Navy SEALs Brief Obama on Bin Laden Mission

Navy SEALs that killed Osama bin Laden briefed President Barack Obama in a private meeting on Friday, as the President told the troops involved job well done.

Obama met with the team privately at Ft. Campbell in Kentucky ahead of a speech before 2,000 troops.

Obama called the SEALs an extraordinary special ops team and America's quiet professionals who had trained for years ahead of the mission. The team raided bin Laden's compound in northern Pakistan on Sunday.

The President was briefed on the operation by members of the units who carried it out, a White House official said.

Speaking before the troops, Obama said he lauded them saying they had practiced tirelessly and were ready when he gave the order for them to carry out the operation.

Obama called the mission one of the greatest intelligence and military operations in our history.

Later, Obama met with members of the full assault force that carried out the operation. Obama awarded the units involved with a Presidential Unit Citation, the highest award that can be given to such a unit, the White House said.

The award is given in recognition of their extraordinary service and achievement.

Obama also met with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment and the 5th Spcecial Forces Group to thank them for their service.

Obama went straight to private meetings with the team after arriving, White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters on the base.

The SEALs were on the site for less than 40 minutes and did not encounter any local authorities during the raid, a senior Obama Administration official said earlier in the week.

U.S. officials say bin Laden was unarmed when he was killed.

Even if bin Laden had tried to surrender, there would be a good basis on the part of those very brave Navy SEAL team members to do what they did in order to protect themselves and the other people who were in that building, said Attorney General Eric Holder on Wednesday before a Senate committee where he argued that the killing was legal.

The President arrived along with Vice President Joe Biden and went to an undisclosed location at the airfield.

Banners on the wall in the hangar where the president spoke read Job well done, Fort Campbell, home of the screaming eagles and Welcome home.

A huge U.S. flag hangs in the backdrop of the podium.