Osama bin Laden Killed by U.S. Forces - What Are Your Thoughts?

In an unusual late Sunday night address to the nation, President Barack Obama announced that Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the 9/11 tragedy, is dead.

"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," Obama said in the televised address.

Obama said the U.S. conducted a military operation Sunday and, after a firefight, bin Laden was dead and his body in the hands of the U.S. He was killed at a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

CNN is reporting early Monday that Osama bin Laden was shot in the head during a U.S. raid and that U.S. Navy Seals were involved in the mission that killed bin Laden.

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Congressman Todd Akin (R-MO), who represents both Town and Country and Manchester, is a member of the Seapower and Expeditionary Forces Subcommittee which exercises oversight and legislative jurisdiction over the U.S. Navy.

“America was not expecting the infamous attack on September 11th. Numerous times America has sustained surprise attacks, and as the result of such attacks has proven to be a formidable opponent refusing to bend to tyranny," Akin said in a written statement immediately after the news of bin Laden's death was announced. “The death of Osama bin Laden will stand as a warning to would be enemies of our country and as a fitting conclusion to the criminal mind behind the infamous and cowardly attacks of September 11th.”

Nearly 3,000 people died as a result of 9/11, which was series of coordinated attacks against the nation by al Qaeda. Terrorists hijacked four commercial passenger airplanes and intentionally crashed two of the jets into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York.

Hijackers crashed a third plane into the Pentagon, which is near Washington, D.C. Crew and passengers on the fourth airliner tried to regain control of plane, which ended up crashing in a field in rural Pennsylvania. 

Reaction to the news prompted celebrations on the White House lawn Sunday night, concerns of retaliation by al Qaeda supporters and relief for some who had family members die as a result 9/11.

We want to know what Patch readers think of the news? Send us your reactions in the comments section below.