Late Sunday, troops entered a compound in Pakistan and after a firefight, ended the life of the infamous Osama Bin Laden. He along with three adult males, two couriers and bin Laden’s adult son, were killed when they resisted capture. One woman, who was used by one of the combatants as a shield was also killed during the raid. In keeping with Islamic tradition, Bin Laden’s body was buried within 24 hours of his death … by the U.S. Navy, at an undisclosed location at sea, since many nations wanted nothing to do with allowing Bin Laden’s body to be buried within their nation’s boundaries.
Comments from Nevada’s leaders:
Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid: “This is the most significant victory in our fight against al-Qaida and terrorism, but that fight is not over. As we remember those who were killed on that dark day in September and their families, we also reaffirm our resolve to defeat the terrorist forces that killed them and thousands of others across the globe. Because of courageous Americans in our military and intelligence community, their leader is now gone.”
U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley: “Tonight, Americans join the world in marking the end of this symbol of hatred who died with the blood of thousands on his hand. The U.S. pledged it would hunt down and kill Osama bin Laden for the crimes he committed and nearly a decade after the tragedy of September 11, justice has been served. This is a tremendous victory for America and a promise kept to the families of the 9-11 victims.”
Governor Brian Sandoval: “As the face of global terrorism, bin Laden will forever be a reminder of how deeply we must cherish our freedom, and so it is fitting we come together as Nevadans and Americans to remember the victims of the 9-11 attacks. We are also grateful for the relentless courage and dedication of our Armed Forces who continue to keep us safe from harm.”
U.S. Rep. Dean Heller: “First, I want to thank our men and women in uniform. Justice has been done and this is a great day for America. While the War on Terror is not over, I want to compliment President Obama and President Bush for their continued commitment to bringing this chapter to a successful conclusion.”
U.S. Rep. Joe Heck: “The fact that Osama Bin Laden was killed by US Forces marks the successful conclusion of a painful chapter in American history. While there is still a great deal of work to do in the Middle East to stabilize the region, and this will never bring back the loss our country suffered, today we take another step forward. The men and women fighting, both in our armed forces and intelligence community, to maintain our freedom deserve all of the credit for their dedication to this effort.”