A little foggy in the Kos magic eight ball.
Let's try again.
When I say "Terrorists in shootout in U.S." I mean a group of them, not just one guy at the El Al Counter in L.A.
Let's say at least four men with guns.
It has been pointed out that FBI and CIA are already losing lots of people over the War on Terror and that we have already bungled several Al Qaeda captures.
Let's chalk up the former as already having happened, and define the latter as "bungled because the Al Qaeda guy escapes, and none of the soldiers sent to get him come back in one piece"
So, to recap, current timeline:
Sept 11, 2001: Day of Attacks by Al Qaeda
Oct 2001: We freeze assets of Al Qaeda
Nov 2001: We attack Afghanistan. Bin Laden escapes with most of his lieutenants.
Nov 2001-Apr 2003: Attention shifts to Iraq. Al Qaeda regroups and regains its frozen assets.
Mar 2003: Iraq War begins.
Nov 2001-April 2003: CIA and FBI are losing lots of personnel through protest resignations
May 2003: Iraq War does not end.
Late 2003-Early 2004: Terrorists or Iraqi insurgents engage in "massive attack" on US forces in Iraq. One whole ship, squadron or unit is obliterated. Nation is shocked.
Early 2004: American forces sent somewhere in Africa to deal with Islamic insurgency.