Osama Bin Laden, Al-Qaeda mastermind, killed in Pakistan

[Sydian]

Jokes aside though, I don't think it's really right to celebrate someone's death, but at the same time, I agree with Timbjerr. He just needed to be erased from this world.

 

[Melody]

The news told it, President Obama confirmed it, what else can I say?

I believe this calls for a certain phrase!

[AGELIMIT]15+ only

Spoiler:

YEAH!

[/AGELIMIT]

 

[Netto Azure]

So it only took them 10years to find the diabetic NOT in a cave but at a poolside mansion 90 miles fromIslamabad Pakistan. Still... USA! USA !USA!

 

[Caelus]

Glad to hear about this. I thought it was a joke when I first heard it, but I'm glad to know it's real.
Never thought he'd be hiding in a mansion of all places.

 

[Kirbychu]

I'm happy that he can no longer hurt anymore people, but it's sad that we had to kill him to end that nightmare.

 

[Kirozane]

So it only took them 10years to find the diabetic NOT in a cave but at a poolside mansion 90 miles fromIslamabad Pakistan. Still... USA! USA !USA!

Again, surprised the camel spiders didn't win the world's longest game of hide and seek before America did. Maybe he was in the mansion longer than we knew.

 

[skppy1225]

I think a quote that appeared on my Twitter feed best describes how I feel:

"It's a proud day in the war on terror. Many brave soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice in the hopes of what happened tonight."

USA! USA! USA!

 

[The Trotsky]

Bout god damn time. I have no qualms about celebrating that bastard's death. My uncle was a first responder and has been paying for Osama's plans with cancer ever since. He can rot.

 

[Esper]

I was talking to my boyfriend about this, and I'm not sure what to think or how to feel about this.

"Killing people is bad. To teach you that killing people is bad, we're going to kill you. Not saying the world was a better place with Osama in it -- but it feels a little ironic to celebrate death when this is probably exactly how the Taliban reacted when the World Trade Center went down."

"This is a solemn occasion, on which we can be comforted that we have prevented future tragedies Osama bin Laden might author - but the fact is a man has been killed, and no matter his crimes, that is not a cause for celebration."

I have to agree. While he was a horrible man and he can no longer cause harm there are still hundreds of others out there willing to take his place. I don't think it's right to celebrate until we can stop people wanting to become terrorists in the first place.

I do hope there were no innocent bystanders killed.

 

[Aurafire]

People are running around my campus chanting "USA! USA!" :D

This is an awesome day for America, 'tis all I have to say.

 

[Livewire]

I have to agree. While he was a horrible man and he can no longer cause harm there are still hundreds of others out there willing to take his place. I don't think it's right to celebrate until we can stop people wanting to become terrorists in the first place.

I do hope there were no innocent bystanders killed.

One woman was used as a human shield by either Osama or one of his sons, but they were eliminated.

Also, Obama personally sent in Navy SEALS to take care of business.

 

[Arcanine]

It's good to see that he's been killed and he'd paid for the crimes over the years, him being dead won't bring back the thousands he's killed, but at least justice has been done.
And I know Bush will get a lot of flack for not catching him in his 8 years, and Obama will get lots of praise. But really I think both of them tried their best to catch him, it just fell on Obama's lot because he's President now and that's when the intel came in.
The ones that should get all the praise is the military and the intel people of all nations working together to catch Bin Laden. The US was the one attacked on 9/11, and the US was the ones who killed him, but there was lots of people over lots of nations involved over the years. Congrats to all of them to who took part in bringing Bin Laden to justice.

 

[fenyx4]

Details to follow. Bin Laden is dead.

https://www.cnn.com/video/flashLive/live.html?stream=stream1&hpt=C1

Justice has been done.
-United States President Barack Obama

Obama has taken down Osama.
Finally! After 10 years since the tragedy of 9/11...an event as historical as the fall of the Berlin Wall occurs. It's a bit strange to celebrate a death like this, but this one was justified by all means. Countless lives taken and afflicted by this one man...at least now, there is some sort of resolve to those affected by the cruel act of terrorism. Even though the "War on Terror" may unfortunately still rage on, this is a darn good start following Saddam Hussein's demise.

I had the opportunity to watch the entirety of Obama's powerful, stirring, and eloquent speech when it first aired. I first heard the breaking news from a college classmate; I honestly couldn't believe him at first. I mean, I really didn't think anyone would joke about something like this, but thankfully, I was able to confirm the veracity of his words on CNN and Yahoo, among other news outlets. :)

I kind of have finals to study for this week, but it's going to be a bit hard considering this historic turn of events. >_> Excellent job to those U.S. soldiers who carried out the deed. The crowd in front of the White House makes this all the more monumental, and the assembly of people could even be likened to the crowd of people that appeared on the day when Obama got elected. LOL at the people who were climbing trees.

If anyone doubted Obama's ability, well there you go. XD This is going to immensely assist his presidential re-election bid for 2012, no doubt about that. He should practically be a shoe-in - completing the grueling task that Bush started, despite all of those naysayers and detractors belittling his capabilities as serving President. I bet even some birthers appreciate this news, after all of their disparaging efforts against him.

Going to be an interesting year of politics :cer_nod:, indeed, especially considering that the upcoming Patriot Day (9/11) is going to be the 10th anniversary of the attacks. In any case, a night of rejoicing.

One woman was used as a human shield by either Osama or one of his sons, but they were eliminated.

Also, Obama personally sent in Navy SEALS to take care of business.

I heard that tidbit, too...it's downright horrible how someone could that to a woman :(, but I am glad that the offensive culprit is dead.

USA! USA! USA!

 

[Starrodkirby86]

I was talking to my boyfriend about this, and I'm not sure what to think or how to feel about this.

"Killing people is bad. To teach you that killing people is bad, we're going to kill you. Not saying the world was a better place with Osama in it -- but it feels a little ironic to celebrate death when this is probably exactly how the Taliban reacted when the World Trade Center went down."

"This is a solemn occasion, on which we can be comforted that we have prevented future tragedies Osama bin Laden might author - but the fact is a man has been killed, and no matter his crimes, that is not a cause for celebration."

I really like these statements. I really do. Said nicely, and I agree.

Anyway, I really do wonder what's going to happen next. This isn't the end, really (though rather surprising~).

Maybe my feelings for this were a little doused due to my hard studying. :v

 

[Netto Azure]

There's video of the burning mansion live on Pakistan TV.

https://www.geo.tv/live/

Also Obama got the Death Note. That's why Bush couldn't do him in. :P

 

[Esper]

There's video of the burning mansion live on Pakistan TV.

https://www.geo.tv/live/

Pakistan's really got some explaining to do.

 

[Crystalized]

As an Australian, I say finally and well done US. (I listened to it during lunch, it was 11:45 AM over here when the news broke)

Also listened to the speech on the radio, Obama wordered the speech very well (he said this wasn't a war on Islam, which is what I wanted to hear.)

 

[OmegaRuby and AlphaSapphire]

I was shocked when I came out of the shower and heard this, I was like what we finally killed him...I always thought we would send him to trial...
Part of me though thinks that this war still isn't over...it can't be this easy...

 

[fenyx4]

It's also a bit startling how this piece of news has completely blotted out Yahoo's news boxes. Usually, there's like 4 out of 56 being displayed or something, but as of the moment there's only a single headline. I've browsed a few news sites, and, as expected, the news of this monumental event is dominating. And I honestly was beginning to think that our efforts were becoming futile, that bin Laden would die of old age or natural causes or something...but to think that America has at last brought him to justice! I'm still taking in the news...

Video record of Obama's broadcast speech:



Text transcript of Obama's speech:

Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda, and a terrorist who's responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women and children.

It was nearly 10 years ago that a bright September day was darkened by the worst attack on the American people in our history. The images of 9/11 are seared into our national memory. Hijacked planes cutting through a cloudless September sky. The Twin Towers collapsing to the ground. Black smoke billowing up from the Pentagon. The wreckage of Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania where the actions of heroic citizens saved even more heartbreak and destruction.

And yet we know that the worst images are those that were unseen to the world. The empty seat at the dinner table.
Children who were forced to grow up without their mother or their father. Parents who would never know the feeling of their child's embrace.
Nearly 3,000 citizens taken from us, leaving a gaping hole in our hearts.
On September 11th, 2001, in our time of grief, the American people came together. We offered our neighbors a hand, and we offered the wounded our blood. We reaffirmed our ties to each other and our love of community and country.

On that day, no matter where we came from, what god we prayed to or what race or ethnicity we were, we were united as one American family. We were also united in our resolve, to protect our nation and to -- to bring those who committed this vicious attack to justice.
We quickly learned that the 9/11 attacks were carried out by al Qaeda, an organization headed by Osama bin Laden, which had openly declared war on the United States and was committed to killing innocents in our country and around the globe. And so we went to war against al Qaeda, to protect our citizens, our friends, and our allies.
Over the last 10 years, thanks to the tireless and heroic work of our military and our counterterrorism professionals, we've made great strides in that effort. We've disrupted terrorist attacks and strengthened our homeland defense.

In Afghanistan, we removed the Taliban government which had given bin Laden and al Qaeda safe haven and support. And around the globe, we worked with our friends and allies to capture or kill scores of al Qaeda terrorists including several who were a part of the 9/11 plot.
Yet, Osama bin Laden avoided capture and escaped across the Afghan border into Pakistan. Meanwhile, al Qaeda continued to operate from along that border and operate through its affiliates across the world.
And so shortly after taking office, I directed Leon Panetta, the director of the CIA, to make the killing or capture of bin Laden the top priority of our war against al Qaeda. Even as we continued our broader efforts to disrupt, dismantle and defeat his network.

Then last August, after years of painstaking work by our intelligence community, I was briefed on a possible lead to bin Laden. It was far from certain. And it took many months to run this thread to ground.
I met repeatedly with my national security team as we developed more information about the possibility that we had located bin Laden hiding within a compound deep inside Pakistan.
And finally, last week, I determined that we had enough intelligence to take action and authorized an operation to get Osama bin Laden and bring him to justice.

Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abad Abad, Pakistan. A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability. No Americans were harmed. They took care to avoid civilian casualties.
After a firefight, they killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body.
For over two decades, bin Laden has been al Qaeda's leader and symbol and has continued to plot attacks against our country and our friends and allies.

The death of bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation's effort to defeat al Qaeda.
And his death does not mark the end of our effort. There's no doubt that al Qaeda will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must and we will remain vigilant at home and abroad.
As we do, we must also reaffirm that the United States is not and never will be at war with Islam. I've made clear just as President Bush did shortly after 9/11 that our war is not against Islam. Bin laden was not a Muslim leader. He was a mass murderer of Muslims. Indeed, al Qaeda slaughtered scores of Muslims in many countries including our own.
So his demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace and human dignity. Over the years, I've repeatedly made clear that we would take action within Pakistan if we knew where bin Laden was. That is what we've done.

But it's important to note that our counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan helped lead us to bin Laden and the compound where he was hiding. Indeed, bin Laden had declared war against Pakistan as well and ordered attacks against the Pakistani people.
Tonight I called President Zardari, and my team has also spoken with their Pakistani counterparts. They agree that this is a good and historic day for both of our nations. And going forward, it is essential that Pakistan continue to join us in the fight against al Qaeda and its affiliates.
The American people did not choose this fight. It came to our shores and started with the senseless slaughter of our citizens. After nearly 10 years of service, struggle and sacrifice, we know well the costs of war.
These efforts weigh on me every time I, as commander in chief, have to sign a letter to a family that has lost a loved one or look into the eyes of a service member who's been gravely wounded.

So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when our people have been killed. We will be relentless in defense of our citizens and our friends and allies. We will be true to the values that make us who we are.
And on nights like this one, we can say to those families who have lost loved ones to al Qaeda's terror, justice has been done.
Tonight we give thanks to the countless intelligence and counterterrorism professionals who've worked tirelessly to achieve this outcome. The American people do not see their work nor know their names, but tonight they feel the satisfaction of their work and the result of their pursuit of justice.

We give thanks for the men who carried out this operation, for they exemplify the professionalism, patriotism and unparalleled courage of those who serve our country. And they are part of a generation that has borne the heaviest share of the burden since that September day.
Finally, let me say to the families who lost loved ones on 9/11, that we have never forgotten your loss, nor wavered in our commitment to see that we do whatever it takes to prevent another attack on our shores.
And tonight, let us think back to the sense of unity that prevailed on 9/11. I know that it has, at times, frayed. Yet today's achievement is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the American people.

The cause of securing our country is not complete, but tonight we are once again reminded that America can do whatever we set our mind to. That is the story of our history. Whether it's the pursuit of prosperity for our people or the struggle for equality for all our citizens, our commitment to stand up for our values abroad, and our sacrifices to make the world a safer place.
Let us remember that we can do these things not just because of wealth or power, but because of who we are, one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.
Thank you. May God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America.


Source: Yahoo! News
https://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/us_obama_binladen_text

The comment refresh rate on that aforementioned video is baffling...nearly ~18 comments per every 5 seconds. 0_0

Also, why is Fox News the only network spelling the name as "Usama" bin Laden? Just odd... But whatever, let that murderer's name be disrespected and tarnished.

 

[Oryx]

Also, why is Fox News the only network spelling the name as "Usama" bin Laden? Just odd... But whatever, let that murderer's name be disrespected and tarnished.

It's not disrespect at all. The government tends to use the transliterated Usama, while the public is more partial to Osama. His name was in Arabic and there's no exact translation.

Although earlier Fox was saying "Usama bin Landen death confrimed"...it was a bit amusing. :x