Terror threat

Hillary Clinton's Promise to Stop "Lone Wolf" Shooters Is Short-Sighted

In the wake of a terrible tragedy, it’s always worth asking what could have been done to prevent it. In some cases, clear warning signs were missed that shouldn’t have been. Perhaps the best example (though it is often ignored) is the fact that prior to the attacks on 9/11, the U.S. government had a phone numberthat an al Qaeda operative in California called in Yemen that was later referred to as “al Qaeda’s switchboard.” Had the CIA followed that lead, it’s very possible the attacks could have been prevented.

Most experts now believe it is unlikely, though not impossible, that a foreign terrorist group will carry out a large-scale, sophisticated attack like 9/11 in the near future. Much more likely, are small, unsophisticated attacks carried out by unwell people who don’t communicate with any conspirators, which makes their plans very difficult to disrupt.