Middle East Notes and Comment: Victory over al-Qaeda

February 23, 2010

In an important way, al-Qaeda has been defeated.  At one time, many Muslims admired the organization for its courageous opposition to Western domination, and many Westerners feared that al-Qaeda might draw Muslim communities into a battle with the West.  Immediately after the events of September 11, 2001, it was not always clear how the battle for Muslim hearts and minds would end up. With the passage of time, we now know, and al-Qaeda has lost.