NYC Thanks US Military For Justice Served...
[WB7: Did you know that the death of Adolf Hitler (an event already drawing historic comparisons) was announced on May 1, 1945? Inexplicably, Bin Laden's body has apparently already been buried at sea, thus leaving ample room for future generations of conspiracy theorists. Another similarity to the demise of Adolf Hitler. Why is that necessary?]
Did you know Abbottabad was named after British Major General James Abbott, who was the First Deputy Commissioner of the District of Hazara. He penned the following poem which remains on a monument in the center of the town which is located on the famous Karakoram Highway, a high altitude passage leading to Western China. The region was a hotbed of "Great Game" intrigue between the Russians and the British in the 1800s. One of Abbott's assignments was to attempt to free Russian slaves in the Khanate of Khiva in order to prevent Russian from using it as a pretense for invasion of regions of Central Asia in dangerious proximity to British India.
Major Abbott in Punjab Attire
I remember the day when I first came here
And smelt the sweet Abbottabad air
The trees and ground covered with snow
Gave us indeed a brilliant show
To me the place seemed like a dream
And far ran a lonesome stream
The wind hissed as if welcoming us
The pine swayed creating a lot of fuss
And the tiny cuckoo sang it away
A song very melodious and gay
I adored the place from the first sight
And was happy that my coming here was right
And eight good years here passed very soon
And we leave our perhaps on a sunny noon
Oh Abbottabad we are leaving you now
To your natural beauty do I bow
Perhaps your winds sound will never reach my ear
My gift for you is a few sad tears
I bid you farewell with a heavy heart
Never from my mind will your memories thwart
WB7: Indeed: "Never from our minds will the memories thwart..."
[Note: If you are looking for a locally informed opinion of the local implications of today's event in Pakistan and Afghanistan, I recommend you keep an eye out for the views of the Pakistani author Ahmed Rashid.
Historic and current images of Abbottabad