Let's not harbor any illusions

I haven't heard much of anything about this story. I don't bring it up to stir up fear, because Osama bin Laden is dead and fear-mongering is too often the tool of those we shouldn't trust.

But in case any of us had illusions about bin Laden simply sitting back comfortably in his hide-out perusing pornography, we would be wrong.

U.S. officials say that Osama Bin Laden wanted to assemble a team to attack America on the tenth anniversary of 9/11, and had a hit list that included President Obama, General David Petraeus and a major U.S. sporting event.

The hit list was discovered in the "treasure trove" of information seized from Osama bin Laden's Pakistan compound after the Navy SEAL raid that killed him in May. Officials say he was intent on an attack on the upcoming 10th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks, though the plot was only in the "discussion phase." He also remained obsessed with using aircraft to kill.

Officials tell ABC News that bin Laden wanted to fly a small plane into a sporting event to cause mass casualties...

The primary target on bin Laden's hit list was President Obama. Officials tell ABC News that bin Laden was trying to hatch a plan to kill President Obama by shooting down Air Force One or Marine One, the president's plane and helicopter.

It doesn't sound like the President was in any real danger...

Investigators do not believe the planning got very far, and both President Obama and General Petraeus have countermeasures on their aircraft that would make them tough targets. Said Garrett, "It's difficult, but not impossible, to shoot down either General Petraeus or the president's plane. But the reality is because of the countermeasures and other planes and helicopters in the air, it's not a likely scenario."

But Obama was right in pursuing him instead of following his predecessor who took him "off his radar."