Bloomberg View: Fighting Terror With Humility

One year on, the death of Osama bin Laden is starting to feel more like an asterisk than a milestone. Yes, al-Qaeda’s capacity for organized mayhem has been significantly diminished. But the U.S. remains embroiled in Afghanistan, with a commitment of resources that will span the next decade. Pakistan swarms with murderous extremists of various stripes, and its relations with the U.S. are, to put it mildly, toxic. From Yemen through Iraq and across Africa to Mauritania, groups affiliated with al-Qaeda are becoming more aggressive.

President Barack Obama is entitled to take some political credit for ordering a bold military mission. But looking ahead, what’s needed is humility about the challenges that still face the U.S. and clarity about the means with which to overcome them.