No wonder that two days before the Sochi Olympics, more than half of Americans believed a terrorist attack on the Games was likely, according to a CNN/ORC poll. Bill Rathburn, who directed security for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, in an interview with Yahoo News predicted of Sochi, "It's not a matter of whether there will be some incident, it's just a matter of how bad it's going to be." JUST WATCHED Reporters share Sochi hotel nightmares Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Reporters share Sochi hotel nightmares 02:28 
 
 JUST WATCHED Sochi skier smiles through the pain Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Sochi skier smiles through the pain 02:54 
 
 JUST WATCHED Are Sochi officials poisoning stray dogs? Only 13% of Americans think the United States should have a law similar to the one in Russia -- which makes it illegal to make positive comments about gays and lesbians within children's earshot -- with 86% opposed, the survey indicated. JUST WATCHED Beslan, ten years after Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Beslan, ten years after 02:58 
 
 JUST WATCHED Russian leader in Sochi Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Russian leader in Sochi 02:00 
 
 JUST WATCHED Rep. Rogers: Russia cooperation not 100% Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Rep. Rogers: Russia cooperation not 100% 04:21 
 
 Then, Russian authorities hope, the focus should shift to the feats of sporting excellence performed by athletes from around the world. But I do think it's probably, most likely going to happen outside the 'ring of steel' at the Olympic Village."
– Hey remember that time, lo those many weeks ago, when most Americans believed a terror attack would hit the Sochi Olympics? You could hardly blame them; there were ominous reports of approaching black widows and evacuation plans as important people predicted doom. But a funny thing happened: Nothing. "It turned out that the most terrifying image from Sochi was the look of disgust" on Ashley Wagner's face, observes CNN security analyst Peter Bergen. It was just the latest example "of hyperventilating hyperbole of the doomsday terrorism prognosticators." In November, GOP Rep. Mike Rogers said al-Qaeda "poses a bigger threat" than before 9/11, a statement Bergen believes "defies common sense." The US has decimated al-Qaeda, while dramatically improving American security and intelligence capabilities. A much-discussed 2004 book argued that "a nuclear attack on America in the decade ahead is more likely than not." Looks like "not" won out. "It's relatively easy to say the sky is always falling," Bergen writes, because when it doesn't, "doomsday prognosticators are rarely held to account. … they are too busy warning of the next catastrophe." Click for his full column.