Roskam says bin Laden death’s calls for ‘reflection’

The most striking part of Sunday’s news for Sixth District Congressman and GOP Chief Deputy Whip Peter Roskam was what happened at his Wheaton home.

One of his teenage sons, who was very young at the time of the Sept. 11 attacks, woke his brother up about President Barack Obama’s announcement that al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden had been killed in Pakistan.

“They got him,” the son said.

“It was really interesting. The one that was waking up knew who he was talking about,” Roskam told WLS 890-AM radio this morning.

“Isn’t that something? How deep this whole drama has seeped into our culture. And how much a part of American life for the past decade bin Laden has been.

“It’s a good day,” Roskam continued. “Everyone who has been involved, from President Obama to President (George W.) Bush to clandestine services to members of the military that have been working literally for years to have this happen.”

Roskam also said this is “not a day for dancing in the streets” but for “reflection.”

“We have a long way to go in terms of the nature of these radical threats that are around the world... it’s game on with these people and we have to be very attentive as we move forward.”