Zawahiri Assassination
After hearing that Ayman al-Zawahiri US drone had assassinated Zawahiri in Kabul, tourists in Ocracoke and the nearby island of Hatteras went back to doing what Americans do best on vacation: fishing, eating crab cakes and drinking beer.
Legendary British-American pirate
Blackbeard (Edward Teach), a legendary British-American pirate, met his end on November 22, 1718, at Ocracoke. However, locals here and in Hatteras continue to recall his legacy. Among the community, he is held in the highest regard. Read More
Joe
A man with two dogs and only his first name, Joe, said that he has “friends and relatives who have served” in Afghanistan. Because of this, he seemed more interested than most in discussing the conflict in Afghanistan.
A nation’s economic health is crucial to its strength.
“That’s a smart application of technology.” We shouldn’t risk the lives of our young men and women by sending them into battle; instead, we should use machines.
War in Afghanistan has lasted longer than any other in American history
Located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, North Carolina is the fourth most popular state for military recruitment in the United States, behind larger states like California, Texas, and Virginia. Since the war in Afghanistan has lasted longer than any other in American history, it’s not hard to locate people who have served there and are prepared to talk about it.
One of the veterans, Shawn, stated, “Yes, it was a long battle, and we should not have allowed it to continue on for so long.” Learn More
Joe Remarked
Joe remarked, “It’s all politics,” and he recalled how, after 9/11, the Saudi government had let the Bin Laden family return home. They agreed that America should use its might to “get rid of those terrible guys” since it has “enough power and technology to eradicate wicked guys.”
According to Liz
According to Liz, a visitor from Virginia who is not a veteran, foreign policy is “far more sophisticated than these two realize,”
“The application of force is crucial and required.” A deeper “understanding of the complexities of a disagreement” is, nonetheless, crucial.
She continued, saying that after 9/11 the United States “had to retaliate, so we did.” But as we got entangled in the Iraq war, we also lost sight of the big picture.
None of the three doubted, however, that “taking out Zawahiri was a good thing.”
As Joe remembered, the then-Governor of Virginia, Alexander Spotswood, was tasked with eliminating Blackbeard.
Notorious Pirate
A notorious pirate known as “Blackbeard,” he was born in Bristol, England in 1680 and became active in the Caribbean and British North American territories. As an adult, he decided to stop being a pirate and obtained a pardon from the king. However, he had to be eliminated after he continued his criminal behavior.
Liz Remarked
Liz remarked, “Pirates have no place in today’s world.” They have to realise that they are helpless in the face of modern regimes. They have far too much power.
She told us that we should “educate your people on how raw power no longer works” after discovering that our group included Muslim journalists. If you want to be powerful, invest in your country’s economy.
After this quick chat, we headed to the coast, first stopping near the iconic Hatteras Tower, a marvel of contemporary engineering. The structure, originally built in 1870 on a small island, was moved 2,900 feet southwest in 1999 to avoid destruction.
Waves were huge and choppy
The waves were huge and choppy. It was also refreshingly cool, making a quick swim a welcome relief from the scorching heat. Unfortunately, the great ocean was devoid of edible fish.
Ocracoke did not even have fried fish. Even okra (bhindi) and Coke would have made us happy. However, they were not available. Ice cream was the only sweet treat we received.
