Yahoo! News - U.S. Ushers in 2004 with Tight Security
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Sharpshooters, warplanes and thousands of police helped usher in 2004 in an unprecedented operation to thwart any terror attack on celebrations from New York to Las Vegas.

Ten days after the United States raised its terror alert to the second highest level of orange, saying al Qaeda could be planning an attack bigger than Sept. 11, 2001, a crowd of about 750,000 turned out to watch the traditional ball drop at midnight in midtown Manhattan.

Warplanes also patrolled the skies above New York and Las Vegas and flight restrictions were in place for Chicago and Washington, D.C.

Meet the new year, same as the old year...