What if Mumbai happened here?

I read this story today http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2008/12/11/opinion/opinion/doc493c95d2dd6e8141298900.txt


It was linked off another news feed site adn the comments on it ranged from the idea of something like Mumbia ever happening here as being stupid and impossible to we have police who like to shot thing who would stop it. Hmm Two news stories immediately came to mind for me.
http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2008/12/11/opinion/opinion/doc493c95d2dd6e8141298900.txt

Feb. 28th 1997 a bank robbery went very bad. The gun men were covered head to toe in body armor and had weapons that the police did not. Many people died that day. I really don't think these criminals had intended to kill a bunch of people but they were prepared to. And they did. Now if they can plan a bank robbery that lead to such chaos and mayhem and loss of life how easy is to jump to the next possibility that a group of terrorist, who are funded well, be able to kill large groups like was done in Mumbia?

The next story that came to mind was the VA Tech shootings. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18134671/
33 people died that day at the hands of ONE man. Who in all honestly was not very well armed. But armed enough to take the lives of 33 and to create such panic. No one was ready for it. He had the elements of surprise and complacency on his side.

Again how easy would it be for a Mumbia attack to take place in this country? We are in denial that it could happen. Most of our citizens are unarmed. And our police forces are over worked and spread thin. The likelihood is much large than I think the average American cares to admit. I also think that we intentionally fool ourselves into a false sense of security because deep down we all know it could happen and may well happen. But to admit it we have to leave our perfect little worlds for a moment and be scared. Being scared is not a bad thing though. It leads to being prepared.