In case you may not have heard, Al Qaeda terrorist leader Osama Bin Laden was killed on Sunday in Abbottabad, Pakistan by U.S. Navy SEALs.
Oddly enough, I was watching the Phillies-Mets game on ESPN when announcer Dan Shulman said that Bin Laden had been killed and asked viewers to tune in to ABC News.
About 30 minutes after Shulman made the announcement, President Obama addressed the nation saying that a piece of credible intelligence was presented to him last August.
The president said “it took many months to run this thread to ground” and that the military discovered Bin Laden had been “hiding within a compound” in a suburb of Islamabad, Pakistan.
The president said Bin Laden was killed after a firefight and that his body is in U.S. possession. Mr. Obama said that DNA evidence confirms it is in fact the world’s most wanted terrorist.
None of the Navy SEALs involved in the operation were killed or wounded, and no civilian casualties occurred.
Bin Laden’s death culminates a nearly decade-long search for the man responsible for the attacks on September 11, 2001 and other terrorist attacks dating back to 1996.
Being an ex-Navy man, I can’t begin to tell you how proud I am to know that the toughest military operation in recent history was successfully completed by the SEALs.
However, there is some unsettling news that came out when reports suggested that Bin Laden had been living in a huge compound that was built in 2005.
If that’s the case, Pakistan – a nation that has been given billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars to help us in the search for Bin Laden – has some explaining to do.
As many commentators have asked, how can a compound that dwarfs any dwelling in that region go unnoticed or unreported by the Pakistani government?
Putting that question aside for the moment, it’s a bittersweet day in our nation’s history.
Ridding the world of Bin Laden is proof that no matter how long it takes, terrorist’s are going to be hunted down. But Bin Laden’s death doesn’t mean the war against terror is over.
In fact, the war on terror is far from over. As news of Bin Laden’s death begins to spread, there’s a possibility that terrorist organizations around the globe may seek retribution.
It is important that we remain vigilant in our efforts to identify terrorists and be mindful that they will not stop trying to kill Americans anywhere, anytime.
Congratulations are in order for the thousands of people working within the intelligence community for their service and dedication in making this moment possible.
It’s also important that we thank former president George W. Bush for beginning this fight against terrorism. Regardless of what you may think of the former president, Mr. Bush kept America safe.
And President Obama deserves a lot of credit as well in continuing the efforts to find Bin Laden. I’ve often questioned Mr. Obama’s courage, but today I’m tipping my cap to our Commander-in-Chief.
Remember – stay alert. The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 will always serve as a reminder of what these people want to do and we can never forget.
