Dogs that did not bark

And what more shall we say? For time would fail us to tell of storms withheld, terror strikes averted, pandemics not unleashed, and innocents snatched from war and terror.

At the height of summer travel return flights, Britain shut down transatlantic travel, canceling 400 flights from London's Heathrow airport on Aug. 10, halting what British and U.S. intelligence uncovered: a plot to blow up airliners using liquid explosives the terrorists planned to carry onboard. British authorities arrested 21 engaged in the plot on Aug. 10. Six more were arrested in Pakistan, along with one of the planners, Rashid Rauf. While tourists shuffled to travel liquid- and gel-free—some arriving in the States with their carry-on articles reduced to a passport and wallet in a clear plastic bag—U.S. officials for the first time since 9/11 raised the airline terror threat level to red. Headaches and lost flights notwithstanding, the vigilance meant U.S. travelers passed another year since 9/11 without air travel terror.