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First, we long knew the WTC was going to be attacked again. The first attack almost succeded to crash one tower into the other. The man who lead the investigation into the 1993 attack later became head of security for the WTC because, in part, he knew where the action would be. He also died in the second attack.
Second, al Qaeda has previously attempted the same thing in Paris against the Eiffel Tower. Their mistake was no trained pilots. The pilot and co-pilot jumped out of cockpit windows leaving hijackers trapped on the tarmac. Did we think they would just give up. Of course not. The WTC destruction is directly traceable to mistakes learned from previous plane hijackings such as learning how to fly, wait for the plane to first take off, and don't burn down your room while planning the attacks.
We did not know who would be attacking nor exactly what their target was, nor the attack date. But we knew from history and from previous attempts what the primary tool of attacks would be and what kinds of targets would be attack (definitely not the Liberty Bell).
Before 11 Sept, we had read this all too familiar fact. The FAA has a graveyard mentality. There was no real security at airports. Their solution to reporters who tested and discovered no security - make it illegal to perform such reports rather than install real security or even basic security standards.
We had every reason to believe hijacks to crash planes would be attempted. And yet even weapons illegal in any county courthouse were legal on airplanes.
The Paris hijacking to crash into the Eiffel Tower - why is that not on everyone's lips first thing when we talk about whether government should have known.
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