As much as a military effort, the war against al-Qaida has been a battle for the hearts and minds of the Muslim world. At one time, many Muslims admired al-Qaida for its brazen opposition to Western domination, and many Westerners feared that the organization might draw Muslim communities into a civilizational war with the West. Immediately after the events of Sept. 11, 2001, it was not always clear how that battle for Muslim hearts and minds would end up.
But with the passage of time, we now have a good idea. Al-Qaida has lost. And as a result, in an important way, al-Qaida itself has been defeated.
It is, perhaps, strange to proclaim al-Qaida's defeat so soon after an al-Qaida operative sought to bring down an international jetliner last Christmas day, and at a time when al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, and al-Qaida Central in the hills of Pakistan all continue to operate. It is true that al-Qaida continues to threaten Western interests, and the organization and its affiliates are likely to do so for some time.