WASHINGTON- House Armed Services Committee Chairman Howard P. "Buck" McKeon reacted today to news that leading al Qaeda conspirator, propagandist, and plotter, Anwar al-Awlaki was killed in Yemen. Al-Awlaki was a dangerous terrorist known to have been the inspiration for multiple attacks against the United States, including the attacks at Ft. Hood and attempted Christmas Day bombing and car bombing in Times Square. Al-Awlaki's role in these plots has been the subject of rigorous Committee oversight. Responding to al-Awlaki's death, McKeon said:
"A dangerous terrorist is dead, and I offer my thanks to the Yemeni forces who killed him, with the assistance of the United States. Al-Awlaki inspired multiple attacks against Americans, and I am relieved that the threat he posed has been eliminated. However, this is not a time to let our guard down. Rather, we must redouble our efforts to keep al Qaeda on the run and break their ability to carry out future attacks."
"I well know how how dangerous Al-Awlaki was. Dispersed operatives like him, who depend on mobility to defend themselves and might be discovered anywhere, are one reason the Armed Services Committee affirmed the authorization of the use of military force against al Qaeda and its associates this year. We must continue to take the fight to the enemy and prevent terrorists from reaching our shores. I urge my colleagues in the Senate to take today's action as further proof of how vital it is to reaffirm the authorization of military force and act on the legislation quickly."
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