what can the nsa do for you?

with all the (politically-motivated) critiques of NSA efforts, the cleveland plain dealer tells the tale (printer-friendly version found via lucianne.com) of network analyst Valdis Krebs. 9/11 prompted Krebs to plug in information about the 9/11 terrorists into a network analysis program he developed to 'connect the dots'

By mid-October 2001, linkages began to appear on his screen like the wispy strands of a spider's web -- a pattern called the "emergent organization."
Mohamed Atta, one of those who commandeered American Airlines Flight 11, the first jet to hit the World Trade Center, was clearly a ringleader. Atta's "node" -- geek speak for an individual's position within the network -- had the most and the closest connections to the other terrorists. It looked like the map of an airline hub, with dozens of routes passing through a central city. That marked Atta as an information broker and a key to the 9/11 operation.

network analysis has long been used in the business world as well as conventional law enforcement. however evidence mounts that the government agencies utilize the tool to protect america. the article continues with applications, none confirmed since the agencies will not (and should not) publically comment