Since U.S. special operations forces bullets ripped through Osama bin Laden in his Pakistan compound in May, the United States and its allies have decimated al Qaeda’s senior leadership. In a matter of months, the chief of Pakistan operations, three senior leaders in Yemen, al Qaeda’s deputy leader and many others have been killed.

Another high-profile assassination happened this morning when Anwar al Awlaki, the recruiter, trainer and public face of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), was killed in an airstrike in Yemen. The difference between Awlaki and the other al Qaeda leaders killed this year is that Awlaki – considered by some the “most dangerous man in the world” – was an American.

Awlaki has been tied to Nidal Hasan, the Fort Hood shooter, and Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the so-called Christmas Day Bomber. His ability to inspire hate and violence made him a serious threat to U.S. security efforts, and as a result, he was the first American added to the Central Intelligence Agency’s “kill or capture” list.

Born in New Mexico, Awlaki was a religious leader and lecturer before he became a trainer and recruiter for AQAP, a lethal wing of al Qaeda responsible for numerous attempted attacks and considered by top security officials as one of the greatest terrorist threats. Some may argue Awlaki forfeited his citizenship and his life as soon as he left the United States to join his terrorist brethren in Yemen. He crossed a line from which he could never return (without serious repercussions). In some respects, Awlaki was already dead, though the looming bomb took several years to hit.

Awlaki embodied one threat al Qaeda poses – that of citizens turning against their country. He was a powerful rallying figure in al Qaeda’s efforts to recruit English-speaking Westerners. His death will undoubtedly slow AQAP’s efforts to recruit and inspire would-be terrorists, something for which we owe thanks to America’s security agencies.

Awlaki embodied one threat al Qaeda poses – that of citizens turning against their country. He was a powerful rallying figure in al Qaeda’s efforts to recruit English-speaking Westerners. His death will undoubtedly slow AQAP’s efforts to recruit and inspire would-be terrorists, something for which we owe thanks to America’s security agencies.

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta said after bin Laden’s death that the defeat of al Qaeda was within reach. With bin Laden, Awlaki and other al Qaeda leaders now gone (and many more likely in U.S. special operations forces and Predator UAV crosshairs), the terrorist organization and its disparate cells are against the ropes. We must commend those who fight to protect us, but we must not forget the terrible toll the war on terrorism has taken, not only the lives lost in attacks but those caught up in the struggle, whether on our side or theirs.

Celebrating the loss of human life is an insult to our species, no matter the dead’s evil actions in life. While Awlaki’s treason was unforgivable, we must not ignore the tragedy of his life. Not only did he advocate violence and murder, he was also an American casualty of the ongoing War on Terror.

In the case of Awlaki, it seems even when we win we lose. The world suffers one less terrorist, true, but it came at a cost. Al Qaeda advocates hate and death, a polar opposite to the values and mores embodied in the U.S. Constitution and laws. Reveling in Awlaki’s death betrays these morals. While it is good he can no longer help al Qaeda’s evil efforts against the global population, his death should stir some remorse for a life lost. Another American has been killed in the fight against terror. That is nothing to celebrate.