Thwart a "terrorist" plot in a huge city like New York or LA. Preferably New York because then you can capitalize on all the shitty feelings of 9/11. Those terrorists sure hate New York I tell ya.

I can see this, except for the thwart part. Seems they prefer casualties to add that extra flavor of horror. Was watching a documentary last night on 911 (I downloaded it for preservation). It was by far the best I have seen, and even had interviews I've been unable to find for years on interviews live on the scene where they kept talking of the bombs exploding.

I won't be surprised if they decide to let the oil markets collapse. Here in the US we have plenty of oil in the ground, and they seem to be playing a new hand with this new war on the invisible enemy. Not sure where they will go, although if they don't drastically change the economy we will be hitting hyper inflation in the coming future. Maybe they will reshape it by cutting the middle east loose for a bit.