Atta et al had IDs.
yes. He did. scenario 1 - don't check atta's ID. scenario 2 - check atta's ID. Under which scenario is there a more likely chance that he will be found out? Too bad it didn't work that time.
I am not saying it is the only solution, but the argument that we shouldn't do it at all is absurd. Why have a traffic stop, 90% are doing nothing unlawful, 10% are ticketed. Was someones life saved by doing this and taking a drunk off the road? Or should we do Nothing because some people get in a twist about it??
There you go applying facts and logic to national security and issues of freedom. ;-)
That point is particularly important in all this "harrasing law abiding citzens to prevent terror" hoopla.
Why is it every freeper worth his login yells and screams about RKBA and how every citizen should be allowed to carry to work home and everywhere he goes but then about half of them turn around and decided that freedom of movement should only be allowed if the government can't come up with a reason to harass us.
If we could revive the founding fathers and bring them back to the present day I believe 2/3 of them would be actively plotting another revolution.