A few observations, largely from Wayne Grudem’s book:
1. God established some form of civil government in Genesis 9 when he commanded that man shed the blood of murders (Gen. 9:5-6). As Wayne Grudem writes, “God establishes the obligation to carry out the most severe punishment (the taking of a human life) in retribution for the most horrible crime (the murder of another human being).”
2. Throughout history, anarchy, where it has existed, has been dreadful (Judg. 17:6, 18:1, 19:1-30, 21:25). In the New Testament, Paul commands thankfulness for governmental authorities, even wildly corrupt ones, as Paul himself surely experienced (I Tim. 2:1-4).
3. Governments should promote justice and defend the weak (Ps. 82:2-4). Paul seems to assume they have this function, and that they generally carry it out, however imperfectly (Rom. 13:1-7, I Peter 2:13-14). Note that Rom. 13:4 calls the governing authority “an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer,” even though we (individually) are forbidden to avenge ourselves (Rom. 12:19).
4. That Osama Bin Laden organized, encouraged, and supported the mass murder of thousands (if not tens of thousands) of innocent people is beyond dispute.
A governmental authority who exercises life-ending wrath on a mass murder is fulfilling one of its God-given duties. Christians throughout the world can be sober-mindedly thankful (I Tim. 2:1-4), without gloating (Prov. 24:17), at the actions which culminated in the death of Osama Bin Laden.
Related: Why John Piper is grateful for (almost) any government