GERONIMO!

The death of Osama bin Laden has not only closed a chapter in the United States' War on Terror. It also appears to create another problem. This problem deals with people in the United States.

Reports are coming out that American Indians are unhappy with the code name assigned to bin Laden: Geronimo.

The Associated Press reported that Loretta Tuell, staff director and chief counsel for the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, has objected to the use of the name in the covert Navy SeALs mission. Tuell is one of many people of American Indian descent who believe using the name insults the Indian warrior of the same name and diminishes the contributions made by American Indians who served in the United States military.

Using the code name was no meant to insult or diminish anyone who belongs to an Indian tribe or however they have served their country. The sole purpose of using the code name was the same as using every other code name: To make sure anyone who may be listening in on the radio relays does not understand the topics or the targets of who or what forces are going after.

Referring to Osama bin Laden as "Geronimo" was not meant as an insult to the fighter or anyone who decsends from a tribe. No one in planning this attack was looking for a specific Indian name or any particular nationality or culture. When a mission of this magnitude is being planned, the name of the target is not important. What is important is the intelligence gathered and whether the mission is successful.