OSAMA BIN LADEN IS DEAD !

[RoyalDeftonicBoy]

JUSTICE HAS BEEN SERVED !

WASHINGTON – Osama bin Laden, the glowering mastermind behind the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks that murdered thousands of Americans, was killed in an operation led by the United States, President Barack Obama said Sunday.

"Justice has been done," said the president in a dramatic late-night announcement at the White House.

A small team of Americans killed bin Laden in a firefight Sunday at a compound in Pakistan, the president said, and took custody of his remains. Americaj officials said they were being handled in accordance with Islamic tradition.

A jubilant crowd gathered outside the White House as word spread of bin Laden's death after a global manhunt that lasted nearly a decade.

Former President George W. Bush, who was in office on the day of the attacks, issued a written statement hailing bin Laden's death as a momentous achievement. "The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done," he said.

Obama said he ordered the operation after receiving undisclosed intelligence information. Senior administration officials said the terrorist mastermind was found inside a custom-built compound with two security gates. They said it appeared to hvae been constructed to harbor one high-value target and that for undisclosed reasons, officials became clear the hideout was bin Laden's.

Officials also said they believe the death puts al-Qaida on a path of decline that will be difficult to reverse, but there was no word on the whereabouts of bin Laden's second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahri.

The stunning end to the world's most widely-watched manhunt came just months before the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Centers and Pentagon, orchestrated by bin Laden's al-Qaida organization, that killed more than 3,000 people.

Click image to see photos of bin Laden, reaction to death


AP/Manuel Balce Ceneta

The attacks a decade ago seemed to come out of nowhere, even though al-Qaida had previously damaged American targets overseas.

The terrorists hijacked planes, flew one of them into one of Manhattan's Twin Towers — and, moments later, into the other one. Both buildings collapsed, trapping thousands inside and claiming the lives of firefighters and others who had rushed to help them.

A third plane slammed into the Pentagon, defacing the symbol of America's military night. A fourth crashed in rural Pennsylvania after passengers overpowered the hijackers and forced the craft from the air — before it could hit its intended target in Washington.

The attacks set off a chain of events that led the United States into wars in Afghanistan, and then Iraq, and America's entire intelligence apparatus was overhauled to counter the threat of more terror attacks at home.

A senior administration official says Obama gave the final order for U.S. officials to go after bin Laden on Friday. The official added that a small team found their quarry hiding in a large home in an affluent suburb of Islamabad. The raid occurred in the early morning hours Sunday.

Administration officials offered some details of the operation.

Based on statements given by U.S. detainees, intelligence officials have known for years that bin Laden trusted one al-Qaida courier in particular and they believed he might be living with him in hiding. In November, intelligence officials found out where he was living, a huge fortified compound in an affluent suburb of Islamabad. It was surrounded by walls as high as 18 feet high, topped with barbed wire. There were two security gates and no phone or Internet running into the house.

Intelligence officials believed the $1 million home was custom-built to harbor a major terrorist. CIA experts analyzed whether it could be anyone else, but time and again, they decided it was almost certainly bin Laden.

Three adult males were also killed in Sunday's raid, including one of bin Laden's sons, whom officials did not name. One of bin Laden's sons, Hamza, is a senior member of al-Qaida.

Obama spoke with Bush and former President Bill Clinton Sunday night to inform them of the developments.

Obama struck a less than boastful tone in his brief announcement, although he said the death of bin Laden was "the most significant achievement to date in our nation's effort to defeat al-Qaida.

"His death does not mark the end of our effort. There's no doubt that al-Qaida will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must and we will remain vigilant," he added.

Moments after he spoke, American officials cautioned that the events could lead to heightened threats against the United States.

Officials said the U.S. would ensure that bin Laden's body was handled in accordance with Islamic tradition.

[Variable]

I swear, if any of you try to start talking about how Obama tried to take credit for the whole thing, I'm going to e-kick you.  I'm getting enough of that nonsense on Facebook

[bright lights, big city]

but dude, he signed off on it.

[Variable]

Ha, Yeah I would hope so.  Two helicopters of U.S. Navy SEALs flew into a country where we had NO authorization to use our military and killed a bunch of people.  I certainly hope he signed off on it.

[Frequency_Chemist]

Ha, Yeah I would hope so.  Two helicopters of U.S. Navy SEALs flew into a country where we had NO authorization to use our military and killed a bunch of people.  I certainly hope he signed off on it.

Lol got to love America.

[bright lights, big city]

at least we have this

[Frequency_Chemist]

at least we have this

Lol lucky us

[Variable]

Ha, Yeah I would hope so.  Two helicopters of U.S. Navy SEALs flew into a country where we had NO authorization to use our military and killed a bunch of people.  I certainly hope he signed off on it.

Lol got to love America.

Makes me want to watch team America.

Especially when I see people celebrating on ground zero

[blixa]

I swear, if any of you try to start talking about how Obama tried to take credit for the whole thing, I'm going to e-kick you.  I'm getting enough of that nonsense on Facebook

that was one of his election promises, wasn't it?

[Variable]

I don't think so.  But that wasn't my point.

It's just that literally minutes after his speech people started making post like " Obama. Hahahahaha what a joke you are!!! "

and "What a way too take credit from Bush huh ! Sorry ass of a president you are Obama !"

and "well, I just listened to Obama's speech...evidentally he's taking credit for everything"

I literally pulled those off my facebook wall.  That's not even all of them. I just can't take stupidity in too high of doses. 

[downtownpony]

 This is the only post I've seen about it on facebook.
"DEAR CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICANS / TEA PARTIERS / ETC:

I KNOW YOUR GUY TRIED FOR 8 YEARS.
NO WORRIES.

......OBAMA GOT HIM."

[Variable]

Of course it had to get turned into a Republican vs. Democrat thing.  Of course.

Does anyone know what a false dichotomy is?

[blixa]

I don't think so.  But that wasn't my point.

It's just that literally minutes after his speech people started making post like " Obama. Hahahahaha what a joke you are!!! "

and "What a way too take credit from Bush huh ! Sorry ass of a president you are Obama !"

and "well, I just listened to Obama's speech...evidentally he's taking credit for everything"

I literally pulled those off my facebook wall.  That's not even all of them. I just can't take stupidity in too high of doses. 

it was one of his promises. he said that he was going to make it his top priority to find bin laden. he fulfilled that promise. he obviously was apart of it and he is the leader of america so i don't know what the bother is about.

i certainly don't credit bush for it.

[Variable]

Oooook?  You and I agree on this.  I don't know why you seem to be arguing with me about something that I agree with you on.

I just didn't really see "catching bin laden" as a campaign promise.  But I guess it was. 

I don't credit Bush either, that's my point.  They are trying to credit Bush.  I mean, really I don't credit Obama either.  But neither was he.  He simply said that he authorized the mission.  Pretty much " the intelligence agency actually did a really good job, so I told them to go for it."  He in no way tried to imply that he somehow should be given praise for this.  He simply said that he authorized it.  Which as I pointed out earlier, he kind of had to.  So I don't see what all the damn fuss is about from my "republican" friends who somehow want to say Obama is taking credit for something he didn't deserve.  It's just annoying. 

[Frequency_Chemist]

Ha, Yeah I would hope so.  Two helicopters of U.S. Navy SEALs flew into a country where we had NO authorization to use our military and killed a bunch of people.  I certainly hope he signed off on it.

Lol got to love America.

Makes me want to watch team America.

Especially when I see people celebrating on ground zero

Yeah I haven't seen that movie in forever. I use to have it on dvd, but I don't know wtf happened to it. It's just sad, but funny how ignorant we are. It's seriously pisses me off sometimes.America...fuck yeah!

[Variable]

YAY! We killed a bunch of people!  Now lets go dance on the graves of a bunch of other people and somehow act like this is civilized!

[blixa]

i'm not arguing, trey. i'm just saying that getting bin laden was a promise that obama made and it got fulfilled. the thing is, bush said the same thing and he didn't accomplish it in his two terms. my father is crediting bush and bush alone, which is utter rubbish and makes me very mad.

in my eyes, america got bin laden. i'm not crediting one single person. i'm crediting whomever was involved in getting the arsehole.

[Variable]

Yeah it was a really big collaborative effort.  I mean, I wouldn't really say that Bush didn't accomplish it.  He laid the ground work and Obama continued the work and it eventually got done.  Or should we be more accurate and say the Bush administration started it and the Obama administration finished it.  Neither of the two men actually had anything to do with it.

If you REALLY want to get technical with it, Clinton started the hunt for Bin Laden.  Tell that to your dad and see how he likes it. 

[Frequency_Chemist]

YAY! We killed a bunch of people!  Now lets go dance on the graves of a bunch of other people and somehow act like this is civilized!

Exactly. Plus I like how in the above article the writer talks about how such a big blow the death of Bin Laden is to al-Qaida. Like theres not tons more people like him where he came from.

[Variable]

No body gives a shit about the death of Bin Laden.  He was WAY out of the Al-Qaida loop a long time ago.  And I'm getting sick of the news telling me (a service member) how happy I am that hes dead