You might think that America has won the war against al Qaeda. After all, Osama bin Laden is dead, and Guantanamo has seen hundreds of terrorist prisoners.

But you would be wrong. In one big way—the economic war—al Qaeda is way ahead. Courtesy of the New York Times, here is the 9/11 tally (emphasis added):

Al Qaeda spent roughly half a million dollars to destroy the World Trade Center and cripple the Pentagon. What has been the cost to the United States?In a survey of estimates by the New York Times, the answer is $3.3 trillion, or about $7 million for every dollar al Qaeda spent planning and executing the attacks. While not all of the costs have been borne by the government—and some are still to come—this total equals one fifth of the current national debt.

If al Qaeda’s attack on America was an investment, it has reaped one of the greatest returns in the history of global finance.

Here is a quick breakdown:

And, although Osama bin Laden is dead, America is losing not just the economic war, but the war on terrorism—just as the Bible prophesied. More than a decade later, America is trapped in Afghanistan. It took out Iraq (the only regional counterbalance to Iran) and then subsequently abandoned it to Iran (the number one state sponsor of terrorist networks). There are metal detectors and security guards in all government buildings. At airports you wait in long security lines and have your body subjected to various kinds of X-rays. Grandmothers in wheelchairs get strip-searched—while Transportation Security Administration employees go out of their way to avoid giving extra attention to anyone who might actually look like they come from a country known for fostering terrorists.

Life in America has been changed forever—and it hardly cost the terrorists a thing.

But sadly, what needed to change most in America remains the same. Here is what Stephen Flurry wrote after the attacks:

In the weeks following the September 11 attack, leaders in society encouraged American citizens to go about their normal routines—to not change a thing. Any alteration in the way we lived, they said, would be the surest sign of a terrorist victory.But hold on—forget about the terrorists for a minute. God is the one who allowed September 11 to happen. And if He allowed it to happen because of our sins, shouldn’t we all want to change our ways?

Read “God Bless America” to see why politicians, theologians and commentators have completely missed the meaning of September 11.