By Paul Tuthill
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Springfield, MA – Members of the Massachusetts Congressional delegation say the death of Osama bin Laden is a milestone in the war on terror. They also say troubling new questions have been raised about the role of Pakistan in the campaign against global terrorism .WAMC's Pioneer Valley Bureau Chief Paul Tuthill reports .
Massachusetts Congressman Richard Neal warns against a false sense of security following the death of Osama bin Laden. Neal says there are still enemies of the United States around the world who do not share our values and believes
In a meeting with reporters in the federal court building in Springfield, Neal praised the determination of Presidents Obama, Bush and Clinton for pursuing bin Laden,, the very good work of the US intelligence community that tracked him down and the courage of the military who carried out the operation that resulted in his death. Neal said his thoughts go out to the families who lost loved ones on September 11 nearly a decade ago. He said their grief is unimaginable
For years it was believed bin Laden was hiding in a remote cave, but it turned out he was hiding in plain sight in what's been described as a fortress like compound in a city some 60 miles from the capital Islamabad. Congressman Neal says it is telling the Pakistanis were not informed prior to the US military operation against bin Laden.
Massachusetts Congressman John Olver is also concerned about Pakistan
Olver said President Obama and congressional leaders need to work together and build on the death of bin Laden to reduce terrorism.
Massachusetts Senator John Kerry, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee says the committee, this week, will hold a series of hearings to come up with an exit strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Kerry, in an op-ed in the Boston Sunday Globe, said the hope, quote, is to bring stability and security to Afghanistan and to bring our men and women in uniform home safely .
Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown, meanwhile, announced Monday that he will go to Afghanistan for two weeks this summer as part of his commitment to the National Guard. Brown, who has been in the Massachusetts Army National Guard for more than a decade has never been deployed to a war zone.