FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
With the hundreds of billions of dollars we have spent since 9/11, here is something to think about:
The United States is not prepared to protect itself against the threat of WMDs - at the same time al Qaeda seems intent on another large-scale attack.
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/01/27/art.osama.jpg caption="(FILE PHOTO) In a recent radio address, Osama bin Laden praised the attempted Christmas Day bombing of a U.S.-bound airliner. He also warned of more attacks to come."]
A bipartisan commission appointed by Congress is giving the White house and Congress failing grades for not coming up with a rapid-response to deal with disease outbreaks from bio-terrorism... or providing enough oversight of security and intelligence agencies.
The chair of the panel says the U.S. no longer has "the luxury of a slow learning curve, when we know al Qaeda is interested in biological weapons."
Not very reassuring that this report comes on the heels of the failed attempt to blow up an airplane bound for Detroit on Christmas Day - after which President Obama acknowledged intelligence agencies didn't connect the dots.
And, Osama bin Laden is back, praising the attempted bombing. In a new audio recording, bid Laden says it was a heroic act meant to remind us of the 9/11 terror attacks. He warns that more attacks against the U.S. are coming.
Intelligence officials worry that al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula - which claimed responsibility for the Christmas bomb attempt - may have trained other suicide bombers.
Just last week, Britain elevated its terror threat level to "severe" - its second highest level. At the same time - American officials have described an "unusually high" number of people on the no-fly list trying to board planes bound for the U.S.
Here’s my question to you: Has the U.S. done enough to protect itself against another major terror attack?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Katja from Florida writes:
Nope, we haven't. Our borders are not sufficiently guarded. Our ports are wide open, and the government is playing footsies with countries that would rather see all Americans dead. Our leaders are outdoing each other in ways to look stupid. I hate to say it, but another terrorist attack is only a matter of time.
David from San Diego writes:
We can't stop every attack forever, without damaging our economy and way of life beyond repair. We have done too little to marshal international support for ferreting out terrorists and their training facilities, but done too much "make work" ineffective harassment of people in this country.
Greg writes:
The fact that the only real attempt since 9/11 was stopped and all al Qaeda can do is threaten that more are coming is proof the U.S. has done "almost" enough. What is needed now instead of a threat is a promise from President Obama that if there is another attack, a major Islamic city (to be named later) will be obliterated.
George writes:
Definitely not. It's time to stop being politically correct and stop worrying about offending enemies of this country and start using our military technology to eliminate any and all threats.
M. writes:
No system will ever be perfect. I have no doubt another attack on the U.S. will occur as long as evil exists in the world, no matter how great our technology and how much money we spend.
Michael writes:
The United States is doing all it can to stop the terrorists from attacking, short of stopping its involvement in the home countries of terrorists. As long as it's constantly shaking the radical hives, it's doomed to be stung.
Mike from Crystal River, Florida writes:
Jack, Of course we're doing enough. Just look at the deterrent the administration created. Terrorists will be arrested, given a court-appointed attorney and will be considered innocent until proven guilty, even if they have a bomb in their underpants. That should be enough to stop them.