When President Obama authorized the assassination of Anwar al-Awlaki, there was much rejoicing. A terrorist was gone, al-Qaeda was dealt a major blow, and vital links between jihadists and the West were broken. In addition to Awlaki, three other men were killed,...

On Sept. 30, 2011, I woke up and began my daily routine, preparing for another day of teaching history to high school students. In the course of an average school year, I literally teach the history of the world — ancient history, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the...