(Reuters) – Osama bin Laden was killed in a U.S. assault on his Pakistani compound on Monday, then quickly buried at sea, in a dramatic end to the long manhunt for the al Qaeda leader who had become the most powerful symbol of global terrorism.World leaders hailed bin Laden's death but the euphoria was tempered by fears of retaliation and warnings of the need for renewed vigilance against attacks.The death of bin Laden, who achieved near-mythic status for his ability to elude capture under three U.S. presidents, closes a bitter chapter in the fight against al Qaeda, but it does not eliminate the threat of further attacks.
SEAL TEAM SIX
(National Journal) From Ghazi Air Base in Pakistan, the modified MH-60 helicopters made their way to the garrison suburb of Abbottabad, about 30 miles from the center of Islamabad. Aboard were Navy SEALs, flown across the border from Afghanistan, along with tactical signals, intelligence collectors, and navigators using highly classified hyperspectral imagers. After bursts of fire over 40 minutes, 22 people were killed or captured. One of the dead was Osama bin Laden, done in by a double tap -- boom, boom -- to the left side of his face. His body was aboard the choppers that made the trip back. One had experienced mechanical failure and was destroyed by U.S. forces, military and White House officials tell National Journal. Were it not for this high-value target, it might have been a routine mission for the specially trained and highly mythologized SEAL Team Six, officially called the Naval Special Warfare Development Group, but known even to the locals at their home base Dam Neck in Virginia as just DevGru. This HVT was special, and the raids required practice, so they replicated the one-acre compound at Camp Alpha, a segregated section of Bagram Air Base. Trial runs were held in early April.
I think this was a day long coming and was needed but I know just as most of you know that the country now has a target like never before. We are hated all over the world and with this mission now will be hated even more. I bet we are going to get hit with a big attack from Al Qaeda within months if not weeks. Osama Bin Laden was the leader and looked up to by the members of Al Qaeda and achieved near-mythic status for his ability to elude capture under three U.S. presidents. There will be retaliation for his death, Los Angeles police have begun increasing patrols of religious institutions and other potential terrorist targets and NYPD flooded the city’s subway system with additional cops. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, “out of an abundance of caution,” said it has added more police at airports, the George Washington Bridge and ground zero just to be ready. Secretary of State Clinton declared that the “battle to stop al-Qaeda and its syndicate of terror” is not over and said the U.S. would continue to boost its counterterrorism cooperation with other nations, including Pakistan. Rep. Pete King, head of the House Homeland Security Committee, said on Monday that al-Qaeda will “try to avenge this death” and warned “we’ll have to be on full alert.”
I'm sure we will see more in the coming days and weeks about Al Qaeda and the coming attacks. I will tell each of you to stay alert and don't go near areas of danger like places that would come under attack. If you work at an area that would be in a danger zone use your brain and keep your eye's open. Stay out of big cities and don't go to big events. Check you survival gear and pull out the NBC gear and just stay alert. I hope and pray that not one thing happens but my gut tells me to stand ready for anything.
Are we safer now? No. He's moved from the realm of folk hero to martyr. Just sayin....
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