The death of bin Laden at the hands of the U.S.
The death of bin Laden at the hands of the U.S. Navy Seals did little to engender solid relations between Pakistan and the U.S. administration. What effect may that action have on the growth and support for terrorist groups within Pakistan?
Sample Solution
The death of bin Laden at the hands of the U.S. Navy Seals in 2011 had a significant effect on the growth and support for terrorist groups within Pakistan, as it deepened already existing distrust between the two countries (Khan et al., 2019). Bin Laden’s death was seen by many as an infringement on Pakistani sovereignty and caused outrage among some Pakistanis who viewed him as a hero (Barker & Kerr, 2014). This sentiment further increased anti-American sentiment within the country, making it difficult to foster strong diplomatic relations with Washington (Shah & Iqbal, 2015).
Furthermore, bin Laden’s death led to an increase in anti-U.S. violence across Pakistan (Schuettpelz & Olsson, 2018). In particular, there has been a rise of attacks directed against American troops serving in Afghanistan that have originated from within Pakistani borders – suggesting that certain extremist groups may feel emboldened by bin Laden’s demise (Rosenberg & Biddle 2020). Additionally, there is evidence that some prominent members of these organizations are attempting to gain more widespread public support through violent actions against perceived U.S.-affiliated targets in order to capitalize off of this deeply seated feeling of betrayal felt by many towards America following bin Laden’s assassination (Wehrey et al., 2017).
