By Bill O'Reilly

Anwar al-Awlaki has left the building. The 40-year-old American-born Al Qaeda propaganda chief was killed in Yemen by a hellfire missile shot from a predator drone. That makes 36 Al Qaeda leaders killed by drone strikes since 2004. In addition, another 108 Taliban leaders have been taken out by drones.

Al-Awlaki was born in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and returned to the family home in Yemen when he was 7 years old. He came back to the USA in 1991 to study at Colorado State University, then San Diego State and finally did doctoral work at George Washington University in D.C. After 9/11, al-Awlaki showed up a number of times on the Internet praising Allah for allowing innocent Americans to be killed.

He was a vicious terrorist who got exactly what he deserved.

This was a joint military-CIA operation, and current Defense Secretary and former CIA Chief Leon Panetta is emerging as a true American hero in the war on terror. The 73-year-old former Clinton chief of staff is President Obama's best hire. He has done a tremendous job keeping Americans safe by decimating our enemies.

I know Mr. Panetta a bit, having done a few events for his political institute in Monterey, California. He is a genial guy; not a warrior in the classic mold, but he is one tough guy. President Obama deserves a lot of credit for appointing him first to the CIA and then as secretary of Defense.

We also must praise Gen. David Petraeus, now running the CIA. We all know he is a tremendous asset to this country.

There is no question that Barack Obama has done the right thing in the war on terror, and that is surprising some people who thought he would be soft. Under Mr. Obama, there have been more drone missile attacks than under President Bush, and these strikes have been very effective. I only wish the president had selected his economic advisers as astutely as his terror warriors. But that's another story for another time.

Today America rightfully celebrates another victory over vile terrorists who kill innocent human beings.

And that's "The Memo."

Pinheads & Patriots

Singer Wayne Newton has been around a long time and does a lot of good work for the U.S. military. Recently he was asked a question by Fox News correspondent Courtney Friel:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

COURTNEY FRIEL, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: What is your favorite TV show?

WAYNE NEWTON, SINGER: My favorite TV show is on Fox, and it is "The O'Reilly Factor."

FRIEL: Have you met Bill?

NEWTON: I have not met him. I have done his show a couple of times via satellite. But I am a big fan of his. I think he's very articulate.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Danke schon. I'm sorry. That was awful.

Wayne Newton is a patriot, not because he said that but because he has really helped out our military folks.

— You can catch Bill O'Reilly's "Talking Points Memo" and "Pinheads & Patriots" weeknights at 8 and 11 p.m. ET on the Fox News Channel and any time on foxnews.com/oreilly. Send your comments to: oreilly@foxnews.com.