End meet the Means: Yes, the FBI Agent writes a memo protesting the 2001 decision in 2002. How brave of her; how prescient. Yes, let's do away with the probable cause test and replace it with the "probably" test: "If we rifle through this man's belongings we'll probably find something incriminating - whether it's bad porn, downloaded music, or plans to hijack airliners and ram them into tall buildings. Either way, justice is served."

Sure, it sucks that "the 20th hijacker" got away, but justifying searches on the basis that something (anything) is found is (to quote The Holy Grail) no way to wield supreme executive power. Why not do strip searches of people caught speeding - there's a strong likliehood that at least some of them are carrying illegal narcotics or firearms. Wouldn't that make us all safer if these people were caught? As the author admits, it took 40 years for the game of Russian Roulette to go wrong (or right as it were). In the meantime, had you been going double or nothing for that 40 years, I'd wager to think you'd have come out pretty nicely.

These "severe restrictions" placed on police are what separate our nation from a true police state. If you like the "safety" of living in places where police can barge into your homes, search your belongings, or imprison you, solely based on hunches, then may I suggest some fine destinations? Don't worry, the cattle prods are provided gratis, so you can leave yours at home.

It's equally as stupid to place any serious blame on Bush or his cabinet for failing to forsee 9/11. Yes, analysts had posited the use of jets as missles before, but like I've said before, they probably have scraps of intelligence on just about every kind of attack you can think of. That doesn't make it actionable - unless you want to live under the "probably" standard. In which case, don't come crying to me when you're jailed for that pirated cable which the police found after monitoring your electricity bills, figuring you must be growing pot. I mean, I know that's a ridculous example that would never happen, but still, you see my point.