<...Second, it wouldn't hurt to find out if there would have been a way to collate the information which was available prior to 9-11 in a manner which would have led to uncovering the plot. There may be another scheme floating around waiting to be discovered, if they learn how to look for it.

Computers have made it possible for different jurisdictions to share information which has made uncovering the Ted Bundys, for instance, of the US much easier. I wouldn't be surprised if information from different areas and different activities couldn't reveal quite a bit, if one knew what the flags are, and has a clearinghouse for them.



As has been pointed out by many people, this is a double-edged sword. A system of informers, agents, databases, and crossreferencing which would have been able to correlate this widely spread information would probably be a system that would not be much fun to live under if you are freedom-oriented.

This question of freedom vs. safety--one of the biggest questions in any society--has come up a lot since 9-11, and I'll admit I still don't have any easy answers. My gut reaction is to err on the side of freedom, and that an inescapable law of nature might be that a certain amount of danger--from a hazardous consumer product all the way up to airplanes hitting towers--may be an inseparable part of a truly free society. Still, I didn't lose any family members, so it's easy for me to say.

I don't know. How many people would live in a state where cameras watched every move, DNA-linked ID cards were non-counterfeitable, and the smallest crimes were severely punished, if it meant physical safety? Too many, I'd bet.