President Obama Visits McLean to Thank the "Secret" Neighbors

President Barack Obama visited CIA headquarters  yesterday to personally thank the men and women of the CIA  for their work in finding and killing terrorist Osama Bin Laden.

McLean's secret neighbors from both the east and west side of town led by  Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and CIA Director Leon Panetta gathered at the CIA's Langley headquarters.

"For all of us here at the CIA, it is a privilege and a pleasure to have our intelligence community family here with us, to have all of our military partners with us, and I also want to thank the White House staff, particularly those involved in the national security element, to be with us today," Panetta said.

Obama spoke before a packed crowd in the CIA’s main lobby, and his remarks were carried by video feed to other agencies in the U.S. intelligence community. At times, the appearance had the feel of a campaign rally, with frequent bursts of applause, The Washington Post reported.

Here are exccerpts for their speeches:

Leon Panetta: Mr. President, on behalf of everyone here at the CIA, we are truly honored and very proud to have you here. I can’t tell you how much it means to all of us to have you here, to mark one of the greatest intelligence operations in our history. And it’s one that had so many of our officers working day and night for so many years.

Throughout that time, some of our officers made the ultimate sacrifice. Last year we lost seven men and women to a terrorist suicide bomber at Khost Base in Afghanistan. Their stars are now on this wall behind me -- along with those who gave their lives in this fight. Their devotion, their skill, and the inspiration that we take from their sacrifice helped make this day possible.

James Clapper: He thanks other intelligence agencies. "But most assuredly, thanks must go to the President, our Commander-in-Chief -- (applause) -- for making perhaps the most courageous decision I’ve witnessed in almost 48 years in intelligence. He made this decision based on very compelling, but largely circumstantial intelligence.

And, sir, we are all grateful to you for your faith and trust in us. We’re honored by your visit and by your speaking to the intelligence community. And I think it most appropriate that you do so here at the heart of American intelligence, in the presence of the stars on the wall.  We remember as well, across the community, those who sacrificed their lives on and since 9/11.

President Barack Obama: This is my third visit here to Langley as President, and each of these visits has marked another milestone in our mission to protect the American people and keep our country safe.

On my first visit, just months after taking office, I stood here and I said that this agency and our entire intelligence community is fundamental to America’s national security. I said that I believed that your best days were still to come and I pledged that you would have my full support to carry out your critical work.

Soon after that visit, I called Leon into the Oval Office and I directed him to make the killing or capture of Osama bin Laden the top priority in our war to defeat al Qaeda. And he came back here, and you guys, who had already been working so hard on this issue, redoubled your efforts. And that was true all across the intelligence community.

My second visit, a year later, came under more somber circumstances. We gathered to pay tribute to seven American patriots who gave their lives in this fight at a remote post in Afghanistan. As has already been mentioned, their stars now grace this memorial wall. And through our grief and our tears, we resolved that their sacrifice would be our summons to carry on their work, to complete this mission, to win this war.

Today I’ve returned just to say thank you, on behalf of all Americans and people around the world, because you carried on. You stayed focused on your mission. You honored the memory of your fallen colleagues. And in helping to locate and take down Osama bin Laden, you made it possible for us to achieve the most significant victory yet in our war to defeat al Qaeda.

. . . . So most of you will never get headlines for the work that you do. You won’t get ticker-tape parades. But as you go about your work with incredible diligence and dedication every single day, I hope all of you understand how important it is, how grateful I am, and that you have the thanks of a grateful nation.