Reacting to the death of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, U.S. Sen. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., issued a statement praising the U.S. military for its efforts, saying the country fulfilled its pledge to hunt down the mastermind of the September 11 attacks.From McConnell's office:"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.”
Across the Ohio River, U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar, R-In., who is the top GOP member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, welcomed the news, but warned that America must remain vigilant in response to bin Laden's death.From Lugar's office:"The reported death of Osama bin Laden is welcome news, but it in no way eliminates the threat from the terrorism he espoused. This is another reminder that Americans cannot hide from global affairs. Americans must continue to be vigilant to ensure that terrorist groups and rogue states do not obtain weapons of mass destruction, a goal that I and many other Americans have sought for 20 years."
Like Speaker John Boehner, R-Oh., in a statement sent to the media, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky, praised efforts by President Barack Obama and former President George W. Bush for killing the terrorist leader.From Paul's office:"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."
UPDATE:On Monday, U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth, D-Ky., issued a statement, sympathized with the victims of the 9/11 attacks, saying the killing of bin Laden demonstrates the country won't give in to terrorism.“The death of Osama bin Laden stands as our nation's most significant strike in the fight against al-Qaeda to date and a military victory unrivaled for decades. While we hear so much about what divides this country, there is no question that with this historic victory, America stands united, as one. We stand with the thousands who were killed in the tragedies of September 11, with the families who lost loved ones, and with the brave men and women of our military and intelligence community who fought and sacrificed to protect our nation and to bring this murderer to justice. We will never forget the pain and loss of that terrible day in 2001, but now, the world will always remember that when things seemed darkest, the United States of America never let up, never gave in, never stopped fighting until success was achieved—just as we always have and as we will continue to do.”