Respectfully snipped-the body count may be different, but imo the sentiment is the same.
You are totally welcome to your thoughts and opinions, and know that I respect you for them.
For me, there is a giant difference.
We are at war. It has been declared, we had a clear and known target, the other side knew we were at war, and it was a military action in a war zone against a military target, using military forces to achieve the end.
When 9/11 occurred, we were not at war, no war had been delcared, civilians were the target, and it was not a military action against us by another country's armed forces.
The ones who were killed last night knew they were targets. The ones who were killed on 9/11 were going to work, or on vacation, or traveling to see folks. The victims of 9/11 had NO idea they would be targets, would die a terrifying, horrific death. Destruction was widespread, traumatic to an entire nation, and shocking.
OBL indeed knew he was a target, that everyone around him was a target, and his life was on the line each and every day. He may have been many things, but he was not surprised by his death...he knew it was coming.
Our "celebration" of OBL's death may seem to be a terrible thing. But our relief that we indeed did what we said, that the (at least titular) head of AQ has been taken out...to me, is very, very different than the celebrations of those folks when the towers fell, and the planes crashed, killing thousands of folks who were just going about their business on a gorgeous Tuesday in September. We are not cheering an attack on innocents. We are not celebrating the death of thousands.
We are cheering our military in a job well done. We are celebrating in a sense of relief and thanksgiving that we were able to bring down this "man", keep the casualties to a minimum, and that we no longer have this "boogy man" to deal with.
There will be more attacks; OBL has, be assured, made plans for a transition of power. But we have shown that we do what we say, no matter how long it takes; we do it honestly, not using commercial airlines and financial towers to acheive our goals; and we do it with care, not killing children and people who have nothing to do with the military.
As I said, I hold it differently than you. I did not, and will not, run around in celebration. But I certainly understand those who are...and it's a far cry from what happened on 9/11.
Best-
Herding Cats
