One year ago today, a number of things did not happen that are worth noting.

No Islamic terrorist–not Osama bin Laden, Ayman Zawahiri or Mullah Omar–was able to flee to Iraq and escape the reach of international justice.

One year ago today, Libya did not get a signal that it could continue its illegal weapons program without consequence.

One year ago today, terrorists in the West Bank were not mailed a $50,000 check after blowing up a pizza parlor filled with families.

One year ago today, an Iraqi scientist did not get an additional million-dollar payment from Saddam’s oil money to continue working on plans for a medium-range missile.

One year ago today, no boats filled with parts for those missiles set sail from North Korea. No weapons, chemicals, or night-vision goggles from France or Russia arrived that day, either.

One year ago today, the Dom Perignon did not flow in Paris celebrating the likely success of the $100 billion oil deal France had with Saddam Hussein.

One year ago today, no left-leaning British politicians picked up a check from Baghdad.

And no 16-year-old girls were picked up by Uday Hussein’s henchmen one year ago today. Soldiers were too busy stockpiling weapons to re-stock Uday’s rape rooms.

One year ago today–and for the first time in more than a decade–American troops stationed in Saudi Arabia didn’t have to worry about the designs of the Iraqi Army. For the first time in 30 years, the world’s oil supply was no longer threatened by Saddam Hussein.

One year ago today, there were no successful terrorist attacks on U.S. soil. Or on an American embassy, ship or military barracks. That was 365 days ago…and counting.

One year ago today, there was still a brutal dictator governing Iraq, one who had spent his life sponsoring terror, training and harboring terrorists, and using terror against neighbors, his citizens and his enemies abroad.

But on this day, one year ago, did he have any hope of continuing his war of terror?

He did not.