Wyden Statement on Death of Osama bin Laden
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement on the death of Osama bin Laden:
“Osama bin Laden was more than a killer, he was the founder and leader of a terrorist organization determined to make a name for itself by taking thousands of innocent lives and spreading chaos and fear around the globe. I congratulate the service members and intelligence professionals who made the operation that led to his death yesterday possible, as well as the hundreds of thousands of men and women who have fought and sacrificed for a future free of that fear.
“While killing bin Laden can not bring back the innocents whose lives he took, it is my hope that the news of his death will bring some measure of peace to their loved ones. But it is important for the world to understand that the operation that led to bin Laden’s death was not an act of revenge – it was an act of war.
“Al Qaeda has now lost its founder and leader at a time when the organization is under intense pressure and is already in crisis. The peaceful revolutions that have been spreading throughout the Middle East directly refute bin Laden’s core claim that violent terrorist acts are the only way to bring change to the Muslim world. It is my hope that bin Laden’s death will be seen as a milestone, as people around the Middle East continue to push forward on their path towards freedom and opportunity, while al Qaeda continues on a path of decline.”
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