United States President Barack Obama on Monday defended his decision to order special forces to go inside Pakistan and kill al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden at his safe hideout a year ago.
"As far as my personal role and what other folks would do, I'd just recommend that everybody take a look at people's previous statements in terms of whether they thought it was appropriate to go into Pakistan and take out bin Laden," Obama said at a joint White House news conference with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda.
"I assume that people meant what they said when they said it. That's been at least my practice. I said that I'd go after bin Laden if we had a clear shot at him and I did," he said.
If there are others who have said one thing and now suggest they'd do something else, then I'd go ahead and let them explain it," Obama said in response to a question on the eve of the anniversary of the killing of bin Laden.
He also disputed a statement that there is excessive celebration on this occasion.
"I hardly think that you have seen any excessive celebration taking place here. I think that the American people rightly remember what we as a country accomplished in bringing to justice somebody who killed over 3,000 of our citizens," he said.
"And it's a mark of the excellence of our intelligence teams and our military teams, a political process that worked. And I think for us to use that time for some reflection, to give thanks to those who participated is entirely appropriate, and that's what's been taking place," Obama said.
