Osama Bin Laden's Death

Osama Bin Laden

Americans rejoicing outside of The White House

There have been a lot of memorable international news stories that I have read and heard about since I have been in Barcelona.  The one that is easily the most significant for me is the one that occurred yesterday in the Pakistani town of Abbottabad.  The death of Osama Bin Laden, the terrorist mastermind of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, has brought relief and rejoicing to all Americans.  U.S. officials say that they located Osama using intelligence and the observance of a high security compound that they believed would be used to shelter a high profile terrorist target.  They learned about the compound in August of last year and said that construction on the compound began five or six years ago.  Intelligence officials learned about the compound by tracking couriers that they believed were within Bin Laden’s inner circle. Officials said that helicopters were used in the attack which quickly turned into a firefight.  Bin Laden and three other men were killed as well as two women who the terrorists used as human shields.

                The news of his death brought rejoicing to cities all around the United States, especially in New York City and Washington D.C. where people took to the streets at Ground Zero and in front of The White House.  This is a very emotional event for most Americans.  Growing up twenty minutes from Manhattan and having friends and family who lost their lives in the September 11 attacks, I am especially joyful and looking forward to my return home to New York on Saturday.