(CCL Pooyah Tabatabaei)

As another 9/11 comes and goes, you will perhaps be reassured to know that the war on terror is over.

National Journal’s Michael Hirsch reported back in April that a senior State Department official told him:

The war on terror is over. Now that we have killed most of al Qaida, now that people have come to see legitimate means of expression, people who once might have gone into al Qaida see an opportunity for a legitimate Islamism.

Don’t mind the mob in Cairo yesterday who, on 9/11, stormed the U.S. Embassy, tore down the American flag, burned it, and replaced it with a black jihadist flag.

And definitely don’t mind the deaths of American Ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens and three of his staff, or the torching of the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi yesterday. Or the dragging of Stevens’ body through the streets afterward.

Just remember: The war on terror is over!

When a mob of 2,000 people gathered outside our embassy in Cairo yesterday, armed with guns and rocket-propelled grenades, we issued (wait for it, wait for it) an apology.

Here it is, in its entirety:

The Embassy of the United States in Cairo condemns the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims – as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions. Today, the 11th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, Americans are honoring our patriots and those who serve our nation as the fitting response to the enemies of democracy. Respect for religious beliefs is a cornerstone of American democracy. We firmly reject the actions by those who abuse the universal right of free speech to hurt the religious beliefs of others.

The “misguided individuals” in view were Israeli-American real estate developer Sam Bacile and friends, who made a movie portraying Muhammad as a child molester and killer.

According to traditional Islamic accounts, Muhammad’s favorite wife, Aisha, was six when he married her and nine the first time he had sex with her. And he ordered the beheadings of a whole bunch of people.

Sometimes the truth isn’t very pretty. But it’s still the truth.

And, In this country, we dip crucifixes in urine, and it’s protected expression.

Why?

Because we have a little something called the First Amendment, which protects freedom of speech and expression even when it’s offensive to other people.

So why in the world was the Embassy apologizing because Bacile “hurt the religious feelings of Muslims”?

Let’s be very clear about this. What the Embassy was apologizing for was the very freedom of speech which is a cornerstone of our democracy and our freedoms.

That’s on a philosophical level. On a pragmatic level?

Whole lot of good it did them.

Five hours after receiving the apology, the mob stormed the Embassy, tore down and burned the American flag, and raised a black flag carrying the slogan, “There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet.”

And a whole lot of good our apology did Ambassador Stevens.

He was asphyxiated during a rocket attack. Three other consular employees were also killed, apparently by gunfire. And our consulate was burned down.

But don’t mind any of that. Just keep on apologizing for the First Amendment.

And remember: Eleven years after 9/11, the Administration says the war on terror is over.

The question is: Who won?