Is the U.S. winning the battle against terrorism? It's been 10 years since Al Qaeda attacked on 9/11. The U.S. has been at war with the terrorist network and its offshoots ever since.

• Position: DEBATE

YES

The goal of America's national security policy is to keep the country safe, free, and prosperous. That's how we should judge whether we're winning the war against terrorism.

U.S. policies have done a good job of keeping Americans safe since the 9/11 attacks. Since then, there has not been another successful terrorist attack in the United States. The U.S. has foiled at least 42 terrorist plots aimed at American soil. That's a good track record.

Al Qaeda is a shadow of the organization it was on Sept. 11, 2001. That's not by accident. It has cracked and splintered under the pressure applied by the U.S. and its allies. That's why, for example, Al Qaeda has had virtually no influence in the democratic uprisings across the Middle East this year.

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At the same time, America remains a free and democratic nation. Some critics say the Patriot Act (which gave the government added tools to fight terrorism) violates civil liberties, but those charges are overblown: We may suffer longer security lines at airports, but the government has been careful not to trample on Americans' rights.

And despite the burden of fighting this battle against terrorism, the U.S. remains a prosperous country. Our economy is still the world's largest, and our current economic ills have nothing to do with the cost of defense. Even with the money spent fighting terrorism, defense spending is at or near post-World War II lows, either as a percentage of the overall economy or as a percentage of the federal budget.

This is not to suggest that the battle is over. Threats remain, and we must stay on guard. But thanks to the right policies, the evidence indicates we are winning.

--JAMES JAY CARAFANO

The Heritage Foundation

NO

Last May, the U.S. scored a major victory when it killed Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. But while his death is satisfying, it brings us no closer to winning the battle against terrorism in a decisive way.

Every day, American forces find, capture, or kill terrorists. For example, the U.S. and its...