Locals Happy Yet Unsure Of Effect Of Bin Laden Death

Northbrook businesspeople and commuters were pleased yet unsure about the implications of Osama bin Laden's killing as they chatted about the news Monday morning. They wondered what it cost the U.S., what’s next and why the U.S. is engaged so heavily in the current wars overseas.

Gary Pagano, a ticket agent at the Northbrook Metra Station, said there was buzz in the area among commuters at his window. But with a long line to purchase tickets and new monthly passes, conversations were brief.  “The last guy said, ‘I don’t think it’ll end terrorism but it makes a dent in it, slows things down a bit,’” he said. Personally, Pagano feels that “just knowing that if the U.S. can catch somebody like bin Laden, maybe it will put a scare in them, terrorists in general. It’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years, too, you know.

“I went to get a cup of coffee (this morning) and I asked to buy a paper, too, because I want to have the story. I may make a dart board of him,” he joked, but then said seriously, “I may keep it though. It is history.”

One of Pagano’s commuters, Jean McGrew of Northbrook, said he feels relieved and elated. “The question was ‘are we ever going to catch this guy?’ and the answer could have been ‘we’ll never know,’ but now we do know.” 

McGrew fought in the Korean War, and said he was able to identify with soldiers today.  “I think it’s pretty much the same in as much as that I think most wars are silly,” he said. “A lot of people get killed in the process, and I say, why are we doing this? A lot of people got killed in Iraq and now in Afghanistan, and I wonder why we are really there. I think if you ask 10 people, most won’t really know.” 

Whether bin Laden’s death would help the U.S. get out of those theaters war was hard to say, McGrew added.

"So much of it is guesswork and we just have to wait and see what will happen," he said.

He also wasn't sure whether more terrorists would now surface and cause more problems. “I think they’re there, we don’t know where exactly, but they’ll resurface in so far as a reprisal, but how much and when, like I say, so much of it is guesswork,” McGrew surmised.

Joe Minton, a businessman from San Francisco, CA, was in town visiting a client and had a few minutes to reflect on the situation.

“I guess it’s a sense of closure for the survivors and the people affected by it, and the country in general," he said. "I’ll be interested to see what happens next. It’s been a huge investment to go get him. I hope that our security can be reduced and that we can be more comfortable, and even have a better understanding with these people who have such different views than ours. It sounds pretty idealistic, but let’s hope there’s something there.”

Northbrook resident Dave Froehlig, who spent four years in the Marines, said, “I’m curious on who got that $25 million bounty. The Navy Seals smoked him, but who tipped them on it?

“I think it’s a beautiful thing. It was real expensive trying to find him, like a ‘Where’s Waldo?’ kind of thing, but we got him. I think they’re going to retaliate, no doubt about it. Somebody’s going to want to go jihad. It’s unfortunate, but everything out in the Middle East is in pandemonium right now. It’s going to continue to cost the taxpayers more money, though,” he lamented.

“I woke up this morning and was excited to hear that! It was great news,” said Kristen Coates, a Chicago commuter passing through the Northbrook station. “He was the mastermind of 9-11, and we finally got him.”