“Thank you, American men and women in uniform. You are America’s finest and we are all so proud. Thank you for fighting against terrorism”

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Related: Statements from Members of Congress on the Death of Osama bin Laden

“The killing of Osama bin Laden does not lessen the suffering that New Yorkers and Americans experienced at his hands, but it is a critically important victory for our nation — and a tribute to the millions of men and women in our armed forces and elsewhere who have fought so hard for our nation.”

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Related: Statements from Members of Congress on the Death of Osama bin Laden

MINNEAPOLIS — GOP presidential hopeful Tim Pawlenty is calling Osama bin Laden’s death “terrific news for freedom and justice.”

Pawlenty issued a statement saying the news fulfills the promise made by President George W. Bush after the Sept. 11 attacks that the U.S. would bring bin Laden to justice.

The former governor of Minnesota also congratulated Obama “for a job well done.”

Pawlenty also said, “America will never shrink from the fight and ultimately those who seek to harm us face only defeat. Today, justice is done, but the fight against radical Islamic terrorism is not yet over.”

Source

Related: Statements from Members of Congress on the Death of Osama bin Laden

“There is hardly a life that has gone untouched in New Jersey by the horrifying assault on American soil that took place on September 11th and today, after years of waiting, justice has finally been delivered,” Christie said. “While our fight against terrorism continues, Osama bin Laden’s reign of terror has come to an end, sending a clear signal that even in the face of immeasurable horror, democracy and freedom continue to prevail.”

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Related: Statements from Members of Congress on the Death of Osama bin Laden

“Justice has been served.  Osama bin Laden, the man responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent Americans is dead, thanks to the relentless efforts of President Obama and American security forces. Our thanks to the brave men and women who serve in our military and security forces who put their lives on the line in the successful pursuit of the mastermind of the 9/11 terror attacks.

“The President kept his word pledging in 2007 to send American forces to hunt down this heinous terrorist wherever he was hiding even in Pakistan if need be. I join with all Americans in thanking the President for making the demise of Osama Bin Laden his number one priority in the war on terror.”

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Statement from Congressman Denny Rehberg on the death of Osama bin Laden:

“This welcome news is bigger than any single terrorist or architect of evil – it is about the ultimate futility of the stand he took against our freedom. In the ten years after his cowardly attacks, bin Laden lived as a fugitive, even hiding in caves. But he could not hide from the long arm of justice. Jan and I are so proud of our men and women serving our great country and we honor those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in keeping America safe.”

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Statement from Congressman Erik Paulsen on the death of Osama bin Laden:

“The news that American forces have killed Osama bin Laden marks a significant achievement in the fight against terrorism. I want to thank the countless American soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen, intelligence officials, as well as their families, for their tireless efforts in protecting our country.”

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Statement from US Senator Patty Murray on the death of Osama bin Laden:

“The President’s announcement tonight is tremendous news for all Americans and for counterterrorism efforts worldwide.

“The superb work of our military and intelligence communities have led to the death of the mastermind of the worst attack in our nation’s history. It is indeed a great moment.

“I applaud our troops, intelligence operatives, and the Administration for never wavering in this important goal in the broader war on terrorism.

“This is a particularly important day for the thousands of Americans who lost a family member, friend or loved one nearly ten years ago. And all of our thanks go to those who have been lost in our military efforts and to our veterans and their families.

“This is indeed a significant moment and one that will continue to propel our efforts to root out terrorists wherever they reside. We must continue to remain vigilant and focused on the protection of the American people.”

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Statement from US Senator Debbie Stabenow on the death of Osama bin Laden:

“Osama bin Laden murdered thousands of Americans, yet evaded justice for years. Our country is united in gratitude to the brave men and women of our intelligence and counter terrorism community and our troops for their sacrifices in keeping us safe from terror.”

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Statement from US Senator Rand Paul on the death of Osama bin Laden:

“I commend our troops, the intelligence community, and the military leaders involved in both the administrations of Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama for their perseverance and courage in pursuit of this most grievous enemy of the United States of America.”

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Statement from Congressman Eric Cantor on the death of Osama bin Laden:

“The man with the blood of more than 3,000 Americans on his hands, the man who forced us to begin to think the unthinkable – is now dead,” Cantor said in a statement. “I commend President Obama who has followed the vigilance of President Bush in bringing Bin Laden to justice.”

Cantor said that bin Laden’s killing shows that “justice has been done after, President Bush said nearly a decade ago, ‘Whether we bring our enemies to justice or bring justice to our enemies, justice will be done.”

The Virginia Republican said that “We will not relent in our fight against terror and our efforts to keep America safe and secure.”

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Statement from Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann on the death of Osama bin Laden:

“I want to express my deepest gratitute to the men and women of the U.S. military and intelligence community.  The news does not bring back the lives of the thousands of innocent people who were killed that day by Bin Laden’s horrific plan, and it does not end the threat posed by terrorists.”

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Statement from Congressman Paul Ryan on the death of Osama bin Laden:

“The President’s announcement that Osama Bin Laden has been killed by the brave men and women of our military is a momentous turning point in our nation’s ongoing War on Terrorism. This strikes a major blow to al-Qaeda and its allies. While we must remain vigilant in defense of freedom and democracy in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other fronts, this is certainly fantastic news that Americans have spent years waiting for.”

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Statement from US Senator Mitch McConnell on the death of Osama bin Laden:

“The death of Osama bin Laden marks a long-awaited end to the work of the man responsible for the 9/11 attacks. No one who remembers the horror of that day can help but feel relieved that Osama bin Laden is dead. This is a great victory in the War on Terror and for all who have worked so tirelessly over the years to thwart the monstrous designs of this madman and his disciples. On September 11, 2001, America came together and vowed that we would never forget the memory of those whose lives were lost on that terrible day. Tonight’s announcement shows that we have made good on that pledge. It is proof that no matter how difficult or how long it takes, our military, intelligence forces and law enforcement officials will never stop until the job is done. America celebrates tonight, and is grateful for the heroic efforts of the many men and women around the world who have fought and who are still fighting to protect the world from terrorism. Though they may never make the headlines, we are ever mindful of their many sacrifices. This war on terror continues, but we can be happy tonight that with the death of Osama bin Laden, the world is a better place.”

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Statement from US Senator Roy Blunt on the death of Osama bin Laden:

“Osama bin Laden’s death is a major victory for America. This development is the culmination of the sacrifices and dedication from our brave troops and intelligence professionals. After nearly a decade, it also brings a great measure of justice and closure for all Americans who lost loved ones as a result of the brutal attacks against our nation on 9/11. While this does not mean the end of our fight against global terrorism, bin Laden’s death is a major blow to al-Qaeda and the terrorist organizations that he financed.”

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Statement from US Senator Richard Burr on the death of Osama bin Laden:

“The death of Osama Bin Laden marks the culmination of the greatest manhunt ever undertaken by American forces.  This is a major development in our fight against terrorism and proves our resolve to hold accountable those who harm American citizens, but we must remain vigilant and not lose focus on the overall mission and our goal of eradicating terrorist threats.  There still remains a dire threat posed by Bin Laden’s followers and the seeds of hate he planted across the globe, and while we are immensely grateful for this victory, our work is far from over.”

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Statement from US Senator John McCain on the death of Osama bin Laden:

“I am overjoyed that we finally got the world’s top terrorist. The world is a better and more just place now that Osama bin Laden is no longer in it. I hope the families of the victims of the September 11th attacks will sleep easier tonight and every night hence knowing that justice has been done. I commend the President and his team, as well as our men and women in uniform and our intelligence professionals, for this superb achievement.”

“But while we take heart in the news that Osama bin Laden is dead, we must be mindful that al-Qaeda and its terrorist allies are still lethal and determined enemies, and we must remain vigilant to defeat them.”

Source

Statement from US Senator Susan Collins on the death of Osama bin Laden:

“The director of the Counterterrorism Center informed me tonight that Osama Bin Laden was killed in a U.S. Operation. This welcome news is a credit to our intelligence efforts and brings to justice the architect of the attacks on our country that killed nearly 3,000 people on September 11, 2001.”

Source

Statement from US Senator Chuck Schumer on the death of Osama bin Laden:

“This is a thunderous strike for justice for the thousands of my fellow New Yorkers — and citizens from all over the world — who were murdered on 9/11,” Schumer said in a statement. “It took close to ten years, but the world’s most wanted terrorist has finally met his deserved fate. New York’s heart is still broken from the tragedy of 9/11, but this at least brings some measure of closure and consolation to the victims and their families.”

“This is a massive accomplishment for the countless military and intelligence personnel who have been urgently dedicated to this task for the past decade,” he said.  “Because Bin Laden’s evil dogma has poisoned the minds of so many others, we cannot let up in the war on terror. This successful mission sends a definitive message to those who would test the resolve of the people of the United States of America: do not doubt our resolve; if you do us harm, we will find you, we will mete out justice, and we will prevail.”

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Statement from US Senator Max Baucus on the death of Osama bin Laden:

“This is a great day for America. I salute the brave men and women who made this happen. Tonight my thoughts are with the victims of the 911 attacks, their families and our troops serving on the front lines. May this news bring us one step closer to finding justice and one step closer to bringing our troops home.”

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Statement from US Senator Jon Tester on the death of Osama bin Laden:

“America’s troops and intelligence agents have sacrificed and given precious lives in the long hunt for Osama bin Laden, and tonight our forces have delivered justice to the entire world. I proudly stand with all Montanans to say thank you – and job well done – to all who have dedicated their lives to stamping out bin Laden and the absolute evil he stood for.”

“While bin Laden’s death is a true victory, our vigilance in the worldwide fight against terrorism doesn’t end here. Bin Laden’s death with make our world safer, but together with the international community, our nation will remain steadfast in our commitment to security, safety, and opportunity for all Americans.”

“As always, my thoughts and prayers are with the hundreds of Montana troops serving overseas. We are forever grateful for their service, and we’re anxious to bring them home safely”

Source

This is a great victory for lovers of freedom and justice everywhere. Congratulations to our intelligence community, our military and the president. My thoughts are with the families of Osama bin Laden’s many thousands of victims, and the brave servicemen and women who have laid down their lives in pursuit of this murderous terrorist.

Source

Related: Statements from Members of Congress on the Death of Osama bin Laden

Earlier this evening, President Obama called to inform me that American forces killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of the al Qaeda network that attacked America on September 11, 2001.  I congratulated him and the men and women of our military and intelligence communities who devoted their lives to this mission.  They have our everlasting gratitude.  This momentous achievement marks a victory for America, for people who seek peace around the world, and for all those who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001.  The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message:  No matter how long it takes, justice will be done.

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Related: Statements from Members of Congress on the Death of Osama bin Laden

One of my favorite heroes of the Second World War was Winston Churchill. Any British school child could tell you that Churchill faced the nearly impossible task of keeping the morale of his people high in a time of great privation. England alone stood against Germany and was rewarded by daily and nightly air raids. Everywhere he went the often grumpy, embattled, and always witty (and not sober) Prime Minister gave hope to his battered and bombed-out people by the mere act of holding up his right hand, palm out, index and middle fingers spread apart signifying a V; a V for Victory. This simple act bespoke a truth that every war-weary Brit knew to his core. Ole Winnie would never, ever, settle for anything less than total Victory over a hated and tyrannical foe. Churchill’s simple act of defiance against the all-powerful field-grey legions of Hitler’s Wehrmacht gave reason for the conquered peoples of Europe to continue the fight against the Nazi invader. Resistance groups across the Continent splashed alley walls and city squares with giant painted Vs. V became more than a letter, it became a promise that one day Europe would once again breathe the fresh air of freedom that an Allied Victory would bring.

Flash forward more than 60 years later. America finds itself at war with a foe just as tyrannical and vile as the Nazis. Like the generation that has been labeled the “greatest,” the youth of today have also sent many of their best and brightest to fight in the wastes of Iraq and the forbidding mountains of Afghanistan. Like our illustrious predecessors, we too have endured death and lamented the loss of many brilliant, beautiful and promising young lives. But unlike the struggle 60 years hence, America is divided in its counsel, and, I dare say, not committed to Victory; an omission that clouds the sacrifice of those who have fallen. Nothing manifests this truly tragic state of affairs than the actions of our putative Commander-in-Chief.

In his speech at West Point, President Obama promised to increase the number of US troops in Afghanistan by 30,000. He spoke at great length of the necessity of increasing the strength of the Afghan Army as well as holding Pakistan accountable for its lapses in judgment where the Taliban is concerned. Obama further outlined his disastrous decision to impose an impossible timeline for withdrawal of said US troops in what can only be considered an abject admission of the US’ lack of interest and commitment toward a successful conclusion to the fight in Afghanistan. Finally, Obama failed to mention, in his 4300 plus words, one: Victory.

Why is Victory important? How is it that a single word can change the entire complexion of a war involving hundreds of thousands? It is quite simple. Victory is a commitment to win. Victory is a covenant to put tyranny in its place. Victory gives comfort to those who have lost their loved ones and validates the ultimate sacrifice that so many willingly undertook. Victory sends a message to our friends and foes alike that we are in the fight to the end and that we will stop at nothing. Anything less is a stab in the back of those in the armed forces fighting, and dying, to bring this war to a successful conclusion.

One marvels at the absurdity of a war-time president that is not committed to Victory. After all, who gets in a fight to lose? No doubt defenders of the President will be quick to point out that he did not get us into Afghanistan, nor did he mismanage the war prior to his election in 2008. What those people fail to realize is that it IS Obama’s responsibility to finish the fight and to secure a successful, and Victorious conclusion. As the Dear One pointed out in his historic run for president, “Afghanistan is a war of necessity.” I would think, by implication, that wars of “necessity” should generally be wars that are won and not cast aside when they become politically inconvenient (say, for example, in late 2011 prior to his re-election bid…).

Can real Victory be achieved in Afghanistan? Certainly “winning” in the Kush is not the signing of a surrender document on the deck of a battleship, nor is it a negotiated armistice in Paris. In the War on Terror there are no armies to crush or a capital to take. As such, we need to s trive for a species of Victory. What we can expect is an Afghanistan where the people are allowed to choose their destinies without the interference of tyrants and where the Taliban and Al Qaeda are broken, discredited and irrelevant entities. Any species of Victory is far more preferable to no Victory at all.

So on one hand we have a leader who despises the word Victory and on the other the man who imposes a ludicrous timeline on a surge to nowhere. Are these the actions of a man, and a government, that is committed to winning? Or are they the actions of a man attempting to placate both the anti-war wing of his party and those who still believe that the US must, by necessity, win this war?

What contempt does history have for those peoples who deign to defend themselves? What disdain will future generations of Americans have for us when they read our chapter in their history books? Those who fight wars to lose, by implication abdicating all responsibility of their own defense, deserve to be relegated to the scrap heap of history.

In the end it boils down to a single word. Some, mostly those who have never sacrificed one iota for this nation, dismiss Obama’s glaring omission by claiming that the word Victory in itself is unimportant, nothing more than a jingoistic expression of the prior imperialistic and chauvinistic administration. I think Winston Churchill and hundreds of millions of free people in Europe, to say nothing of posterity, would humbly and forcefully disagree.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
November 14, 2009

This was a week for honoring the extraordinary service and profound sacrifice of our men and women in uniform.

Every fall, we set aside a special day to pay tribute to our veterans. But this year, Veteran’s Day took on even greater poignancy and meaning because of the tragic events at Fort Hood.

On Tuesday, I traveled there to join with the Fort Hood community, the Army, and the friends and families of the victims to honor thirteen of our fellow Americans who died – and the dozens more who were wounded – not on some distant shore, but on a military base at home.

Every man and woman who signs up for military service does so with full knowledge of the dangers that could come – that is part of what makes the service of our troops and veterans so extraordinary. But it’s unthinkable that so many would die in a hail of gunfire on a US Army base in the heart of Texas, and that a fellow service-member could have pulled trigger.

There is an ongoing investigation into this terrible tragedy. That investigation will look at the motives of the alleged gunman, including his views and contacts.  As I said in Fort Hood, I am confident that justice will be done, and I will insist that the full story be told. That is paramount, and I won’t compromise that investigation today by discussing the details of this case. But given the potential warning signs that may have been known prior these shootings, we must uncover what steps – if any – could have been taken to avert this tragedy.

On the Thursday evening that this tragedy took place, I met in the Oval Office with Secretary of Defense Gates, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff – Admiral Mullen, and FBI Director Mueller to review the immediate steps that were necessary to support the families and secure Fort Hood. The next morning, I met with the leadership of our military and the intelligence community, and ordered them to undertake a full review of the sequence of events that led up to the shootings.

The purpose of this review is clear: We must compile every piece of information that was known about the gunman, and we must learn what was done with that information. Once we have those facts, we must act upon them. If there was a failure to take appropriate action before the shootings, there must be accountability. Beyond that – and most importantly – we must quickly and thoroughly evaluate and address any flaws in the system, so that we can prevent a similar breach from happening again. Our government must be able to act swiftly and surely when it has threatening information. And our troops must have the security that they deserve.

I know there will also be inquiries by Congress, and there should.  But all of us should resist the temptation to turn this tragic event into the political theater that sometimes dominates the discussion here in Washington. The stakes are far too high.

Of all the responsibilities of the presidency, the one that I weigh most heavily is my duty as Commander-in-Chief to our splendid service-men and women. Their character and bravery were on full display in that processing center at Fort Hood, when so many scrambled under fire to help their wounded comrades. And their great dignity and decency has been on display in the days since, as the Fort Hood community has rallied together.

We owe our troops prayerful, considered decisions about when and where we commit them to battle to protect our security and freedom, and we must fully support them when they are deployed. We also owe them the absolute assurance that they’ll be safe here at home as they prepare for whatever mission may come. As Commander-in-Chief, I won’t settle for anything less.

This nation will never forget the service of those we lost at Fort Hood, just as we will always honor the service of all who wear the uniform of the United States of America. Their legacy will be an America that is safer and stronger – an America that reflects the extraordinary character of the men and women who serve it.

Thank you.

It’s good to hear about something other than health care, but I’m sure that’s what will be covered next week, as it looks like Congress isn’t going to meet his deadline.

I found out after lunch, as I leafed through Stars and Stripes. As I always do, I look at the casualty list in the hopes that I wouldn’t recognize any names. Today as I stared dumbstruck at the name on the page I felt a horrible knot in my stomach and was smacked in the face with several emotions. I wrestled with the idea of writing anything public for the better part of the day. After all, there are far more people out there that knew Parten a great deal better than I. What right do I have to feel loss? I have recognized names in the Army Times and Stars and Stripes before. I have also known too many officers I have worked with that passed away due to accidents and even suicide. The difference this time around is that he is…was…IS a comrade and a friend and I do feel the loss of someone special. Writing this, in the hopes that people that never knew him will know what type of man he is, makes me feel better. So I am going to write.

Parten was a larger than life type of person. He thoroughly enjoyed a good joke and was not above debasing himself in the juvenile pursuit of making others break out in spasms of laughter. He was fun to be around and welcome relief in those times when The Suck was taking its toll. He was also a professional dedicated to his craft and of single minded purposefulness in his efforts to eradicate those who had inflicted harm on our nation on 9/11.

I met him at Fort Knox during AOBC. We were in the same platoon during tank, recon and COE phase. After he graduated and I was left at Knox to rot with injury, we emailed as we were both adjutants with our respective units. As with AOBC, we mixed business and stupidity with alarming ease. We commiserated and offered each encouragement through our predicaments, he, waiting for a platoon at Fort Carson, and I, trying to heal my ever-present stress fractures and graduate from BOLC III. He wasn’t ADJ for long and did get the platoon he waited for and seemed more than overjoyed.

One memory I have of Tyler that came to me almost immediately upon learning of the news was our AOBC class’s first mission in the CCTT (a full scale tank simulator). Undoubtedly, we knew we would not fare well and our foreboding was justified. Who was the sacrificial victim that was to be thrown to the wolves, better known as Black 6s? None other than Tyler Parten. Of course, initially we did not do too badly. The 6s and the civilian technicians took it easy on us and we clumsily defeated an enemy tank platoon set on stupid. But soon things went awry and Tyler found himself in a rapidly deteriorating situation where his bravo section was somewhere getting hammered by AT-5s and his driver kept going in circles. Having been thrown into sheer chaos, Tyler forgot the proper reporting format to Black 6 and was fumbling his words. The ever testy SFC Theim, in his most condescending tone, asked if there was another, presumably proper, way of describing the happenstance of Red Platoon being annihilated by an enemy Mechanized Infantry Company and T-80U platoon. Tyler composed himself, undoubtedly took a deep breath, and said, clearly and confidently: “Black 6, we’re FUCKED!” Even the curmudgeonly Theim laughed. Most people would have been horribly embarrassed by the performance and radio feux pas, but not Tyler. As with all things, he merely laughed it off and endeavored to do better the next time (he did).

Those who don’t know people in the military truly have no idea the sacrifice that Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors and Marines make to protect this nation. While fringe nuts and seditious Democratic Congressmen are doing their best to lose our wars, our servicemen and women lead stressed out, exhausting existences in every hellhole found on this sordid globe. Families suffer with their loved ones so far away and live for emails and phone calls. Too many families experience the ultimate pain and most horrific loss. For them the name on the news or in the paper is neither a statistic, nor another numeric measure of success or failure. To them, that name represents the end of their world as they have known it and a future devoid of the warmth and joy of their loved one. We Americans put too much into sports stars and celebrities by calling them heroes. I am no hero, nor is any other Soldier in Iraq and Afghanistan. We are merely doing our jobs. The only true heroes are the brave men and women who will never see another sunrise, smell the sweetness of a summer day or feel the warm embrace of a tearful and joyous reunion.

I leave off with another recollection from AOBC. During dismounted recon STX Tyler and I were tasked with scouting the next rally point/training site. We stealthily covered the 500 meters or so to the coordinates given to us. As we neared the correct grid we saw our civilian instructors pull up to the clump of trees that was our destination, get out, light up a smoke and begin chatting. These men between them had around 50 years of scouting experience and we both resolved to sneak up on them and report back to our platoon. Slowly, and only crawling through the tall grass when the wind shook the branches in the trees, Tyler and I creeped up until, finally, we were within a mere 20 feet of the trio. I radioed our PL and in hushed tones whispered that we had arrived at the rally point and that we had snuck up on our erstwhile instructors (still oblivious). Tyler and I grinned at each other and shared one sublime moment of joint understanding where our newbie self-doubt evaporated. Maybe we were going to do alright at this profession. Maybe we weren’t as hopeless as we were sometimes led to believe. Maybe we would, someday soon, make worthy tank or scout platoon leaders.

Well, it came to pass, at least in Tyler’s case. Though he had to suffer the indignity of serving as battalion adjutant before getting his platoon, he no doubt savored every moment at Fort Carson as an armor officer. He was a fine leader and an even better human being. No person deserves the sobriquet of hero more than him. He will be greatly missed.

I know a hero. His name is Tyler Parten. I will never forget him.

Lay down your burdens brother, it is time to rest. You have strove much and given more. You have given us laughter and you have protected us. Rest now and know we are eternally grateful.