Originally Posted by kane

I don't for a second doubt that they couldn't have passed the Patriot Act without the 9/11 attacks or something very similar to it happening.

But what did they gain from it? It was passed as a way for our leaders to "prove" to us that they were taking steps to keep us safe. There is a chance it might have helped some people get elected, but had 9/11 never happened there is a good chance many of them would have gotten elected as well.

I still don't see a net gain from either orchestrating this or allowing it to happen.

What does George W Bush have right now, today, that he wouldn't have had if 9/11 never happened? I would make the argument that he would be better off today had it never happened. As it sits right now there are a lot of people who consider him one of the worst presidents in history. He started two wars we likely didn't need to fight and over saw the largest economic collapse since the depression. He doesn't appear to have gained a whole lot from it.