World Cheers Bin Laden Killing, Prepares for Strikes

The Wall Street Journal

World leaders cheered the U.S. announcement that terrorist leader Osama bin Laden had been killed as a victory for the global effort against terrorism, even as they even as they took steps to prepare for possible retaliatory strikes.

Congratulations came from U.S. allies in Europe and Asia Monday as governments expressed home that Mr. bin Laden's death could help antiterror efforts. "His death makes the world a safer place and shows that such crimes do not remain unpunished," said European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and European Council President Herman Van Rompuy in a joint statement. "This is a major achievement in our efforts to rid the world of terrorism," the leaders said.

"We can only rejoice about what happened last night," French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde said Monday, in response to U.S. President Barack Obama's announcement late Sunday in the U.S. She cited a rally in early Monday trading in the U.S. dollar, a sign of renewed investor confidence. "I'm not surprised that in the space of two hours the dollar has taken note of the news and a regaining of confidence, which will result from this situation."

"Osama bin Laden was one of the most brutal terrorists in the world. He had the lives of thousands of innocent people on his conscience," German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said in an emailed statement.

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