King To Hold Hearing On Impacts Of Bin Laden Killing

Rep. Pete King (R-N.Y.) will hold a hearing next Wednesday to examine the national security implications of Osama bin Laden’s death.

Bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaeda, was killed by U.S. special forces during a raid on his compound in Abottabad, Pakistan on May 2.

King, who chairs the House Homeland Security Committee, released a statement today explaining his decision:

“Since the first of May, the national conversation has revolved around details emerging from the killing of Bin Laden by U.S. Special Operations Forces.  At this hearing, the Committee will examine the near-term and long-term consequences and benefits to the security of our homeland resulting from the successful killing of Al Qaeda’s founder and top leader.  While the removal of Bin Laden from the battlefield is certainly a victory in our war against Al Qaeda and its affiliates, it also means increased risk of retaliatory attacks against America by Bin Laden supporters, just as we have seen recently in Pakistan.”

So far, the witness list for the hearing includes author and CNN terrorism analyst Peter Bergen,  former George W. Bush counter-terrorism advisor Frances Townsend and former FBI terrorism consultant Evan Kohlmann.