Originally Posted by SteveZ

Well, for starters a review of the National Infrastructure Protection Plan may help to bring an answer to the protection of nuclear plants, water supplies, etc. (see http://www.dhs.gov/xprevprot/program...rial_0827.shtm). Add to that a check of the National Incident Management System (see http://www.nimsonline.com/) to understand what happens prior to, during and after an emergency management incident.

I hate to disappoint the political conspiracy theorists, but terrorist alerts and politics really don't mix. Each alert level and event has its own "triggers" and requires specific actions in response. The folk with the authority to announce an incident is imminent or occurred, or that additional preventive measures over-and-above what is going on at the moment do not "cry wolf." You just can't raise-a-flag and activate further measures unless there is something to act upon - there's just too many internal questions to answer otherwise and the commitment of resources in response requires something to respond to. In other words, the professionals in the national security business - not the politicians - watchdog the system and respond as necessary. There is nothing "amateur" about it, and that's why folk are able to live their lives within America with little-to-no interruption because the pro's (federal, state and local) do what they do, and do it well.