AFP - Barack Obama closed on Friday "a historic week" for the United States with the decoration of the U.S. commando members who, by shooting down Osama bin Laden five days ago in Pakistan, "decapitated" al Qaeda.
Barack Obama and his Vice President Joe Biden visited earlier this afternoon on the military base of Fort Campbell (Kentucky, western central) to meet the assault force that led the operation against bin Laden .
The President has awarded them a "Presidential Citation, the highest award that can be given to a unit in recognition of their service and their extraordinary success," said an official on condition of anonymity.
"This week was historic for our nation," began a little later Barack Obama in a speech to soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division gathered at the base.
Mr.Obama said that eliminating bin Laden, the U.S. had "decapitated" al Qaeda and they would come to the end of the Islamist organization.
"We have beheaded Al-Qaeda and we will eventually overcome it," he promised the applause of the military.
"It was a chance for me to say on behalf of all Americans and all peoples throughout the world, good job. Good job!" He said. The men who led the raid against bin Laden are "professionals of the shadow of America ...they have trained for years, they are battle-hardened, they are prepared relentlessly for that mission. "
"When I ordered (to intervene, ie), they were ready. And these days, the whole world could see how much they were."
"Of those Americans who deserves credit for one of the largest military and intelligence operations in the history of our nation," he added.
No details were given on the exact composition of the squad but the president has met with members of the unit of helicopter pilots who participated in the raid and other special forces.
Vice President Biden simply stated the fact that members of the Navy Seals, Special Forces U.S. Navy, were involved.
But the White House refused to confirm his participation in the assault.
"Team 6" Navy SEALs (Team 6), presented by the media as the spearhead of the raid conducted against the residence of bin Laden in Pakistan, is the aristocracy of the SEALs - an acronym for Sea, Air, Land (sea, air, earth) also meaning seal - and its missions are considered so sensitive that their existence was never confirmed.
Osama Bin Laden was killed in the night from Sunday to Monday by a U.S. special forces operation against the residence where he was hiding in Abbottabad, a garrison city near Islamabad, Pakistan, ending a 10-year hunt .
Moreover, the Washington Post reports that the CIA since his "hideout" installed to monitor the residence of bin Laden, had observed that anyone leaving the residence should move away by car while riding for at least 90 minutes before use his cell phone to escape a possible electronic surveillance.
The U.S. plays were first picked up a phone call sent the emissary of bin Laden, who lived in the residence.The envoy said at the time the caller on the phone: "I'm back with people with whom I was before," reports the Washington Post.
Through this call, U.S. intelligence was able to identify the telephone number of the effluent. Then use "amount of human and technical resources," the CIA has finally located the residence of Abbottabad, where lived the outfall, and Bin Laden.
