President Barack Obama announced late Sunday night that for the past eight months, since August, 2010, under his direct orders, the United States has been actively engaged in a military effort to capture or kill Osama bin Laden, and succeeded earlier tonight. Calling bin Laden, “a terrorist responsible for the murder of thousands of men, women, and children,” the president described images of 9/11 to the nation as he announced that bin Laden was dead.
Barack Obama will go down in history as the president who was able to do what his predecessor could not — kill Osama bin Laden, the man who claimed responsibility for 9/11 and whose name is synonymous with terrorism around the world.
“The American people came together,” on 9/11, the President said, “we were united as one American family.” Crediting the “tireless” efforts of our military, the President said, “I told Leon Panetta, the Director of our CIA, to make the capture or killing of bin Laden the top priority” of his administration, and that last week efforts intensified. No Americans were harmed in an attack made today, the president said, warning “we must remain vigilant,” and added, “the United States is not at war against Islam.”
“This is a good and historic day for the American people,” the President said, adding, “we know well the costs of war.”
Bin Laden was the founder of al-Qaeda, a terrorist group responsible for attacks around the world, and news organizations are concerned about immediate responses from terrorist organizations.
Bin Laden was also responsible for defining George W. Bush’s presidency, took America to war supposedly in response to his attacks.
It has been none years, seven months, and twenty days since 9/11.
“We will be true to the values that  make us who we are… Justice has been done.”
Obama thanked the men who carried out this operation today, and said to the families who lost loved ones on 9/11, “Let us think back to the sense of unity” we felt after 9/11.
Crowds assembled across from the White House in celebration.
American can do whatever we set out mind to, the President reminded us, “not just because of wealth or power, but who we are, one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all.”
Â