How did they pull punches, I might ask? And I was THERE.
Not naming the enemy properly; calling it a "war on terror", a war on "evil people". Eventually letting tens of thousands of "students" come in from countries we know harbor America-hating imams and ideologues. We didn't let mass immigration in from Germany and Italy during WWII.
Not locking down the borders and combing through the population to detain suspected people. Letting "human rights organizations" like CAIR set the agenda to eliminate profiling.
Immediate large scale changes in energy policy so as to reduce dependency upon countries where the enemies of the US are given aid and comfort. It is imperative to fight this war along economic fronts.
Not having Congress officially declare war, and the consequences of going on a war footing. It is said that only the military is at war, not the general population.
I am sure there are other matters that can be pointed out. For instance, the ideological factors involved with Universities, media and other elites. "Traison des clercs."
That's just offhand. See Jihad Watch, Little Green Footballs, Gates of Vienna for more in depth analysis.