With all the debate on Al Qaeda (crippled or growing stronger?), bin Laden (dead or alive), Saddam and terrorism (to link or not to link), Homeland Security, Patriot Act, etc, I've been thinking:

Why aren't there more terrorist attacks happening in the US?

Possible answers:
1. US intelligence and law enforcement are so effective that almost all such attacks are now being prevented.

If this is the case, how did 9/11 happen? Why is there still major crime happening in the US? Why are there still huge levels of drug traffiking? Illegal immigration? etc, etc, etc

2. Terrorist organizations have been crippled by the international war against terrorism.

They have been damaged, to be sure, but by their very nature the extent of the damage is hard to evaluate. Such a wride-spread, diffuse network would be almost impossible to destroy.

3. The threat has never been as great as has been put forward by the Govt and media.

I tend to favour this explanation, simply because it would not really be that hard for a determined group to terrorize the US.

Devastating bombs can be made with fertilizer and diesel fuel, which are easily accessible and almost impossible to control. Why have there been no such attacks in the US for years? McVeigh and co. managed a terrible blast and they were a bunch or idiots.

Gasoline bombs in crowded areas can cause terrible damage and even greater terror. Gasoline is cheap.

Accurate, high-powered rifles are easy to obtain (even in Canada, never mind the US). Look what Malvo and his buddy did with one... and they had no particular plan or motive. Can you imagine a few dozen semi-trained, angry, determined snipers operating in major US cities simultaneously? How hard would that be to coordinate?

A lot of water supplies could be contaminated without too much difficulty. Who needs anthrax? Crap in a reservoir and turn off the chlorine. Don't tell me they are all closely and effectively monitored.

My point is, I don't think terrorism is anywhere near the threat that it is being made out to be, because it isn't happening.

Why it is being overblown... well... opinions?