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Consider the following headlines related to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon. After the attacks, the discovery of the "Phoenix Memo" revealed that the FBI may have had information about the potential of an attack before it happened.

"FBI director: Agency missed clues from Arizona, Minnesota"
Billy House,Republic Washington BureauMay 29, 2002 08:15:00

"The attorney general can't seem to connect the dots"
By PHILIP GAILEY, Times Editor of Editorials © St. Petersburg Timespublished June 2, 2002

"'Phoenix memo' shows importance of improving sharing of information"
Chattanooga Times/Chattanooga Free Press May 22, 2002

"LACK OF INTELLIGENCE"
Editor & Publisher5/27/2002

And the more recent statement about the need for reform in intelligence agencies and how they operate in relation to terrorism:

"We need to replace the people who have been getting it wrong....there is no cost to getting it wrong. I'm not talking about misdeeds. We've been firing people at the CIA for misdeeds but never for inadequate analysis...."
Richard Perle, National Public Radio Morning Edition, January 8, 2004

The reasons for the terrorist attacks and intelligence agencies' inability to predict and prevent them are complex and myriad. However, many do believe that there are significant flaws in the way these agencies collect and analyze information. Why is this?

• Too much information?
• Inability to filter and analyze?
• Too much reliance on technology?
• Hindsight?
• Other?