"I told them that free people always had to decide where to draw the line between their liberty and their security. I noted that the attacks would almost certainly push us as a nation more toward security"

This quote by Michael Hayden speaks to the challenging choice that totally free individuals should make between their liberty and their security. Hayden is referring to the attacks that took place, which he believes will press the nation more towards security. He is recommending that in order to secure the country, people need to be willing to sacrifice some of their flexibility. This is a hard choice to make, as it is a trade-off between 2 essential values. Hayden is stressing the value of security, but also acknowledging the value of liberty. He is suggesting that the country must find a balance between the 2 in order to protect itself.