While he was a high-ranked person in his terrorist organization, Al Qaeda operates in cells. There are an untold number of men with the same amount of power as Bin Laden currently plotting against the United States. Killing Bin Laden most certainly did not eliminate the terrorist threat faced by the United States. In fact, it may have provided additional motivation to young terrorists throughout the Arab world. Killing Bin Laden did nothing to increase domestic security from terrorism. Therefore, his death had very little significance for national security. To understand how Bin Laden's death could be important politically and figuratively while having very little literal value, it is important to understand these two distinctions. Legitimacy of the U.S. Led War on Terror

The War on Terror is, like its predecessor, the War on Drugs, an unwinnable war. There is absolutely no way to end terrorism through war. The very things that encourage people to engage in terrorist behavior, such as global economic disparity, religious difference, perceived cultural indifference, pain, and suffering are all exacerbated in a war-like environments. Therefore, declaring a war on terror actually leads to an increase in the number of potential terrorists in the world. Moreover, the fact that countries may be considered friendly to terrorists, but the war on terrorism is not declared...

Is it in any way appropriate for the U.S. government to engage in activities that will result in a greater number of deaths of non-combatant civilians than would result if it failed to engage in those activities? From a global ethical perspective, it is impossible to answer that question affirmatively.
On the other hand, the U.S. government is not responsible for the safety of all of the world's citizens, but it is responsible for the safety of the people in the U.S. While there are a number of extremely valid criticisms of the War on Terror, the fact is that since 9-11, there have not been any terrorist attacks on U.S. soil. A decade without a terrorist attack is a much longer period of time than other countries that have been targeted by terrorists, including by Al Qaeda. Therefore, it becomes difficult to discount the idea that this War on Terror has led to something positive for the United States. Moreover, one must consider what the war has done for American morale. How would the U.S. have reacted had Bush failed to say he was going after the people behind 9-11? When one considers those possibilities, the war, though unwinnable, seems fare more legitimate.