I watched and listened to the pursuit and capture of the Boston Marathon bombers from Thursday night through Friday, mostly on BBC radio and NBC and CBS television. The situation had the suspense of a crime thriller combined with raw nonfiction, real-time reality. Two other factors stood out. First, this couldn't have been resolved so quickly even five years ago without the now-ubiquitous security cameras and cell phone cameras and the technology to analyze vast quantities of digital information quickly.
The second amazing factor was the willingness of the various agencies not only to cooperate and communicate but also to share credit.
There was also an element of fortunate coincidence (like the boat owner spotting blood); a job well done.
To my surprise, I woke up the morning after the surviving perpetrator's capture, thinking "poor kid"; he's only 19. My gut feeling is his greatly admired, radicalized older brother brought him on board. I picture him in that boat, regretting his choices with every ounce of his being. I hope he remains alive, takes his punishment and is able eventually to rebuild a life.
Susan Crawford
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Duluth
