Driving off the road... as in being IED'ed?
Falling... as in falling in battle in an illegal war?
Accidental poisoning... as in D.U. munitions?
Dying from work... as in US Military? (Or more like David Kelly?)
Walking down the street... as in being "disappeared"?
Accidental drowning... as in waterboarding?

Hmm... well thank heavens at least the billions of $$$ spent have made us safe from "terrorists".

My grandfather was shot by law enforcement,thats just above Terrorism.

And it still is hard for me to understand. The terrorists do not have an air force. Do not have a navy. So the only way to get here is with our commercial airlines or ocean liner.

So how much money would it have taken to secure these accesses? And at no loss of life to anyone.

Precisely, cpt.

If you secure these accesses then you can't use the threat of terrorists to fan the flames of fear in the citizenry. Without this fear GWB could never have amassed the power he now holds.

BINGO!

I recall seeing an article suggesting that for 30 billion dollars over the course of 10 years America could develop an alternative fuel source to replace a majority of our dependence on foreign oil and that within 5 or 10 years of that 95% of our dependency would be gone.

The reason it wouldn't be pursued? Too costly and would be too much hit on the economy for the government to fund. I remember that I'd read it after 9/11 and before we went to war. Anyone else see or read that? Would like to archive that now as a reference.