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President Obama on Death of Osama bin Laden

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good evening tonight I can report to the American people and to the world the United States is conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden leader Ball Kai to and a terrorist who's responsible for the murder of thousands innocent men women and children it was nearly ten years ago bright September day was darkened by the worst attack on the american people in our history images 911 are seared into our national memory hijacked planes cutting through a cloudless September sky 20 hours collapsing to the ground black smoke billowing up from the pentagon the wreckage 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 NTC at the dinner table children were forced to grow up without their mother or their father parents 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 offer the wounded our blood we reaffirmed our ties to each other and I love community and country on that day no matter where we came from what God we prayed to race or ethnicity we were we were united as one American family we were also united in our resolve to protect our nation and birding to bring those who committed this vicious attack to justice week look 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 Iraq work for 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 a Valkyrie terrorists including several who were part the 9/11 clock yet Osama bin Laden avoided capture and escaped across the Afghan border into Pakistan meanwhile all kinda continued 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 was far from Cirque and took many months to run this thread to ground I met repeatedly with my national security team as we develop 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 a bot about Pakistan 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 up and took custody up his body for over two decades bin Laden has been al Qaeda's leader and symbol 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 it is death does not mark the end of our for 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 up but our war is not against Islam biz bin Laden was not a Muslim leader he was a mass murderer muslims indeed al Qaeda slaughtered scores of Muslims in many countries including our own so its 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 what's that is what we've done but it's important to note that our counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan helped lead us to bin lock 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 is also spoken with their Pakistani counterparts they agree that this is a good and historic day for both of our nations going forward it is a central the Pakistan continue to join us in the fight against al Qaeda and its affiliates the american people did not choose the spike it came to our shores and started with the senseless slaughter arsonists after nearly 10 years of service struggle and sacrifice we know well the cost support these efforts weigh on me every time I as commander in chief have to sign a letter to a family that has lost a lot more or look in the eyes of a service member who's been gravely wounded so Americans understand the cost support 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 in Dallas 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 al Qaeda's terror: justice has been done tonight we give thanks to the countless intelligence and counterterrorism professionals who work 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 their pursuit of justice we give thanks for the man who carried out this operation for they exemplify the professionalism patriotism and unparalleled courage those who serve our country and they're part of the generation that has borne the heaviest share the burden since that September day finally let me say to the families 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 the prevailed on 9/11 I know that it as time sprayed yet today's achievement is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination above the american people because 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 a well for power because of who we are one nation under got in the visible but Liberty and justice for all thank you may God bless you may God bless the United States of America