Prof Robert Patman, of the University of Otago politics department, said confirmation the mastermind behind the September 11 attacks was dead vindicated a fundamental change in foreign policy by the Obama Administration.
"Al Qaeda absolutely hated Obama." Whereas his predecessor, George W.
Bush, declared a war on terror and launched an invasion of Iraq, which boosted al Qaeda's cause, Mr Obama had worked to "improve America's international reputation in the Middle East", Prof Patman said.
Switching attention to the terrorism hotspots of Pakistan and Afghanistan "paid off", resulting in the scalp of the United States' most wanted man.
The fact bin Laden was not taken alive prevented any "embarrassing" revelations, and even offered an exit strategy for Afghanistan, Prof Patman said.
Mr Obama could expect a boost in the polls. His opponents had been quick to label him not patriotic but bin Laden's death "demonstrated that is rubbish".
"Strategically, it is good news; politically, it is great news."
Mr Obama's strategy of appealing to the youth and the middle majority of the Middle East, coupled with the rise of social media, helped encourage change and relegate a group like al Qaeda to the extreme fringes.
It was the youth rather than al Qaeda involved in recent Middle East uprisings and it appeared its influence was diminishing but could not be dismissed.
The legacy of bin Laden was how he led a determined group of individuals against the "most powerful country in the world", striking at its most powerful symbols - the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon.
"In the short term, al Qaeda will claim him as a martyr ... and we don't know how many potential bin Ladens are ready to step up to invigorate al Qaeda."
