We can thank presidents Reagan and GW that these defenses are now beginning to be available to us. And we must NEVER let the lessons of 9/11 go unheeded. And we must listen to those grizzled, teetering, and shaky veterans who tell us: prepare for death from above. I didn't know that conventional weapons had been removed from all cities. I didn't know treaties had been made, either, which would have prevented us from defending our citiziens.
I am very thankful for having Reagan and Bush as my presidents. I believe they both place great importance on the defense of our citizens....something the Rats wish to give over to the UN....which, of course, means no defense.
I don't know that all SAMs had been removed from around our cities before 9/11. But they were unable to deploy, or we were unwilling to use them during the attack. The vet with whom I spoke indicated that decisions had been made at one point to remove most of our AAA and depend on who knows what, maybe luck or our enemies' good will. Clearly we have had gaps in this defense that absolutely must be filled.