[moe]

If you hold that something like 9/11 should be prevented, and that (actual) WMD programs should be stalled

Except nothing like 9/11 was ever prevented by broad data collection.

And: There is no "terrorist threat" to begin with, unless you also believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny.

You are still more likely to be killed by a lightning strike than by a terrorist. There's still plenty more and plenty more violent killing going on in Africa than in Middle East. But there's no oil and no convenient media narrative to be had from the former.

then it follows that this is a fine way to go about it

Non sequitur.