Obama to meet bin Laden raid team

US President Barack Obama is set to meet the Navy Seals who joined the daring raid of Osama bin Laden's Pakistan compound.

US President Barack Obama is set to meet the Navy Seals who joined the daring raid of Osama bin Laden's Pakistan compound.

White House officials said Mr Obama will visit Fort Campbell, Kentucky, to express his gratitude privately to the commandos.

Mr Obama, joined by vice-president Joe Biden, will also address soldiers who have recently returned from Afghanistan.

The president has so far tried to avoid rejoicing over bin Laden's death. But he has maintained a steady stream of events and activities that have kept the success of the commando operation at the forefront.

He was in New York yesterday, visiting fire and police stations that responded to the 9/11 attacks that bin Laden orchestrated, and he met privately with victims' families.

In New York, Mr Obama did not mention bin Laden's name, but he did not have to. "When we say we will never forget, we mean what we say," he told firefighters.

At the same time, the White House is wary of overplaying its hand. Mr Obama has decided not to release photographs of bin Laden's corpse because he believes the images are too gruesome.

The fort is home to the 101st Airborne Division and many of its combat teams have recently returned from tours of duty in Afghanistan.

It is also home to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, the highly specialised army unit that carried Navy Seals to bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

The unit, known as Night Stalkers, has fought in nearly every US conflict, from Grenada to Afghanistan, and they were memorialised in the mission that resulted in the book and movie 'Black Hawk Down'.

Many of its missions are classified and among its primary duties are flying special forces commandos behind enemy lines using night-vision technology and low-flying techniques.

White House officials would not offer details on the meeting between the president and the participants of the raiding party.

"The successful mission against Osama bin Laden is a monumental achievement," White House spokesman Jay Carney said.

"But the fact remains that we're still at war, that we have 100,000 combat personnel in Afghanistan, we have troops in a support-and-assist role in Iraq, and we have US military men and women in other places around the globe and, in some cases, in difficult situations.

"So it's important to acknowledge, and for Americans to remember, that despite the elimination of bin Laden, we're still extremely dependent upon and grateful to our military men and women for what they do."

more courts articles

Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother Man (25) in court charged with murdering his father and attempted murder of mother
Man appears in court charged with false imprisonment of woman in van Man appears in court charged with false imprisonment of woman in van
Man in court over alleged false imprisonment of woman Man in court over alleged false imprisonment of woman

More in this section

TOPSHOT-PALESTINIAN-ISRAEL-CONFLICT Court orders Israel to halt Gaza famine; Hamas says ceasefire needed
‘Best minds in the world’ working on plans for bridge’s removal ‘Best minds in the world’ working on plans for bridge’s removal
Joe Biden
Barack Obama Former presidents help Joe Biden raise $26m for campaign
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy Brand Safety FAQ Help Contact Us Terms and Conditions

© Examiner Echo Group Limited