I use the token MajikWandOfWonderMent in that sentence as a place holder for various means by which the diviniation of the future was done, and hence that the terrorist attacks were prevented.
So what we need to look at is the question "so how exactly are we asserting that the attack was prevented"? Did we go in and kill all of the bad guys, thus preventing the attack?
And how exactly do we know that this is a "clean Kill", and not another Mossad failure as made Munich such a great movie. Or should we avoid that question on the ground that true faith is truthier....
At which point we look at the simpler problem space - so the potential Terrorists are not dead, since clearly they were not killed... We have been able to prevent them from doing that voodoo they do so well, because, we have taken them into custody.
Uh, so why did they lose their Habeus Corpus option here?
No, seriously. If we have not killed them, then clearly there must be some sort of case that we can bring against the persons whom we have taken into custody.
I mean, there was that fun with the "dirty bomber", who would after having been held incommunicado, was finally, well, put up for trial on something - even if it had nothing to do with the bally-hoo that he was some brilliant terrorist who was going to put together nuclear devices and kill GaGillions...
Ah yes, that fuggly little bit, eh no?
Where suddenly we have a problem with the process. Since IF we are going to try them, then they will have to have a day in court.... Which really raises the question about why this terrorist attack that got stopped, because we have detained them is not a part of the legal record of american courts....
Or the legal record of the country that detained the person...
Or are we back to the fun with Special Rendition, and the excitement of out sourcing the high paying jobs in torturing folks, at the Super Special Places.... since, well, if we are not willing to admit that we are detaining them... uh, why are we to expect that there were any other legal rights afforded them???
At which point we get to the third possibility.
THERE WERE NO THREATS TO THE NATIONAL SECURITY THAT THE MAJIK Tool PROTECTED US FROM!!!!
And the folks making the press statements should move over to say AgroBiz, where they can make the BIG BUCKS selling all of that clearly Organic Fertilizer....
Ah yes... maybe it is SERIOUSLY time for americans to join the Intelligence Revolution.