Sunday night Americans were celebrating in the streets of many cities, including Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. After nearly 10 years since the September 11 attack, Osama Bin Laden has been killed. It's a relief to the United States, but at the same time it causes worry.
"It's the best thing that has ever happened since the attack on 9/11," stated Veteran Dick Rockwell, First Lieutenant in the army from 1966 through 1969. "My only regret is that it has taken the United States so long and has cost so much money and so many American lives being in Afghanistan. It was expensive but it was worth it."
Korean Veteran Sonny Hamrick explained "I was pleased to hear that bin Laden met his maker. It's about time."
With chanting in front of the White House, a celebration in Time Square, and even the burning of couches in Morgantown, the news of bin Laden's death caused enthusiastic uproars.
"It's tragic to celebrate someone's death," explained Dessert Storm Veteran and Army Core Engineers Lieutenant Veteran Jeff Wood. "But on the other hand, for one death compared to the amount of American lives lost on 9/11 and after, good riddance. I hope it sends a message to the world saying that we won't put up with it. They keep trying us and trying us, and at that point America did say that it was enough."
Though bin Laden has been killed, many worry about a retaliation.
"The retaliation is what worries me more than anything," Hamrick stated. "I worry about my kids and grandkids. I remember my grandmother saying that the Bible says that there are going to be wars and more wars, and the wars seem to keep coming."
According to U.S. Navy Veteran Bill Olmstead, bin Laden's death came way too late and it's been way too long of a wait.
"They should have captured him within a year. Bin Laden's followers have had so much time to bring other people in," explained Olmstead. "After the attack on the World Trade Centers, bin Laden's capture would have been a big shock. Ten years later it's not as big of a shock. I think it has still put a hurting on them, but they've had so much time to regroup that I don't think that it will make that much of a difference now. The repercussion may be worse. We better be on our toes."
The nearly 10 years that it has taken to finally catch Bin Laden is what bothers most people. It's been a long time coming, but now that he's been caught, people question why it took this long.
"I just don't understand why it has taken the U.S. so long to get him," stated Olmstead. "With the technology, it doesn't make sense to have taken this long."
According to Hamrick, The United States has fumbled operations before.
"They didn't screw up this time," Hamrick said. "The fact is that America finally found bin Laden. We can sit back here and criticize, but when you're involved with something like that it has to be very precise."
With the death of bin Laden, the future is unclear on what actions Afghanistan will take next.
According to Wood, bin Laden is believed to have had a lot of people supporting him.
"Whoever wants to step up for bin Laden better understand that we will do the same thing to him and his family that was done to Bin Laden's," stated Wood.
Retaliation or no retaliation, bin Laden has been killed.
"I hope it sends a message to the world saying that we won't put up with it" stated Wood. "They keep trying us and trying us, and at that point America did say that it was enough."
According to Rockwell, America has been losing face for 10 years because we couldn't find or capture bin Laden. He said this is a big step in the right direction.
