The objective of the terrorist attacks on America was to spread terror.  By virtue of how America has changed since 9/11 we must conclude that they achieved their objective.  In essence, they won in the only way possible.  Sadly, we continue to fight them after being defeated.  To what purpose?  Here`s how I define defeat:
<ul>
<li>we frisk and scan law-abiding citizens
<li>we empower low-wage security guards to control our movements in public settings
<li>we make visible shows of security in public settings
</ul>
The sick thing about this is that the terrorist continues to go about his terrorist ways while America has been made to live in fear, shrouding our every move with more and more security while losing more and more of what made America great - its freedom, its pride  and its fearlessness.  See Live_Free_or_Die .
