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Safer

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Safer, yes. Invincible, far from it. We are better protected in part of the heightened security measures taken in our nations airports, seaports, governmental buildings, stadiums, etc.
Yeah, it's a hassle; waiting hours in-line to be checked for weapons and explosives in places that you didn't know they could be hidden, but it's for the better.

The intelligence community has also been improved and increased. There is more communication going back and forth between the U.S.A and other countries. This has led to the foiling of multiple terrorist plots on our soil and others. The first examples that come to mind are the West Coast Airliner plot in 2002 and the UK bombing plot in the spring of 2004. The list goes on, but we've definitely seen success in under-minding the terrorists' threats due to our persistence.
Our military presence in foreign soil is paying dividends for our overall security. It's definitely not popular opinion and surely different tactics and strategy should have been employed, but the terrorists are hurt and they know we won't back down. When the terrorists have been crippled as badly as they have been, it constricts their ability to carry out attacks. Limited abilities to attack = safer America. However, we need to persist in routing out terrorism because we know that someone on crutches can still fire gun. We've hurt the enemy, but haven't (and probably never will) completely destroy them.
So on the gloomier side of things, I still would not be shocked to see another 9/11 occur in the next few years. Like I said above, we've limited their ability, not eliminated it.
If there's a will, there's a way. Our security must continue to advance as terrorists evolve, but others who despise our way of life will always stop at nothing (even if it's the loss of many of their own lives) to eliminate us.

Learn more about this author, Justin Eland.
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