[Congressional Record: May 3, 2011 (Senate)]
[Page S2604-S2610]
HONORING THE MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY AND INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY WHO
CARRIED OUT THE MISSION THAT KILLED OSAMA BIN LADEN
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the clerk will
report the resolution by title.
The legislative clerk read as follows:
A resolution (S. Res. 159) honoring the members of the
military and intelligence community who carried out the
mission that killed Osama bin Laden, and for other purposes.
Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The assistant bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for
the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, at 10 o'clock Sunday night, I was at the
terminal at the Detroit airport, and there I had gone through the usual
airport security drill--shoes off, liquids in plastic bags, and all the
other inconveniences designed to keep us safe. It was at that same
airport on Christmas of 2009 that a would-be terrorist sought to bomb
an airliner. So I was surrounded by reminders, large and small, of how
the threat of terrorism has affected our lives when Defense Secretary
Gates called me with the momentous news that our forces had succeeded
in raiding a compound in Pakistan and killing Osama bin Laden.
A few hours later, my wife Barbara and I joined a different scene--
thousands of cheering young people waving American flags and singing
patriotic songs in the early morning darkness outside the White House--
part of an outpouring of relief and emotion across the Nation. What had
happened is Osama bin Laden could not avoid the long memory and the
long arm of justice, and he could not hope to triumph against the
indomitable spirit of the American people.
The news President Obama delivered to the Nation on Sunday evening
gives us many reasons to reflect. We should first turn to those who
still carry the grief and loss of that September morning about 10 years
ago--to those who had lost loved ones in the fight against terror and
the years since and to those who carry wounds of body, mind or spirit
from that war. The death of Osama bin Laden cannot bring back the lives
lost through his monstrous acts, but it can, I hope, bring some measure
of relief from those lost.
We first turn, with thanks and admiration, to the men and women of
our Armed Forces and the intelligence community. For them and their
families, the last decade has been one of long separations,
uncertainty, and danger. Yet time and time again they have answered
their Nation's call with courage, with competence, and with skill. Once
again, they have earned our utmost gratitude.
We should also commend the President for his courage and for his care
in ordering a military mission to capture or kill Osama bin Laden.
There was no direct evidence that bin Laden was in the compound that
the CIA had determined housed two al-Qaida couriers. Instead, the
evidence was circumstantial, and there were differing views within the
intelligence community as to the likelihood that bin Laden or perhaps
some other high-value target was there. Moreover, the mission required
the military helicopters to enter into Pakistani airspace, to land in
Pakistan's sovereign territory, and for Navy SEALs to use lethal force
on a compound in a city that was home to two Pakistani armed regiments.
The President courageously rejected the alternative options of
launching a bombing mission or waiting until there was more evidence of
bin Laden's presence. He rejected both of those alternatives.
With his bold decision and with the heroism and skill of our military
and intelligence professionals, our Nation
[[Page S2605]]
struck a tremendous blow not just against a single depraved individual
but against the hateful ideology he espoused. Let there be no mistake,
al-Qaida is weaker today. Its leader is dead and so is the myth
surrounding him.
Osama bin Laden sent his followers to hide in dark, dank mountain
caves and often to their own suicides, from the comfort of his million-
dollar villa. His death has dealt al-Qaida a major blow. The mystique
of Osama bin Laden has been punctured.
The victory over hate-inspired terrorism is not yet complete. Our
successful mission against bin Laden will no doubt lead to al-Qaida's
remaining leaders issuing calls for retaliation. It is critical our
intelligence and military strength continue to seek out those elements
and franchises of al-Qaida that remain in Afghanistan, Pakistan, the
Arabian Peninsula, Africa, and other places, such as al-Qaida in the
Arabian Peninsula in Yemen. The threat may be diminished, but it
remains.
Further, it is critical we ensure our military and intelligence
communities continue to adapt to the threat of our irregular and
unconventional enemy. The interagency cooperation that helped make this
mission a success is impressive, and it remains a potent weapon in our
effort to weaken the al-Qaida network.
This is an effort worthy not just of this Nation but of all nations.
That is why it is important that we find answers to the significant
questions raised by the news from Sunday night. Thirty-five miles from
the Pakistani capital and a comfortable walk from the Pakistani
military's most important academy, in a town where the Pakistani
military and intelligence services own a large share of the property,
al-Qaida appears to have built a massive complex, ringed by walls as
high as 18 feet, protected by barbed wire, as the dedicated hiding
place for Osama bin Laden. It is difficult to believe all this occurred
without at least arousing the suspicions of Pakistan's security forces
or their local officials.
The American people, who have provided billions of dollars of aid to
the Pakistani Government, deserve to know whether elements of
Pakistan's military and intelligence services or local officials knew
of bin Laden's location over the 5 years or so he was there and if they
did not know, how that could possibly be the case. Hopefully just as
important, the Pakistani people deserve these answers, for they have
suffered greatly from al-Qaida's violent extremism. Assassinations,
bombings, death of civilian and military personnel alike--all these
losses show that al-Qaida and its hate-filled terrorism and its
terrorist allies threaten Pakistan's very existence. I believe some of
Pakistan's leaders know this to be true, and I was heartened by the
reaction of Prime Minister Gilani to bin Laden's death. He said, ``I
think it's a great victory and I congratulate the success of this
operation.''
It is urgent that the Pakistani Government get answers to the
questions about what its military and intelligence agencies and local
officials knew and share the answers to those questions with the world
and with their own people.
Pakistan can be an important ally in the fight against terror. It has
as much, if not more, at stake in that fight as anybody. All the more
important, then, that we openly and honestly address the questions
which have been raised by the presence of terrorist No. 1, public enemy
No. 1, the world's enemy No. 1--the presence of that person in Pakistan
in such a central place for all these years. It is important that those
questions be honestly answered so we can continue this fight together.
I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The assistant bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for
the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the time for
debate on the resolution that is pending be extended by 15 minutes,
with the additional time being equally divided between the two leaders
or their designees, with all other provisions under the previous order
remaining in effect.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. LEVIN. With this agreement, the vote will now occur around 3:45
p.m.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The assistant bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise in strong support of this
resolution and offer my congratulations to the men and women
responsible for developing the intelligence and carrying out the
operation that led to the death of Osama bin Laden on Sunday, May 1.
This is perhaps the most important, and certainly the most stunning,
intelligence operation I have seen in my 10 years on the Intelligence
Committee. I wanted to congratulate, first and foremost, President
Obama. As he stated in his Sunday night address to the Nation, he
directed Leon Panetta shortly after taking office to ``make the killing
or capture of bin Ladin the top priority of our war against al-Qaida.''
When the effort to collect and analyze intelligence on this compound
in Abbottabad bore fruit, President Obama made a courageous and very
gutsy decision to order the strike, even though the intelligence
community could not assure him with certainty that bin Ladin was there.
At the operational level, the hunt for bin Laden and the read on his
compound has shown the greatly improved collaboration and cooperation
across the intelligence community and, of course, the Department of
Defense.
The CIA has received and well deserved the lion's share of the
credit. The agency collected the human intelligence and carried out
other missions that found and characterized the Abbottabad compound,
and CIA analysts took the lead in analyzing and reanalyzing that
information.
The CIA's Counterterrorism Center has a banner on the wall that
reads, ``Today is September 12, 2001.'' It has been nearly 10 years,
but their perseverance and dedication has truly paid off.
I also want to recognize the efforts of the National Security Agency
which provided signals intelligence and the National Geospatial
Intelligence Agency which conducted the imagery analysis on the
compound. It was truly a team effort.
I also commend and give thanks to the Joint Special Operations
Command, or JSOC, the team that flew to the compound under cover of
night and conducted the raid. It was not a picture perfect operation,
and changes to the plan were necessary as the lead helicopter was
forced to land unexpectedly. But the highly trained and skilled members
of the Navy SEAL team adjusted, reached their target, and they killed
Osama bin Laden without taking any casualties themselves.
I was first briefed on the compound and the possibility that it
housed Osama bin Laden in the beginning of last December along with
Senator Kit Bond who was vice chairman of the Intelligence Committee at
that time. Since then, the current vice chairman, Senator Saxby
Chambliss, and I have been regularly briefed and updated on the
intelligence.
I thank Director Panetta and his team for keeping the Intelligence
Committee leadership informed. As one who is regularly critical of our
government's inability to keep secrets, it is very reassuring that this
highly sensitive and sensational intelligence was kept under wraps for
months.
There is no doubt that Sunday's operation gives rise to a number of
questions. Among the most important of them are, one, what did Pakistan
know about bin Laden's presence and this compound in the up to 6 years
he was there? It has to be pointed out that this compound was eight
times bigger than any home in the vicinity. It was just a quarter of a
mile away from another home. It was a mile away from a major military
academy. It had razor wire on the top of very large walls, and it was
very large in itself. Trash was not picked up, it was burned. No one
really came in and out except the two couriers who went about
delivering
[[Page S2606]]
messages from a distance from the compound.
It should have been an issue of curiosity, and neighbors surely would
have been interested in who lived there. Why is it so big? What is
going on there? But there was virtually no reaction.
The second point is, what does bin Laden's death mean for al-Qaida
and for the affiliate groups and lone wolves he has inspired and led?
As the chairman of the Intelligence Committee, I will be looking for
answers to those questions and get more of the details of the operation
itself. Tomorrow morning, in a joint classified hearing with the Armed
Services Committee, we will be looking into these and other issues. But
this resolution is about commending the men and women of our
intelligence community and the U.S. military for their dedication and
years of work that led to 40 minutes of incredible success. It should
also recognize the fact that since 9/11, intelligence has been
streamlined, stove pipes have been taken down, and analysts have
greatly improved in their trade craft.
As a matter of fact, the intelligence having to do with this one
facility was red-teamed once, red-teamed twice, and red-teamed at least
a third time. The red-teaming process gives the ability of our analysts
to debunk the intelligence, to try to indicate what might be a lapse,
an ``inconclusion,'' a false judgment. It is a very valuable process.
This resolution also recognizes the measure of justice now delivered
to those who mourn and remember the thousands of men, women, and
children claimed as victims on 9/11 and in the other attacks carried
out by al-Qaida under Osama bin Laden both here and around the world.
This will not end terror as we know it today, but it surely is a
monumental step to be able to put an end to the man who championed the
cause, the man who provided the inspiration, the man who raised the
money, and the man who was purely and simply the major leader.
Osama bin Laden is no more, and the time is upon us. I hope the world
will be listening to try to consider a better path, to move away from
acts of terror, move away from the killing of innocent men, women and
children, and become part of the councils of government, whatever they
may be, across the world, to debate, to discuss, to vote, and to put
forward principled policies.
I very much appreciate the efforts of the majority leader and the
Republican leader in bringing this resolution to the floor, and I urge
its adoption.
I notice my distinguished vice chairman on the Senate floor. I
particularly want to thank him, Senator Chambliss, for all of the
cooperation we have been able to effect together.
You truly have been wonderful. It has been a great joy for me to work
with you, and I only wish I could give you a glass of California wine
to salute this very special day.
I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Georgia is recognized.
Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, let me just say that California wine
being a favorite of mine, I am available any time. Thanks for those
kind comments.
Let me just say to my good friend from California what a pleasure it
has been to work with her. The Intelligence Committee has always been a
very bipartisan committee, and nobody exhibits that more so than our
current chairman, Dianne Feinstein. She is tough when she needs to be
tough, and she is fair at all times.
She and I have a unique relationship in contrast to the other
committees in the Senate in that we jointly hire all of our staff, and
she has been extremely cooperative to me in the hiring process. Again,
she has just been a pleasure to work with. I have to say that Dianne
and I have been on the committee together for several years, and I am
very proud of the work our committee has done and our relationship with
the intelligence community.
One of the big reasons we have the successes that we had on Sunday in
the takedown of bin Laden is because of the oversight that Dianne and
others have carried out on the Intelligence Committee and because of
our relationship with the community.
It is not a combative relationship. We have the Director of the CIA,
the heads of NSA, the DNI, and others on a regular basis both formally
and informally. All of that is done under Dianne's leadership.
Those are the times when we found out the needs of the intelligence
community. Had they not exhibited that and had the Senator not provided
the right kind of leadership, they would not have had all of the tools
necessary to carry out this very important and very sophisticated
mission. So thanks for your great work. Thanks for your friendship. I
look forward to that glass of California wine.
I rise today in support of the resolution with respect to the
takedown of Osama bin Laden and also to praise the men and women of our
intelligence and our military communities with regard to Sunday's
successful operation. We have been pursuing the world's most infamous
terrorist for over a decade, but it was ultimately the hard work and
tireless dedication of these professional men and women that led to
this significant achievement.
I am always proud of our military and intelligence men and women, but
most especially today I am truly proud of their great work.
As we approach the 10-year anniversary of September 11, I am thankful
that the families and loved ones of the victims of 9/11, as well as all
Americans, can have some closure. The leader of al-Qaida and murderer
of thousands of Americans and allies can never again sponsor a
terrorist attack.
It is also important to point out that this operation was made
possible by information provided by enemy combatants that had been
detained and interrogated by the United States. There has been a lot of
debate in this country about our detention and interrogation policy,
but this is probably one of the clearest examples of the extraordinary
value of the information we have been able to gather from the CIA's
detention and interrogation program. If we had not had access to this
information, Osama bin Laden would likely still be operating undetected
today. It is because of the information gained from these detainees,
pursued and analyzed over the years by the intelligence community, that
led us to bin Laden's compound. It is almost unimaginable that he was
located not in a cave in a Pakistani no man's land, but in a city just
miles outside of Islamabad with a large Pakistani Government and
military presence.
This is an amazing achievement and one that will be remembered for
decades, but we must remember that al-Qaida is a diffuse and
decentralized network that continues to threaten Americans both at home
and abroad. A number of dangerous leaders associated with al-Qaida,
including Ayman al-Zawahiri and Anwar al-Aulaqi, are still out there,
no doubt plotting their next attack as we speak.
We also face a growing number of threats from other radical
organizations and individuals, including homegrown terrorists and
extremists. Although bin Laden's death is an enormous blow to al-Qaida,
we must make sure we remain vigilant in all our efforts to defeat
terrorism and never lose sight of our objectives, which is not the
death of one man, but the dismantling of all terrorist networks that
seek to do us harm.
In closing, I want to again thank our intelligence professionals and
military personnel for their service and dedication. I also want to
remind everyone that while this is our greatest success to date in our
efforts to combat al-Qaida, we still have a lot of work to do and
cannot rest until all of that work is done.
Mr. President, I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Franken). The Senator from Arizona.
Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I rise to speak in support of S. Res. 159,
honoring the members of the military and intelligence community who
carried out the mission that killed Osama bin Laden. I am as happy to
rise today as at any time in the past 10 years--and it has been for the
last 10 years that I have eagerly awaited the moment when my colleagues
and I could take to this floor and celebrate the news we got this
Sunday: that we got Osama bin Laden. Justice has been done. The world
has become a better place now that bin Laden is no longer in it.
This is a time for national unity and celebration. It is a time to
finally close a painful chapter in the history of our Nation, even as
our larger fight continues. And, most of all, it is a time to give
thanks and recognition to a distinguished group of our fellow citizens
[[Page S2607]]
who will forever occupy an honored place in our history.
I want to echo my colleagues in offering my humble thanks to the
brave men who carried out the daring operation, as well as to the men
and women in uniform who enabled their success. I have been involved in
national security my entire life, and I am hard pressed to come up with
another military operation that demonstrated such sophistication, such
professionalism, such precise and lethal effectiveness to accomplish
such a momentous and consequential objective. I am truly in awe of what
these young men have accomplished, and I thank God that our Nation
continues to produce heroic warriors such as them who are willing to
give everything, to sacrifice everything, to devote their lives not to
the quest for wealth or fame but to the service of a just and noble
cause that is greater than their self-interests. We do not yet know
their names, but we honor their achievements and we celebrate their
heroism. They have made history and earned their place in it.
I want to offer the same praise for our intelligence professionals.
It is a truism that intelligence fails in public and succeeds in
private. So it is a great day indeed when we can celebrate such a
public success of our intelligence professionals. There are men and
women across our intelligence community who have devoted the past 10
years, and many more before that, to finding bin Laden. Despite
setbacks and sacrifice, despite the loss of leads and the death of
friends, regardless of whether the trail was hot or cold, they woke up
every day and carried on the fight. And now we honor the fruits of
their perseverance and sacrifice, even as they themselves remain hard
at work--exploiting the new information we have recovered, analyzing
the new data, and setting up the next operation.
I also want to offer my deepest congratulations and appreciation to
the President and his national security team. I credit them with making
the elimination of Osama bin Laden their top priority--and for
accomplishing it so impressively. Regardless of the myriad groups and
parties and factions into which we Americans divide ourselves on a
daily basis, the killing of Osama bin Laden is a national triumph and
all Americans should feel proud and appreciative of the leadership
shown by President Obama and his team on this matter.
I specifically want to credit the President with ordering an airborne
assault by ground forces rather than aerial bombardment. It would have
been a lot easier to simply turn bin Laden's compound into a smoldering
crater, but it would have denied us the certainty we now have that bin
Laden is dead. It took real courage to assume the many risks associated
with putting boots on the ground, and I strongly commend the President
for it.
I would be remiss if I did not also thank President Bush and the many
officials who labored with him for 8 years to do what has now been
done. I know it is one of President Bush's regrets that he could not
eliminate bin Laden on his watch, but he and his team should take
solace in the knowledge that they laid the foundation for Sunday's
operation, and they deserve credit for that.
Finally, I want to say a word to the many American families for whom
this celebration is bittersweet because it recalls memories of the
mothers and fathers, spouses and siblings, sons and daughters, who were
stolen from them, and from us all--not just in the September 11 attacks
but in the many acts of mass murder for which Osama bin Laden was
guilty. No act of man can fill the aching emptiness of a loved one
lost. For that there is only the grace of God. But it is my sincerest
hope that the elimination of Osama bin Laden--this act of justice
done--will help to ease the pain and bring closure to what has surely
been a decade of torment, as we were daily reminded that the world's
most wanted terrorist was still free.
I also want to credit the families of the victims of September 11,
2001. Had it not been for their relentless efforts and advocacy,
Congress would not have established the 9/11 Commission and adopted
many of its important reforms of our national security establishment--
reforms that no doubt were instrumental in facilitating the joint and
collaborative operation to find and kill Osama bin Laden. I could not
imagine a greater contribution that the 9/11 families could have made.
Of course, the death of Osama bin Laden does not portend the
elimination of al-Qaida or the end of terrorist plots and attacks
against our country. We must remain vigilant in our pursuit of every
enemy who would do harm to us and our friends and allies. And we shall
do so. But there is no denying that the death of Osama bin Laden will
have a significant impact in this long war. It will enable us to focus
more of our time and attention and resources on others who would do us
harm. Perhaps more importantly, it will enable our country to look more
fully forward--to focus more completely on supporting the peaceful
democratic awakenings that are sweeping the Middle East and North
Africa, which are the greatest repudiation of al-Qaida that we ever
could have imagined or hoped for.
If there is any consolation in the fact that Osama bin Laden lived as
long as he did, it is that he got to witness Arabs and Muslims by the
tens of millions rising up to demand justice and dignity, not through
suicide bombings and mass murder, but through peaceful change,
political freedom, and economic opportunity--the very ideas that bin
Laden's perverse and murderous ideology seeks to destroy. That could be
the truest death knell of al-Qaida, and I for one am very happy that
Osama bin Laden got to hear it--just before a team of American heroes
ended his wretched life.
Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. MANCHIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. MANCHIN. Mr. President, Osama bin Laden's death is a historic and
just victory for this Nation.
While this is a profound victory in the war on terror, our thoughts
must go to the thousands of innocent men and women who lost family
members and whose lives were forever changed by the tragedy of
September 11.
The families of those lost and our Nation as a whole can take great
pride that our brave servicemembers and intelligence community
successfully carried out this mission. I could not be more proud of the
outstanding men and women of our military who put their lives on the
line daily to defend this Nation.
Each and every one of us has a deeply personal connection to the
tragic events of September 11. At the time, I was West Virginia's
secretary of state. I remember staff coming into my office, and they
said: Did you see what is going on? That is all they had to say, and
that is all they did say.
So many Americans have similar stories. We watched in horror on live
television as the second plane hit the World Trade Center and I knew
something we could never anticipate and imagine had just happened to
our great country. We didn't know how our lives would change, but we
knew they would.
In West Virginia, similar to States all over the country, we are
still mourning those we lost: a former WVU quarterback and a WVU
economics graduate who were both killed in the World Trade Center's
North Tower, a Parkersburg High School graduate, a young lady who
perished in the South Tower, and a Marshall University medical school
graduate, a doctor who practiced, was killed when the airliner he was
on crashed into the Pentagon. Our thoughts and prayers will always be
with them and their families.
Just like our world changed that terrible day, it has changed yet
again with the killing of Osama bin Laden. It means something different
to each of us. Osama bin Laden's death cannot bring back the thousands
of lives that were lost that fateful day or the ones who have been lost
at the hands of al-Qaida since. It cannot repair the anguish so many
have suffered as a result of the evil and hatred Osama bin Laden
espoused.
But it is justice, and I hope this Nation and the families of those
who were lost on September 11 can take solace in that fact.
Let me also say I am so proud of the resolve, the strength, and the
fortitude this Nation showed in pursuing the mission to its end.
[[Page S2608]]
With the killing of Osama bin Laden, the United States sent a message
loudly and clearly: acts of terrorism against this Nation will not go
unpunished. If you seek to do harm to this country or if you plan to
hurt the people of our great Nation, we will find you and, I assure
you, justice will be served.
While this success belongs to all of us, I especially thank the teams
of people who united to accomplish this most important goal. President
Obama and his advisers completed the mission, and I congratulate him
for that. He was the one who made the difficult decision to order this
mission, and he made the right call.
Immense credit must also be given to all the people in the
intelligence community who have worked tirelessly to track down the
world's most wanted terrorist. I also congratulate Presidents Clinton
and Bush and the commitment their teams showed in fighting the war on
terror.
Finally, I hope we sustain the spirit of unity we all feel at this
moment to put politics aside and remind Americans that as a great
nation, we become greater when we unite behind a common purpose.
For these reasons, I strongly support S. Res. 159. May God continue
to bless the United States of America.
I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The assistant editor of the Daily Digest proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I think most Americans are proud that
the man who orchestrated the 9/11 attacks and then reveled in the
horror of that day is dead.
Today, we recognize the dedicated work of the many intelligence
professionals, law enforcement officials, and the many men and women in
our armed services who brought us to this day.
The pursuit of Osama bin Laden spanned more than a decade. Following
the attacks of September 11, the Senate voted 98 to 0 to authorize the
use of force against al-Qaida--an authorization that is still in force
today.
At the time, President Bush enjoyed the support of a nation united
behind the decision to pursue al-Qaida and to drive the Taliban from
power.
We should be equally united today in honoring those brave Americans
who are committed to preventing further attacks upon our homeland.
While bin Laden and his followers were building their terror
networks, we were patiently and diligently building our intelligence
capabilities.
Following the successful raid on Sunday, those who remain committed
to al-Qaida and associated terrorist groups should know that one day
they too will share bin Laden's fate.
Some might think the success of this raid means the end of the war on
terror. But as the President has said, the death of Osama bin Laden
does not mean the death of al-Qaida. Our intelligence community and
armed services must keep up the pressure on al-Qaida and associated
terror networks.
Osama bin Laden launched this war on the false assumption that
America didn't have the stomach for the fight. On Sunday night, he
learned how wrong he was.
This week, America showed the world we meant it when we said we would
not rest until justice was done to those who carried out the 9/11
attacks.
A generation of patriots has pursued al-Qaida for more than a decade,
driven by the idea that every day is September 12, 2001. That spirit
must persist.
Once again, I commend the President on his decision to go through
with this mission. Above all, I thank the remarkable group of men who
carried it out.
Not to be forgotten are the thousands of uniformed Americans in
Afghanistan, Iraq, and across the globe, defending America's interests
as we consider this resolution today.
The resolution reaffirms the Senate's commitment to eliminating safe
havens for terrorists in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and we are reminded
of the difficult work that remains. But today, those who remember the
horror of 9/11 take a certain satisfaction knowing that the last thing
Osama bin Laden saw in this world was a small team of Americans who
shot him dead. The brave team who killed bin Laden made their Nation
proud, and they deserve the Senate's recognition and its praise.
Mr. President, I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Missouri.
Mr. BLUNT. Mr. President, I stand, as every Member of this Senate
does today, I am sure, in support of not only this resolution but
everything this resolution stands for.
The elimination of Osama bin Laden as a symbol of murder, of tyranny,
of repression is an important moment. It is a moment that came 10 years
after it should have. If we could have found Osama bin Laden 10 years
ago when we were looking for him, 9/11 might not have occurred. But it
did occur.
The message for him and the message for others is you cannot hide
from the forces of freedom and democracy. This was a moment when the
forces of freedom and democracy triumphed over the forces of
repression. This was a moment when the symbol of one view of the future
was eliminated with the kind of violence he himself had perpetrated on
so many others.
The President made a great decision to send this team of the best of
the best into this compound to find Osama bin Laden, to know for sure
face to face that he was either going to be captured by Americans or,
in this case, killed by Americans, to be able to take the hard drive,
the documents. The information he had surrounding him will tell us a
lot about his contacts, and who knows what it might tell us about the
network of al-Qaida. The President could have made a decision to bomb
the compound. I guess we would be sifting through the ashes today to
see if Osama bin Laden was there. We might have been able to confirm
that, but we would not have been able to confirm all the information
the SEAL team was able to take with them. These are two important
decisions made by the President. I think the decision to bury Osama bin
Laden in an unknown spot but with the kind of respect his own religion
required was also another good decision. I want to be supportive of the
President and the decisions made.
There are times when a Predator missile is the right thing to use and
times when it is not. One of the things we see from the death of bin
Laden is that there is value to capturing our enemies and getting
information from them. That thread of information that began maybe as
long as 9 years ago finally was able to unravel in a way that made the
connection that needed to be made so that Osama bin Laden could be
found, so that justice could be done, so that the price would be paid
by him, as it has been paid by so many others in defense of freedom.
Certainly, there are questions today about Pakistan, but there is no
question that Pakistanis have died fighting alongside Americans in the
last decade. There is no question that Pakistanis have been the victim
of terrorism. Hopefully, this will be a moment that brings all of those
who should want freedom to the same side.
I just returned from a quick visit to Egypt, which could very well be
on the right path in the Middle East, a path where, without violence,
people stand and want more freedom, they want democracy. That is not
the goal of the extremists of Islam, for whom Osama bin Laden became
the great symbol.
We do not believe Osama bin Laden has been in operational control of
al-Qaida for some time. It would be wonderful if we find out in the
next few days that he was and the terror of al-Qaida would be
eliminated. I do not think we will find that out. But we do know he was
a symbol in a way that is unique, in the way he symbolizes this wrong
view of the future, the way he symbolizes the wrong view of the
requirement that everybody living together be exactly the same. We,
unlike any other country in the world, defy that view of the future. We
have proven like no other country has ever proven that people can live
together in great diversity, that people can live together with
different points of view, and we can live in a society that still
flourishes. Of course, we are the enemy of a world view that that is
not possible. It is not because of anything we have done to the
extremists in the world community; it is because of who we are.
[[Page S2609]]
Yesterday, the message of who we are was registered again in a
powerful way as we all over this country and people all over the world
talked about what happened the evening before, certainly not only the
SEALs who went into the compound to see that justice was done but also
all of those who are willing to serve, those who could have been among
the elite who went in or all those who have served, the over 4,000
Americans, including many Missourians, whose lives have been lost in
the last decade, in addition to the 3,000 lives that were brutally
taken by the operatives of al-Qaida and Osama bin Laden on September
11, 2001.
This resolution that recognizes the courage to bring justice, that
recognizes the evil that was done by Osama bin Laden and his followers,
that recognizes the importance of freedom and democracy in a society is
a resolution I am proud to support. I am proud of what the men and
women did for us in executing this well-planned mission, but also of
everybody who serves every day, for all the families who have a missing
place in their hearts, for someone whose life was lost serving this
country, for all the families who live with someone with a disability
because of the kind of war we are in now.
I am pleased to stand here representing my State but hopefully
representing, as all of us do, the forces of freedom and democracy that
will ultimately triumph over the forces of repression and murder and
chaos that one-world view would try to perpetuate. We recognize today
another step against that view of the world.
I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The assistant Daily Digest editor proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for
the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, those watching around the world may not be
able to see on their screens the scene in the Senate today. We have all
come to the floor in a way we rarely do. We have come this afternoon to
express with one voice our endless respect and admiration for the men
and women of our military and our intelligence organizations.
``Resolution'' is an appropriate name for this legislation that is
now before this body. It honors the resolution to a problem that has
lingered for nearly a decade, one whose weight has grown heavier each
day on the shoulders of the families whose lives were traumatized and
the many more bin Laden terrorized. It honors the resolve with which
our bravest stared down danger.
The world is still absorbing America's astounding accomplishment--the
mission to bring Osama bin Laden to justice, one that began more than
9\1/2\ years ago and was accomplished just a little more than a day and
a half ago. Mr. President, 9\1/2\ years after the worst morning in our
memory, we woke up yesterday morning to a world without Osama bin Laden
and with a palpable sense of justice.
Our military and intelligence operatives are the best in the world at
what they do. As they set out to kill or capture our most valuable
target, they captivated us with their skill and expertise, their
patriotism, and their professionalism.
A flood of thoughts and emotions and analyses have been shared over
the past 36 hours by many. As I said from this desk yesterday, the end
of his life is not the end of this fight. It is a victory, but it is
not ``the victory.''
A lot has already been said about what bin Laden's death means. So
before we vote on this resolution, let me speak briefly about the
American men and women who carried out this critical successful
mission--a mission that was historically significant and tactically
stunning.
Osama bin Laden was the most wanted and most hunted man in the entire
world. His was the face of our enemy and the face of evil. There were
few faces more recognizable to the American people and to the citizens
of the world. Those who carried out the orders of the Commander in
Chief this weekend could not be more different. The world doesn't know
their names. We wouldn't recognize them if we passed them on the street
today. That is exactly how they would want it.
This is the newest proud page in a long story of the American hero--
the unknown soldiers, the unsung saviors who sacrifice for our
country's flag and our country's freedom. They do not ask for
recognition, and they do not ask questions. They just answer the Nation
when it calls.
Today the Senate stands in awe of the countless men and women who
have toiled in obscurity, in the field and in every corner of the
world; professionals who gather one small shred of evidence here and
another clue there and pursue another lead somewhere else; the men and
women who, over the course of 10 long years, pieced together the most
meaningful of puzzles so that a few dozen of their fellow heroes could
execute an operation the world will never forget.
These heroes confronted fear with brilliance and bravery. They met
the worst of humanity with the best of America. The terrorists who
carried out the 9/11 attacks did so with cowardice. The Americans who
carried out this mission did so with unfailing courage.
No one has asked how these men and women vote or what their politics
are. So we have come to the floor today to vote together on this
resolution not as two parties, not even as 100 Senators, but as one
body representing one grateful country.
Mr. President, on this resolution, Senator McConnell and I ask for
the yeas and nays.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There is a
sufficient second.
The question is on agreeing to the resolution.
The clerk will call the roll.
The assistant legislative clerk called the roll.
Mr. DURBIN. I announce that the Senator from Hawaii (Mr. Akaka) is
necessarily absent.
Mr. KYL. The following Senators are necessarily absent: the Senator
from Illinois (Mr. Kirk) and the Senator from Nevada (Mr. Ensign).
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Are there any other Senators in the Chamber
desiring to vote?
The result was announced--yeas 97, nays 0, as follows:
[Rollcall Vote No. 63 Leg.]
YEAS--97
Alexander
Ayotte
Barrasso
Baucus
Begich
Bennet
Bingaman
Blumenthal
Blunt
Boozman
Boxer
Brown (MA)
Brown (OH)
Burr
Cantwell
Cardin
Carper
Casey
Chambliss
Coats
Coburn
Cochran
Collins
Conrad
Coons
Corker
Cornyn
Crapo
DeMint
Durbin
Enzi
Feinstein
Franken
Gillibrand
Graham
Grassley
Hagan
Harkin
Hatch
Hoeven
Hutchison
Inhofe
Inouye
Isakson
Johanns
Johnson (SD)
Johnson (WI)
Kerry
Klobuchar
Kohl
Kyl
Landrieu
Lautenberg
Leahy
Lee
Levin
Lieberman
Lugar
Manchin
McCain
McCaskill
McConnell
Menendez
Merkley
Mikulski
Moran
Murkowski
Murray
Nelson (NE)
Nelson (FL)
Paul
Portman
Pryor
Reed
Reid
Risch
Roberts
Rockefeller
Rubio
Sanders
Schumer
Sessions
Shaheen
Shelby
Snowe
Stabenow
Tester
Thune
Toomey
Udall (CO)
Udall (NM)
Vitter
Warner
Webb
Whitehouse
Wicker
Wyden
NOT VOTING--3
Akaka
Ensign
Kirk
The resolution (S. Res. 159) was agreed to, as follows:
S. Res. 159
Whereas, on May 1, 2011, United States personnel killed
terrorist leader Osama bin Laden during the course of a
targeted strike against his secret compound in Abbottabad,
Pakistan;
Whereas Osama bin Laden was the leader of the al Qaeda
terrorist organization, the most significant terrorism threat
to the United States and the international community;
Whereas Osama bin Laden was the architect of terrorist
attacks which killed nearly 3,000 civilians on September 11,
2001, the most deadly terrorist attack against our Nation, in
which al Qaeda terrorists hijacked four airplanes and crashed
them into the World Trade Center in New York City, the
Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and, due to heroic efforts by
civilian passengers to disrupt the terrorists, near
Shanksville, Pennsylvania;
Whereas Osama bin Laden planned or supported numerous other
deadly terrorist attacks against the United States and its
allies, including the 1998 bombings of United States
embassies in Kenya and Tanzania and the 2000 attack on the
U.S.S. Cole in Yemen,
[[Page S2610]]
and against innocent civilians in countries around the world,
including the 2004 attack on commuter trains in Madrid, Spain
and the 2005 bombings of the mass transit system in London,
England;
Whereas, following the September 11, 2001, terrorist
attacks, the United States, under President George W. Bush,
led an international coalition into Afghanistan to dismantle
al Qaeda, deny them a safe haven in Afghanistan and
ungoverned areas along the Pakistani border, and bring Osama
bin Laden to justice;
Whereas President Barack Obama in 2009 committed additional
forces and resources to efforts in Afghanistan and Pakistan
as ``the central front in our enduring struggle against
terrorism and extremism'';
Whereas the valiant members of the United States Armed
Forces have courageously and vigorously pursued al Qaeda and
its affiliates in Afghanistan and around the world;
Whereas the anonymous, unsung heroes of the intelligence
community have pursued al Qaeda and affiliates in
Afghanistan, Pakistan, and around the world with tremendous
dedication, sacrifice, and professionalism;
Whereas the close collaboration between the Armed Forces
and the intelligence community prompted the Director of
National Intelligence, General James Clapper, to state,
``Never have I seen a more remarkable example of focused
integration, seamless collaboration, and sheer professional
magnificence as was demonstrated by the Intelligence
Community in the ultimate demise of Osama bin Laden.'';
Whereas, while the death of Osama bin Laden represents a
significant blow to the al Qaeda organization and its
affiliates and to terrorist organizations around the world,
terrorism remains a critical threat to United States national
security; and
Whereas President Obama said, ``For over two decades, bin
Laden has been al Qaeda's leader and symbol, and has
continued to plot attacks against our country and our friends
and allies. The death of bin Laden marks the most significant
achievement to date in our Nation's effort to defeat al
Qaeda.'': Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) declares that the death of Osama bin Laden represents a
measure of justice and relief for the families and friends of
the nearly 3,000 men and women who lost their lives on
September 11, 2001, the men and women in the United States
and around the world who have been killed by other al Qaeda-
sponsored attacks, the men and women of the United States
Armed Forces and the intelligence community who have
sacrificed their lives pursuing Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda;
(2) commends the men and women of the United States Armed
Forces and the United States intelligence community for the
tremendous commitment, perseverance, professionalism, and
sacrifice they displayed in bringing Osama bin Laden to
justice;
(3) commends the men and women of the United States Armed
Forces and the United States intelligence community for
committing themselves to defeating, disrupting, and
dismantling al Qaeda;
(4) commends the President for ordering the successful
operations to locate and eliminate Osama bin Laden; and
(5) reaffirms its commitment to disrupting, dismantling,
and defeating al Qaeda and affiliated organizations around
the world that threaten United States national security,
eliminating a safe haven for terrorists in Afghanistan and
Pakistan, and bringing terrorists to justice.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under the previous order, the preamble is
agreed to and the motions to reconsider are considered made and laid
upon the table.
____________________
