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maybe i'm just cynical, but i doubt any of this has actually helped thwart a terrorist plot. in the end, it's about as useful as those bulletproof vests for dogs (unless you happen to be deemed a person of interest...then it kinda sucks for you).
admitted i could be wrong. but i am very skeptical. dick cheney has said that the NSA program helped save lives but didn't go into detail. i guess it's just another one of those things we can't be trusted to know about, but it's certainly "debatable" how integral these programs have been to keeping casper, wyoming and akron, ohio (and the rest of the country) safe from those terrorists.
i still think it's possible to do a good job on national security without sifting through 500 TB of questionably attained phone logs or monitoring wacky political orgainizations (why give them more reason to be paranoid?). i have not seen evidence to the contrary...if these programs were vital, you'd think there would be some moderate successes by now?
many gov't agencies were aware of a threat before 9/11 without the use of these programs. they just didn't take the warning signs seriously enough; terrorism was not the priority it is today. i do see the need to adapt, but i can't say these adaptations have been particularly useful.
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