Finally, after 10 long and painful years, Americans got their man.

Osama bin Laden is dead. His body unceremoniously, but in keeping with the traditions of Islam, buried at sea.

He died in a daring and skillful raid by one of our countrys best-trained military units.

They descended out of darkness on the most important counterterrorism mission in U.S. history. It was an operation so secret, only a select few U.S. officials knew what was about to happen.

The self-appointed world leader of terror was found hiding in a compound in an affluent neighborhood near Pakistans capital. 

The Associated Press describes the compound as being surrounded by walls as high as 18 feet, topped with barbed wire. Two security gates guarded the only way in. 

A third-floor terrace was shielded by a seven-foot privacy wall. No phone lines or Internet cables ran to the property. The residents burned their garbage rather than put it out for collection. 

Intelligence officials believed the million-dollar compound was built five years ago to protect a major terrorist figure. The question was, who?

Often criticized American intelligence experts figured it out.

President Barack Obama demonstrated enormous leadership, first by making finding bin Laden a top priority, and then by exercising the ultimate commander-in-chief responsibility to order the strike.

We should all be proud of the precision with which our military carried out their orders. From the leaders at the top to those who climbed aboard the helicopters, they showed the world what we can accomplish when our national security is at stake.

No, Americans did not forget those who died on that fateful September day. 

There was much to celebrate. It started with fans at a Mets-Philly baseball game rising in loud cheers of  U.S.A. when they learned the news via cell phones.

Soon, large crowds had spilled into the streets near Ground Zero in New York  and next to the capitol in Washington, D.C.,  to spontaneously cheer this success and remember those who had died.

Others joined in:

This momentous achievement marks a victory for America, for people who seek peace around the world, and for all those who lost loved ones on Sept. 11, 2001. The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done. former President George W. Bush.

This is a day of great honor to the survivors and victims of terrorism in the world. A day to remember those whose lives were changed forever. A day of great relief to us victims and survivors to see that bin Laden has been killed. Douglas Sidialo, who lost his eyesight in the 1998 U.S. Embassy bombing in Nairobi, Kenya.

I congratulate the president, the national security team and the members of our armed forces on bringing Osama bin Laden to justice after more than a decade of murderous al-Qaida attacks. former President Bill Clinton.

Bin Ladin did not die a brave man. One of his wives was in the compound and was used as a shield. He was not out on the battlefield, but hidden away like the pathetic criminal he was in a guarded compound.

Pakistan has some answering to do as to why he was allowed this hideout. 

Obama and our military leaders were smart enough not to trust that countrys military or intelligence service. They took action on their own. The president deserves all the praise he will get for his decisive action.

Sadly, the war against terror is not over. Read this quote from a leader of those who want to destroy us:

The battle between us and international tyranny is long and will not be stopped by the martyrdom of our beloved one, the lion of Islam. How many martyrdom seekers have been born today? a top al-Qaida ideologue who goes by the online name Assad al-Jihad2.

There will be more battles. There likely will be attempts to strike back.

But we can all be thankful that this symbol of evil has been found and destroyed.

We all should pause to thank the many brave men and women, a good number from Eastern Oregon, who have served in the war zones since 9/11/01.

They, especially, can take some measure of satisfaction in knowing that this part of the war is now over.