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Transcript:ObamaannouncesthedeathofOsamabinLadenBytheCNNWireStaffMay2,2011--Updated1908GMT(0308HKT)PresidentBarackObamaaddressedthenationSundaynighttoannouncethedeathofOsamabinLaden,themastermindoftheworstterroristattackonAmericansoil.Thefollowingisatranscriptofhisspeech.PresidentObama:Goodevening.Tonight,IcanreporttotheAmericanpeopleandtotheworld,theUnitedStateshasconductedanoperationthatkilledOsamabinLaden,theleaderofalQaeda,andaterroristwho'sresponsibleforthemurderofthousandsofinnocentmen,women,andchildren.Itwasnearly10yearsagothatabrightSeptemberdaywasdarkenedbytheworstattackontheAmericanpeopleinourhistory.Theimagesof9/11aresearedintoournationalmemory--hijackedplanescuttingthroughacloudlessSeptembersky;theTwinTowerscollapsingtotheground;blacksmokebillowingupfromthePentagon;thewreckageofFlight93inShanksville,Pennsylvania,wheretheactionsofheroiccitizenssavedevenmoreheartbreakanddestruction.Andyetweknowthattheworstimagesarethosethatwereunseentotheworld.Theemptyseatatthedinnertable.Childrenwhowereforcedtogrowupwithouttheirmotherortheirfather.Parentswhowouldneverknowthefeelingoftheirchild'sembrace.Nearly3,000citizenstakenfromus,leavingagapingholeinourhearts.KeywordsinObama'sspeechOnSeptember11,2001,inourtimeofgrief,theAmericanpeoplecametogether.Weofferedourneighborsahand,andweofferedthewoundedourblood.Wereaffirmedourtiestoeachother,andourloveofcommunityandcountry.Onthatday,nomatterwherewecamefrom,whatGodweprayedto,orwhatraceorethnicitywewere,wewereunitedasoneAmericanfamily.Wewerealsounitedinourresolvetoprotectournationandtobringthosewhocommittedthisviciousattacktojustice.Wequicklylearnedthatthe9/11attackswerecarriedoutbyalQaeda--anorganizationheadedbyOsamabinLaden,whichhadopenlydeclaredwarontheUnitedStatesandwascommittedtokillinginnocentsinourcountryandaroundtheglobe.AndsowewenttowaragainstalQaedatoprotectourcitizens,ourfriends,andourallies.Overthelast10years,thankstothetirelessandheroicworkofourmilitaryandourcounterterrorismprofessionals,we'vemadegreatstridesinthateffort.We'vedisruptedterroristattacksandstrengthenedourhomelanddefense.InAfghanistan,weremovedtheTalibangovernment,whichhadgivenbinLadenandalQaedasafehavenandsupport.Andaroundtheglobe,weworkedwithourfriendsandalliestocaptureorkillscoresofalQaedaterrorists,includingseveralwhowereapartofthe9/11plot.YetOsamabinLadenavoidedcaptureandescapedacrosstheAfghanborderintoPakistan.Meanwhile,alQaedacontinuedtooperatefromalongthatborderandoperatethroughitsaffiliatesacrosstheworld.Andsoshortlyaftertakingoffice,IdirectedLeonPanetta,thedirectoroftheCIA,tomakethekillingorcaptureofbinLadenthetoppriorityofourwaragainstalQaeda,evenaswecontinuedourbroadereffortstodisrupt,dismantle,anddefeathisnetwork.Then,lastAugust,afteryearsofpainstakingworkbyourintelligencecommunity,IwasbriefedonapossibleleadtobinLaden.Itwasfarfromcertain,andittookmanymonthstorunthisthreadtoground.ImetrepeatedlywithmynationalsecurityteamaswedevelopedmoreinformationaboutthepossibilitythatwehadlocatedbinLadenhidingwithinacompounddeepinsideofPakistan.Andfinally,lastweek,Ideterminedthatwehadenoughintelligencetotakeaction,andauthorizedanoperationtogetOsamabinLadenandbringhimtojustice.Today,atmydirection,theUnitedStateslaunchedatargetedoperationagainstthatcompoundinAbbottabad,Pakistan.AsmallteamofAmericanscarriedouttheoperationwithextraordinarycourageandcapability.NoAmericanswereharmed.Theytookcaretoavoidciviliancasualties.Afterafirefight,theykilledOsamabinLadenandtookcustodyofhisbody.Forovertwodecades,binLadenhasbeenalQaeda'sleaderandsymbol,andhascontinuedtoplotattacksagainstourcountryandourfriendsandallies.ThedeathofbinLadenmarksthemostsignificantachievementtodateinournation'sefforttodefeatalQaeda.Yethisdeathdoesnotmarktheendofoureffort.There'snodoubtthatalQaedawillcontinuetopursueattacksagainstus.Wemust---andwewill--remainvigilantathomeandabroad.Aswedo,wemustalsoreaffirmthattheUnitedStatesisnot---andneverwillbe---atwarwithIslam.I'vemadeclear,justasPresidentBushdidshortlyafter9/11,thatourwarisnotagainstIslam.BinLadenwasnotaMuslimleader;hewasamassmurdererofMuslims.Indeed,alQaedahasslaughteredscoresofMuslimsinmanycountries,includingourown.Sohisdemiseshouldbewelcomedbyallwhobelieveinpeaceandhumandignity.Overtheyears,I'verepeatedlymadeclearthatwewouldtakeactionwithinPakistanifweknewwherebinLadenwas.Thatiswhatwe'vedone.Butit'simportanttonotethatourcounterterrorismcooperationwithPakistanhelpedleadustobinLadenandthecompoundwherehewashiding.Indeed,binLadenhaddeclaredwaragainstPakistanaswell,andorderedattacksagainstthePakistanipeople.Tonight,IcalledPresidentZardari,andmyteamhasalsospokenwiththeirPakistanicounterparts.Theyagreethatthisisagoodandhistoricdayforbothofournations.Andgoingforward,itisessentialthatPakistancontinuetojoinusinthefightagainstalQaedaanditsaffiliates.TheAmericanpeopledidnotchoosethisfight.Itcametoourshores,andstartedwiththesenselessslaughterofourcitizens.Afternearly10yearsofservice,struggle,andsacrifice,weknowwellthecostsofwar.TheseeffortsweighonmeeverytimeI,ascommanderinchief,havetosignalett