Expert? Hardly. I have a diverse knowledge considering my drunken background in a holler in West Virginia as opposed to the international exposure one would receive in say Vermont, but I am armed with a couple of commodities which you are sorely lacking: Logic and common sense. Add to that "no hidden agenda" and, viola. (that's one of those kewl words that don't really mean nothing but it makes folks think you know more than you do) you can look at a situation and using what knowledge and logic you do have, see it for what it is.
Lotsa questions. Lotsa "what ifs", "yeah buts". I don't know all the answers. Or even most of them. I could answer the ones I do know but what good would it do? You don't read the replies. Or you ignore them. You're too busy dreaming up another set of "what ifs". First off, look around, THIS IS NOT PAKISTAN. And imagine that I have made all the usual remarks about if you think they're so great etc etc......... Secondly, as I asked before, do you and your cabal suggest that the aircraft full of American civilians be shot down over Manhattan because of a malfunctioning gauge or radio? Let's fast forward to: "Oh my God, He's gonna ram the Twin Towers!" What are you gonna do? Think quick now. Logic tells you that the building is not going to collapse so you are going to lose 200 on the a/c, 100 max in the building, 200 on the ground. If we shoot it down, 200 on the a/c, unknown how many on the ground from the crash path, falling debris, and secondary fires from flaming jet fuel. Dang, different perspective huh, TM7. One would think you would have learnt stuff like that at the "elite military university" you keep alluding to. When somebody asks YOU, what would you have him do, "I want him to do his job" isn't much of an answer. I told you that the PA a/c crashed because the passengers tried to retake the a/c. Also, in all probability, the four a/c were not being tracked by the same air controllers. Each was unaware of the others problem. There isn't any "big picture" of all of the air planes over America. The country is divided in to zones. And as the skys get more congested, the zones get smaller. Around the airports, you have approach control zones, etc.
I am retired now. Some of the answers about the response to threats are privileged and some (most) I just don't know. But that wouldn't make any difference, TM7. I'm sure, even as I speak, you're dreaming up another set of "what ifs".
If you would clear you mind of your intense desire to bash America at any cost and look at this thing with a rational mind, you would see it is what it is. BTW, terrorist groups, often several, in their zeal to claim responsibility for an evil act will notify the media before the fact. If you want to look for a conspiracy, look at CNN, et al, with regards to having a mole in the various terrorist camps. And even giving them a little aid and succor to "create" a little news so they could be first to report.
Anyway, as I've said, they'll always be a shot heard on a distant knoll, Elvis' missing xrays, Jesus in a peanut butter jar, so I'm done. I think Super Hornet has the answer.