Special adviser to the president for homeland security and national security, John Brennan, told the press that the killing of Osama bin Laden means that "al-Qaida is something in the past." Is this this the reality on the ground?

On Sunday, a military operation lasting approximately 40 minutes, transformed an elite fighting force known for keeping a low profile, into the talk of the world. Former US Navy SEAL Michael Howard and Retired US Army Colonel Douglas MacGregor discuss what goes into training one of the most elite fighting force in the world. 

For the latest out of Washington after Osama bin Laden's death, we turn to Todd Zwillich, The Takeaway's Washington correspondent. New details on the operation that led to bin Laden's death reveal that while American forces knew that bin Laden was living at the Abbottabad compound, they didn't know for certain that he'd be home at the time of the raid. Now, the question remains as to how Washington is planning to deal with Pakistan; did the Pakistani leadership know that bin Laden was hiding out in their country?

The U.S. has been at war in Afghanistan for almost ten years, with one of the main objectives to hunt down Osama bin Laden. With bin Laden now dead — killed by American Navy Seals, and buried at sea — does U.S. foreign policy on the global war on terrorism have to change? Retired Air Force Colonel, Sam Gardiner believes President Obama will have to find a good argument to stay at war in Afghanistan.

The killing of Osama bin Laden has evoked passion among the people for whom he is an icon, reports BBC's Shoaib Hassan from Islamabad, Pakistan. Hasan spoke with representatives of the Taliban and al-Qaida, who said that militants would carry out attacks against Pakistani security forces for their involvement in the killings.

Since the start of the political uprisings in the Middle East, regimes have fallen in Egypt and Tunisia. Meanwhile, Yemen, Syria, Bahrain and Libya continue their struggles to unseat dictators and bring about democratic change. And throughout it all, the voice of al-Qaida — and more importantly, its leader, Osama bin Laden — has been relatively silent. The question now remains, will the death of bin Laden at the hands of American forces continue to spur democratic movements or could it fuel terrorist organizations to stand in the way of change in the Middle East?

The United States government is managing reaction to the death of Osama bin Laden. Following his killing, U.S. officials are debating whether to release the graphic photographs of the dead al-Qaida leader. At the same time, the CIA is analyzing any intelligence that they have gained from the operation.

Within hours of the news that Osama Bin Laden had been killed and buried at sea, the Internet lit up with commentary, speculation, and the beginnings of conspiracy theories. The more conspiracy minded wondered: How do we know it wasn't a double? And how do we know that the real Osama is not still alive — or on the other hand, hasn't been dead for years?

Osama bin Laden's death sparked crowds to gather at ground zero in New York City, as well as Times Square, and in front of the White House in Washington, D.C. Cheers and chants of  "USA, USA, USA," were heard. These scenes of exaltation have some Americans wondering if celebrating death, even that of a terrorist, is actually the moral and American thing to do.

The United States could soon have the highest corporate tax rate in the world, however with the large number of tax breaks and loopholes, corporations will likely continue to pay less taxes than their international counterparts. Wall Street and finance reporter for The New York Times, Louise Story reports on whether changes will come to the U.S. tax code.

The death of Osama bin Laden has listeners across the nation reflecting on the closure and catharsis they feel. One listener is the nephew of a victim of Flight 93, which was hijacked and crashed into a field in Pennsylvania. "I'm very happy that we finally got bin Laden, it feels good, and I hope that in the coming weeks, months and years we can put continue to put an end to violence and terrorism around the world," he says.

The Army Corps of Engineers blew up a section of a Mississippi River levee to try to protect an Illinois town from rising flood waters. As a result, nearly 130-thousand acres of Missouri farmland were flooded. Amanda Jones lives in Dexter, MO. She says that her main concern is the explosives that are being used in order to wipe out the levee.

In the wake of the September 11th attacks, America's relationship to Muslims at home and abroad changed. A new climate of fear and suspicion was born, though in some cases so were attempts at greater understanding between members of different faiths. For a look at how the death of Osama Bin Laden might affect the relationship between Muslims and members of other faiths in the US, we turn to Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, founder of the Cordoba Initiative, a multi-faith organization which works to build trust among people of different faiths and cultures.

The BBC's Aleem Maqbool reports from Osama bin Laden's Abbottabad compound. He describes the scene and talks to one boy who visited the compound several times. Nearby residents are eager for details, while they also about what the killing of bin Laden means for them. Militants in the tribal areas who saw bin Laden as a hero and could take revenge on Abbottabad's citizens.