‑profile target is eliminated, the military may become idle, uncertain of next steps. **In simple terms:** Eliminating a foe can leave strategic vacuum. Key Takeaway Plan post‑conflict objectives in advance. Themes war strategy uncertainty Mood cautious analytical Type strategic critical When to use this quote - policy briefing - defense strategy session - peacebuilding initiative Key Concepts power vacuum military planning political aftermath Questions to Reflect On - What long‑term goals should follow a decisive action? - How can forces stay purposeful after a victory? A Different Perspective Over‑reliance on single targets can ignore systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military/) ## Related quotes > [Actions speak louder than words. The reality is that at least 10 journalists have been killed by the US military, and according to reports…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eason-jordan/actions-speak-louder-than-words-the-reality-is-that-at-least-10/) [Eason Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eason-jordan/) > [Bin Laden was intelligent, well-informed, and low key. The people around him treated him with great deference, calling him 'sheikh,' a term of respect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bergen/bin-laden-was-intelligent-well-informed-and-low-key-the-people-around/) [Peter Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bergen/) > [“Soon after the raid was over, the White House released the now-famous photo of all of us watching the video in that small conference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-gates/soon-after-the-raid-was-over-the-white-house-released-the-now-famous/) [Robert M. Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-gates/) > [There's already been some trouble for Osama bin Laden in the afterlife. There was a mix up and he was greeted by 72 vegans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/there-s-already-been-some-trouble-for-osama-bin-laden-in-the/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [Without the connotation good or bad, bin Laden's a great man in the sense that he's influenced the course of history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-scheuer/without-the-connotation-good-or-bad-bin-laden-s-a-great-man-in-the/) [Michael Scheuer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-scheuer/) > [We're learning more about Osama bin Laden. His father was married 16 times, and he has five wives. I think we're getting to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/we-re-learning-more-about-osama-bin-laden-his-father-was-married-16/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [Bin Laden is dead, and most of his friends are dead. But did it need to cost a trillion dollars and two land wars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/bin-laden-is-dead-and-most-of-his-friends-are-dead-but-did-it-need-to/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [Funny, for all surveillance, Osama bin Laden is still free—and we're not. Guess who's winning the "war on terror?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/funny-for-all-surveillance-osama-bin-laden-is-still-free-and-we-re/) [Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/) > [ I think it was Osama bin Laden's \[idea to start a pre-emptive war in Iraq\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-rove/i-think-it-was-osama-bin-laden-s-idea-to-start-a-pre-emptive-war-in/) [Karl Rove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-rove/) > [Bin Laden was constantly revolving in his mind the fact that he had got rid of the Russians; therefore, the Americans can be got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fisk/bin-laden-was-constantly-revolving-in-his-mind-the-fact-that-he-had/) [Robert Fisk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fisk/) > [On the subject of Osama bin Laden... we will track him down. We will capture him. We will bring him to justice, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/on-the-subject-of-osama-bin-laden-we-will-track-him-down-we-will/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Many of us didn't believe in the image of bin Laden as a wandering Old Man of the Mountains, living on plants and insects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/many-of-us-didn-t-believe-in-the-image-of-bin-laden-as-a-wandering/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [The twin causes Bin Laden invokes are Islam and Arab self-determination, and armies rise to serve him. No need to convert or dogmatize. Believers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-vincent/the-twin-causes-bin-laden-invokes-are-islam-and-arab-self/) [Norah Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-vincent/) > [Osama Bin Laden is dead. Killed not by a massive troop deployment but by a commando raid carried out by a few dozen highly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/osama-bin-laden-is-dead-killed-not-by-a-massive-troop-deployment-but/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [R.I.P Osama Bin Laden - World Hide And Go Seek Champion (2001 - 2011)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/r-i-p-osama-bin-laden-world-hide-and-go-seek-champion-2001-2011/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Bruce Sterling > [They used to be seen as insane or unthinkable acts of madmen. But if they take place they'll be called 'war' too. And there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-sterling/they-used-to-be-seen-as-insane-or-unthinkable-acts-of-madmen-but-if/) [Bruce Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-sterling/) > [“You give a guy a license to steal, you've got to expect him to use it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-sterling/you-give-a-guy-a-license-to-steal-you-ve-got-to-expect-him-to-use-it/) [Bruce Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-sterling/) > [“America hadn't really been suited for its long and tiresome role as the Last Superpower, the World's Policeman. As a patriotic American, Oscar was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-sterling/america-hadn-t-really-been-suited-for-its-long-and-tiresome-role-as/) [Bruce Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-sterling/) > [“But the economy's out of control. Money just doesn't need human beings anymore. Most of us only get in the way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-sterling/but-the-economy-s-out-of-control-money-just-doesn-t-need-human-beings/) [Bruce Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-sterling/) > [It's going to be really interesting to see what the heroin market does in the next two years or so. One thing you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-sterling/it-s-going-to-be-really-interesting-to-see-what-the-heroin-market/) [Bruce Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-sterling/) > [Information wants you to give me a dollar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-sterling/information-wants-you-to-give-me-a-dollar/) [Bruce Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-sterling/) > [Architects thrive after massive urban disasters. The abject collapse of East Berlin gave us the only city in Europe with a mighty host of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-sterling/architects-thrive-after-massive-urban-disasters-the-abject-collapse/) [Bruce Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-sterling/) > [Information wants to be free. Believe it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-sterling/information-wants-to-be-free-believe-it/) [Bruce Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-sterling/) > [The internet brought many laudable things, but prosperity, stability, accountability and honest politics were not four of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-sterling/the-internet-brought-many-laudable-things-but-prosperity-stability/) [Bruce Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-sterling/) > [I was once a student in a punk T-Shirt hooked on screwed-up scenarios. That's how I became the esteemed cultural figure that I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-sterling/i-was-once-a-student-in-a-punk-t-shirt-hooked-on-screwed-up-scenarios/) [Bruce Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-sterling/) > [ “If America suffers from drugs, perhaps you should ask what America is lacking, \[“What an asshole,”\] Eric King commented suddenly. They ignored him.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-sterling/if-america-suffers-from-drugs-perhaps-you-should-ask-what-america-is/) [Bruce Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-sterling/) > [“Forget trying to pass for normal. Follow your geekdom. Embrace nerditude. In the immortal words of Lafcadio Hearn, a geek of incredible obscurity whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-sterling/forget-trying-to-pass-for-normal-follow-your-geekdom-embrace/) [Bruce Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-sterling/) > [I like to get paid for doing basic research, so it's pleasant to write some nonfiction about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-sterling/i-like-to-get-paid-for-doing-basic-research-so-it-s-pleasant-to-write/) [Bruce Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-sterling/) > [Find a client and get a job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-sterling/find-a-client-and-get-a-job/) [Bruce Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-sterling/) > [I wouldn't describe that "position" as "parasitic." I'd describe that experience as "edifying." I don't merely write from a critical intellectual distance. I actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-sterling/i-wouldn-t-describe-that-position-as-parasitic-i-d-describe-that/) [Bruce Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-sterling/) [Explore all 126 Bruce Sterling quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-sterling/) ## More Bin laden quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [I wasn’t like, boo hoo, Bin Laden’s dead, but I wasn’t jumping. America’s a very nationalistic country, and in episodes like that of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-scahill/i-wasn-t-like-boo-hoo-bin-laden-s-dead-but-i-wasn-t-jumping-america-s/) [Jeremy Scahill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-scahill/) > [R.I.P Osama Bin Laden - World Hide And Go Seek Champion (2001 - 2011)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/r-i-p-osama-bin-laden-world-hide-and-go-seek-champion-2001-2011/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ “\[to Navy SEALs\] Quite frankly, I didn't even want to use you guys, with your dip and velcro and all your gear bullshit. I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-owen/to-navy-seals-quite-frankly-i-didn-t-even-want-to-use-you-guys-with/) [Mark Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-owen/) > [I couldn't imagine somebody like Osama bin Laden understanding the joy of Chanukah.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-couldn-t-imagine-somebody-like-osama-bin-laden-understanding-the/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [What makes me angry'is that it wasn't me who revealed that I had been with Osama Bin Laden. I originally denied being involved with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kola-boof/what-makes-me-angry-is-that-it-wasn-t-me-who-revealed-that-i-had-been/) [Kola Boof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kola-boof/) > [Taylor Gang or Die. Obviously Bin Laden didn't choose Taylor Gang.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-gang/taylor-gang-or-die-obviously-bin-laden-didn-t-choose-taylor-gang/) [Taylor Gang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-gang/) > [Osama Bin Laden is dead. Killed not by a massive troop deployment but by a commando raid carried out by a few dozen highly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-engel/osama-bin-laden-is-dead-killed-not-by-a-massive-troop-deployment-but/) [Richard Engel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-engel/) > [“New Rule: The White House doesn't have to release the dead Bin Laden photos, but don't pretend we can't take it. We've seen pictures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-the-white-house-doesn-t-have-to-release-the-dead-bin-laden/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [With Benghazi, I don't see anyone saying, 'Hey look, I am overall responsible for this and therefore, I take responsibility for what happened. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jocko-willink/with-benghazi-i-don-t-see-anyone-saying-hey-look-i-am-overall/) [Jocko Willink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jocko-willink/) > [The twin causes Bin Laden invokes are Islam and Arab self-determination, and armies rise to serve him. No need to convert or dogmatize. Believers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norah-vincent/the-twin-causes-bin-laden-invokes-are-islam-and-arab-self/) [Norah Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norah-vincent/) > [Wafah Dufour bin Laden, niece of Osama bin Laden has signed a contract to star in a reality show... called Skating with the Nieces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/wafah-dufour-bin-laden-niece-of-osama-bin-laden-has-signed-a-contract/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) > [“It can certainly be misleading to take the attributes of a movement, or the anxieties and contradictions of a moment, and to personalize or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-can-certainly-be-misleading-to-take-the-attributes-of-a-movement/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [None of us, remember, knew that 9/11 was gonna happen. We didn't live in a state of anxiety and fear about Osama Bin Laden.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-lewis/none-of-us-remember-knew-that-9-11-was-gonna-happen-we-didn-t-live-in/) [Damian Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-lewis/) > [Many of us didn't believe in the image of bin Laden as a wandering Old Man of the Mountains, living on plants and insects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/many-of-us-didn-t-believe-in-the-image-of-bin-laden-as-a-wandering/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) Browse all 566 Bin laden quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If bin Laden is in fact publicly killed, then the US military will find itself standing around with its hands in its pockets, wondering what's supposed to come next.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bruce Sterling" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-sterling/if-bin-laden-is-in-fact-publicly-killed-then-the-us-military-will/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bin laden" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-sterling/if-bin-laden-is-in-fact-publicly-killed-then-the-us-military-will/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd5/bruce-sterling-3596_bin-laden_if-bin-laden-is-in-fact-publicly-killed_810250.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd5/bruce-sterling-3596_bin-laden_if-bin-laden-is-in-fact-publicly-killed_810250.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd5/bruce-sterling-3596_bin-laden_if-bin-laden-is-in-fact-publicly-killed_810250.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If bin Laden is in fact publicly killed, then the US military will find itself standing around with its…” — Bruce Sterling", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bruce Sterling", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-sterling/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If bin Laden is in fact...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-sterling/if-bin-laden-is-in-fact-publicly-killed-then-the-us-military-will/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-sterling/if-bin-laden-is-in-fact-publicly-killed-then-the-us-military-will/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```