Sunday, May 1, 2011

Bin Laden Dead


Several Media outlets are Report Bin Laden is dead... President is making an unscheduled announcement...  2130 eastern...

Bin Laden was killed May 2nd, 10 years after the 9-11 attacks. He was shot in a firefight with a small team of U.S. Navy Seals that raided the compound where he was holed up with some trusted advisers. He was hiding more or less in plain sight only 35 miles from Pakistan's capital Islamabad

Details of the raid are sketchy, it sounds like the Seals arrived in two choppers and a rehearsed plan, that reduced the likelihood of collateral damage.. Reports suggest the besides Bin Laden, three other people including one woman were killed. There has been no mention of American casualties. Bin Ladin's body is in American hands and has been positively ID-ed...


Obama finished addressing the nation, WE GOT THE SOB;  Here's the video




From the CNN live Blog.. 0042am eastern

[Updated, 12:24 a.m. ET] A team of U.S. Navy SEALs carried out the operation in Pakistan that ended in the death of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, CNN's Chris Lawrence reported. The operation lasted about 40 minutes, and the team had practiced the raid a few times.

Earlier, CNN's Nick Paton Walsh, citing a senior Pakistani intelligence official, reported that members of Pakistan's intelligence service - the ISI - were on site in Abbotabad, Pakistan, during the operation that killed bin Laden. The official said he did not know who fired the shot that actually killed Bin Laden

In DC Crowds celebrate the Son of Bitch's Death in front of the White House after Obama's Speech



Full Text of Obama's speech )

THE PRESIDENT: Good evening. 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 11, 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 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 of 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 Abbottabad, 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.

Yet 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 has 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.


Earlier reports



PoliticoOsama bin Laden killed
By JULIE MASON & JOSH GERSTEIN
5/1/11 11:13 PM EDT Updated: 5/1/11 11:47 PM EDT

President Barack Obama on Sunday night announced that U.S. officials have the body of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden — bringing to a stunning end nearly 10 years of international pursuit of the world’s most notorious terrorists.

“A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and ability,” Obama told the nation in a surprise, late-night address

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0511/54050.html#ixzz1LAE2Rvsk



From Fox News,
Usama Bin Laden is Dead, Say Sources  Published May 01, 2011FoxNews.com


Usama bin Laden is dead, multiple sources confirm to Fox News.


MSNBC is calling it a major accomplishment for Obama (of course)

Al Jazeera
Osama bin Laden dead: officials US president expected to announce that al-Qaeda leader has died and that US is in possession of the body.

US president Barack Obama is due to make a statement shortly in which he is expected to announce the death of Osama bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaeda.

Obama's address was due at 0300GMT from the White House.

Qais Azimy, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Kabul, said that Afghan officials have confirmed that Bin Laden had died and that his body was with the United States.

Read the Rest

18 comments:

  1. G-d bless the SEALs.

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  2. This is wonderful news. Everyone should be on guard though. This is going to set those radicals off.

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  3. BBC reports he was shot in the head, US forces took possession of the body, which was buried at sea.

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  4. They should have dragged his rotted corpse through the streets of New York.

    It was a shame to have polluted the water with his body. I hope that it doesn't float.

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  5. Sounds like that waterboarding of KSM worked?

    This was apparently the source of the intel that led the US military to his luxurious quarters in Pakistan. Don't expect to hear much about it on TV or in print though.

    If politically-correct types are still crabby about water-boarding - wonder how they feel about giving this dirt bag a 'lead aspirin' and feeding him to the sharks?

    Sincerely hope afforementioned sharks don't break a tooth while recycling him (although I hear that the tooth will grow back...). Bin Laden will also grow back - there's another Extremist just dying to take the 'title' in the wings somewhere.

    Bin Laden yesterday - shark pooh today.

    C'est la vie.

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  6. Guess I'm still one of the politically-correct types. We executed Japs for waterboarding Americans. And Mike, what makes you think waterboarding of KSM had anything to do with getting OBL.

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  7. Bud, Heard the initial reports that the source of the intel was KSM on several news channels over the past nine hours.

    Just found this on The NY Times site:

    "For nearly a decade, American military and intelligence forces had chased the specter of Bin Laden through Pakistan and Afghanistan, once coming agonizingly close and losing him in a pitched battle at Tora Bora, in the mountains of eastern Afghanistan. As Obama administration officials described it, the real breakthrough came when they finally figured out the name and location of Bin Laden’s most trusted courier, whom the Qaeda chief appeared to rely on to maintain contacts with the outside world.

    Detainees at the prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, had given the courier’s pseudonym to American interrogators and said that the man was a protégé of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, the confessed mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks."

    Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/02/world/asia/02reconstruct-capture-osama-bin-laden.html?hp

    According to this report from the Times, info came from a 'protege of KSM'. More details will come to light as this thing unfolds, but preliminary reports late last night and this morning pointed the source of the intel as 'KSM' himself, presumably after a bout on the board.

    I don't wish anyone a 'waterboarding', but then again, if I could prevent one more American from dying at the hands of a group of 'bad guys'... Well, what can I say? I value our respective lives more than I value their ability to 'breathe regularly'. From a waterboarding, administered with an MD standing by, you re-cover.

    From a guy screaming in a foreign tongue as he saws off your head with a knife? Not so much.

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  8. Mike, Bud's an old soldier, well old Air Force pilot.. a strong believer in the rules of war.. also capible of fine tuning them a bit if it means saving lives..

    SOL; No arguement from me

    Sandra, I saw a photo, little rough to post here.. looks like him, if he took up using Grecian for Men...also looks very dead..

    Good point Fishy... pretty sure this won't make people on their side happy..

    Yishai... God bless them, each and every one.

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  9. When all is said and done, It is results that matter. I for one am happy to see that barry learned from carter's mistakes. (Militarily that is NOT Economically)

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  10. Mike, You have completely missed the point. Info gained from torture is not reliable. The victim will say anything he thinks the torturer wants to hear. I wouldn't be willing to risk our troops lives, based on info from someone tortured. The main thing I learned in POW training, was you only had to resist until your guys learn that you were captured--they then change plans, locations, etc. I believe the bad guys are smart enough to figure that out. But---hooray for the our SEALS

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  11. PS. If you're just looking for revenge--that's another story.

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  12. I'm for the rules of war if everyone is following them. The Japanese and vietcong didn't play by the rules and neither do the bastards in the middle east. Bud you're right revenge can taste sweet.

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  13. There are no rules in the war game anymore; haven't been since 1864, more particularly since 1944. Ask any civilian survivor who lived in Dresden or Hiroshima or Nagasaki or who worked in the WTC. But torture as an instrument of policy only serves to increase an opponent's will to resist. That being said, all forms of 'enhanced interrogation' are not necessarily torture.

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  14. Very well said Bob. A well place electrode can get you a lot of info.

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  15. Fishy, don't think I ever want to get you POed

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  16. Bob,

    There ARE rules in war, but they only apply to Israel, and they are applied in a manner to make us fight with our hands tied behind our backs.

    For instance, if terrorists are shooting at our civilians from a heavily populated area (often with their full support), we aren't allowed to neutralize them.

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  17. Having character and morals is not an easy thing. Like most of you I would love to exact a little revenge on the enemy. I would have been all to willing to participate.

    But then I have to stop myself and realize who I am and what I try to represent. It sucks to be a good guy.

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  18. Captain.. we intentionally took out Yamamoto in WWII, spent a fair amount of money to do it.. I don't recall hearing about any revenge arguements over that.

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