Osama and I

Recently I have come across a number of people drawing parallels between the character Emmanuel Goldstein in Orwells 1984 and Osama bin Laden. In Orwells book the citizens of Oceania were united by their common enemy and through 'hate' sessions screened every day they were reminded why and how much they detested this person, in 2008 citizens of the free world are close to united in there dislike of Osama and are reminded why most days via the media.


In 1984 the Party used Goldstein as a propaganda tool, it would not be difficult to argue that Osama is/was used in much the same way. Goldstein appears to have been close to no threat to Oceania in 1984, whereas Bin Laden is certainly the financer and commander of Al Qaeda, but is he now the threat he once was?


Is Osama Bin Laden still the threat to global security we believe or is he a conveniant Goldstein-esque propoganda tool to be rolled out by the governments of the world to ensure they have the full support of their people when taking action on terrorism / the axis of evil?