Biden marks the anniversary of elimination of bin Laden

Photo: AP Joe Biden

US President Joe Biden marked the anniversary of the elimination of Osama bin Laden who was known to be America’s biggest enemy, Reuters reported. It has been ten years since US Special Forces squad raided a mountain location in Pakistan. The bottom line of the assault was the death of the mastermind behind the 11 September 2001, terror attacks in US. At the time of the operation Biden served as vice president to then President Barak Obama.

"Ten years ago, I joined President Obama and members of our national security team, crowded into the Situation Room to watch as our military delivered long-awaited justice to Osama bin Laden," Biden said in a statement. "It is a moment I will never forget -  the intelligence professionals who had painstakingly tracked him down; the clarity and conviction of President Obama in making the call; the courage and skill of our team on the ground."

He added: "It had been almost ten years since our nation was attacked on 9/11 and we went to war in Afghanistan, pursuing al Qaeda and its leaders. We followed bin Laden to the gates of hell - and we got him."

After the 9/11 terror attacks, the US invaded Afghanistan to bring down the terrorist organization Al Qaeda. The execution of bin Laden in a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, on 2 May 2011, was a major accomplishment for the Obama administration. "We kept the promise to all those who lost loved ones on 9/11: that we would never forget those we had lost, and that the United States will never waver in our commitment to prevent another attack on our homeland and to keep the American people safe," Biden continued in his statement.

Since bin Laden's death, the US has reduced the number of troops stationed in Afghanistan, and Biden has committed to withdrawing troops from the country by 11 September 2021, the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks.

"As we bring to an end America's longest war and draw down the last of our troops from Afghanistan, al Qaeda is greatly degraded there," Biden said. "But the United States will remain vigilant about the threat from terrorist groups that have metastasized around the world." He added: "We will continue to monitor and disrupt any threat to us that emerges from Afghanistan. And we will work to counter terrorist threats to our homeland and our interests in cooperation with allies and partners around the world." Biden ended his statement by thanking the service members that have valiantly fought to protect the US.

"We will continue to honor all the brave women and men, our military, our intelligence and counterterrorism professionals, and so many others, who continue their extraordinary work to keep the American people safe today," he said. "They give their best to our country, and we owe them an incredible debt of gratitude."

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