Your thought might be a dot. AK47s, RPGs, IEDs instead of the NBCs. Numerous small scale but deadly attacks would tie down the men in black and divert America's attention from what may be OBL's and AQ's real target -- the take over of Saudi Arabia. Why gamble on a high risk attack on Europe or the US when they could strangle the West with oil extortion and win any concession they desire.
It's been expressed that we'd see ground action in small to mid sized towns and cities in conjunction with unconventional attack in the major population centers.
If it's true that AQ owns 80% of Saudi security, then you are on target there. They also promised to destroy Israel as soon as they get us out of the way.
As far as concessions, that may be what you or I'd ask for, but these guys are dedicated to only one thing.
The Russians are the second largest oil exporter. Their supplies have keep the ME oil prices in check. Now, the Russians are having severe financial problems. They may cease selling oil altogether. The would give huge leverage to any impacts on ME supplies.
Our continuing assumption that every new day will be like the one before it is simply not realistic. Unless our alphabets catch each and every one of the sleeper cell members in our country, each day brings them more anonymity and us more likelihood of danger - especially since their numbers are swelling with supporters pouring into America and no end in sight to the open borders that let them in. Surveillance cameras for the State of Michigan's use on the Canadian border are delayed and the borders are ripe for those robust ME types who would hike the backroads and hitch a ride once securely implanted on American soil. Michigan Borders Unprotected
First of all any significant AQ presence in Saudi just gives us a specific target that is already offshore of our soil. Think anybody in the Arab world wants to risk letting us get hold of the Saudi Oil reserves in a response to such a clear cut threat to our own survival? We already proved we will strike unilaterally with Iraq.
Next, they don't want to "strangle" us for some sort of concessions. They want a large pile of bloody or burned American bodies. "High Risk?" For them, it's victory at all costs. At any cost!