[Fear of a Black Planet nitpick]
"I can't do nothin' for ya man."
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Yeah, I realized that after I posted. Bah.
[Fear of a Black Planet nitpick]
"I can't do nothin' for ya man."
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Quoting an anti semitic conspiracy nut. Priceless!
Let me just chime in here as someone who is likely that rare 9/11 conspiracy theorist who comes here to see the other side of the argument and not get into an argument.
First, my position. While I do think there is more to 9/11 than we'll ever know, I ABSOULTELY BELIEVE THAT FLIGHT 77 HIT THE PENTAGON. I often clash with "truthers" over this. But to me it's just basic logic. If such a nefarious plan was in place, wouldn't they want it to have been simple, untraceable and practical? Wouldn't it make little sense to switch planes or whatever and add any complicating elements to any plan? So, in my humble opinion, FLIGHT 77 HIT THE FRIGGIN' PENTAGON.
I'm glad that the video seems to refute the "flyover" theory. But otherwise I have some issues here. We had to wait 5 years for this? Why couldn't it just be released on September 12, 2001? What is the big secret here? There are legitimate questions about 9/11 that have yet to be answered. And for that reason, the administration has no one to blame but themselves for some of the conspiracy theories. Granted, they were bound to emerge. But the veil of secrecy that they have placed over 9/11 has acted like a steroid. Why the hell couldn't this video have come out years ago? And even if there is no clear footage of the plane, why can't they just release all the footage they have????? It would shut SOME people up, and offer closure to others who lost people there. But the big build up to this only throws gas on the fire (insert jet fuel doesn't melt steel comment here). I promise you more people will start to doubt that Flight 77 hit the pentagon after they see this. And maybe, like South Park portayed, that's what they want. Who knows anymore...
Woah...
Thinks have fired up here! Let's try keep it civil.
My take...
Whenever I see 9/11 claims that no one was hel accountable for the government's incompetence, I recall my analysis of 9/11 that led to the conclusion that 9/11 occured because of three things.
In particular, it makes me think of thing number three - American arrogance.
To most Americans, I think, it goes without saying that their government *could* have stopped 9/11 and *should* have stopped 9/11. Therefore, the fact that they didn't is evidence of one of two things:
1) Government incompetence
2) Intentional Government inaction (a LIHOP scenario, if you will)
I personally don't agree, and I attribute this view to American arrogance.
It must be a grossly unpleasant thing to entertain that "19 ragheads with boxcutters" thwarted the multi-billion dollar defences of such a great and powerful nation.
I think they did, though. I think the Terrorist beat the US, plain and simple. They were smarter, they were more ruthless, more dedicated, and they were bolder. They did not succeed because of US incompetence, they succeeded because they were superior. Plain and simple.
Rather than look for government officials to lynch and blame, the US would do far better actively seeking to address the real issue - a potentially superior enemy.
Norman Mineta, in his testimony to the 9/11 Commission, identified US ports as the weakest link in national security. What has been done since 9/11 to address this weakness?
Prior to 9/11, FAA assessment teams managed to smuggle everything from firearms to explosive to chemical weapons onto US domestic flights. What has been done to improve security at airports in the US?
Prior to 9/11 law enforcement and intelligence agencies did not communicate well (indeed, that's an understatement), and resources for counter-terrorism operations were insufficient for the task.
Prior to 9/11 politics on the world stage was considered more important than protecting the US, and terrorists often were left alone out of fear of offending this country or that diplomat.
What has been done post-9/11 to enable US intelligence and law enforcement, and to bring a more realistic attitude re: terrorism into the global political sphere?
THESE are the sort of questions an American citizen should be asking of their government. Americans have pretty few individuals in their nation who are selfless enough to dedicate their life efforts to keeping the nation safe. Instead of demanding to know why they do not have a perfect track record in their difficult task, why don't Americans turn their efforts to making sure the government provides them sufficient resources to do their job properly?
Perhaps some Americans need to let go of their superior arrogance and simply acknowledge that Osama and his bunch of misfits simply out-played them. It is a bitter lesson to learn, but in learning it, the USA will benefit more than it would from a thousand more navel-gazing "investigations".
-Gumboot
The evidence is already in on 77. On 9/11 all the evidence was in. Witnesses and physical evidence was there. DNA confirmed the dead.
So what do you have to prove there is something more? What?
Just a feeling?
Name some stuff, quantify your stuff.
He asked you a direct question. Don't be a wanker, to get to the next level you have to answer it.
Who should be charged, why and how?
Cool photos Kate.
Feels like I am back on Columbia Pike again...aaah memories.
Kate, the plane was on the North side of the gas station and didn't hit the light poles or the building.
It was a flyover.
Hierosis, are you saying that you believe it was more than incompetence and that you believe the skeptics who post here simply see 9/11 as being the result of incompetence by the US govt and military and as such we should be asking for someone to be held accountable?
Cool photos Kate.
Feels like I am back on Columbia Pike again...aaah memories.
Kate, the plane was on the North side of the gas station and didn't hit the light poles or the building.
It was a flyover.
Wasn't the bojinka plot the forerunner of the recent threat against transatlantic flights?
If so, how does this relate to 9/11?
A massive plot to destroy aircraft in flight is a different scenario to one in which planes are hijacked.
In a hijack situation pre 911, the assumed course of events would include a landing somewhere either to re-fuel and an onward flight, or a negotiation. If you were a passenger on a flight in such a circumstance all you would care about would be getting back on to the ground.
Likewise, the authorities are not going to shoot down a plane which they assume is going to be forced to land somewhere.
Flying planes into buildings was sufficiently new for it to take everyone by surprise.
I appreciate your points, but let me use your question to clarify things a little bit.
My assumption (and correct me if I'm wrong) is that the majority of people here accept the narrative of the 9/11 Commission report. That narrative essentially said that 9/11 took place due to a failure of planning and imagination. That would be failing at your job... or incompetence. I, however, do not believe 9/11 was the result of mere incometence all around. But if it was, as the Commission report indirectly said, then should someone have been held accountable?
Hierosis,
In a bygone age of political responsibility very likely someone would have been held responsible or been honourable enough to fall on their own sword.
But this is the 21st century and politicians must never be seen to be wrong.
I would be interested to know of the resignations or sackings which followed events such as pearl harbour, the fall of saigon and the withdrawal from somalia.
On the other hand perhaps we live in a time where it is considered more constructive to put right the flaws in the system without necessarily engaging in a witch hunt in the process.
Got any ideas to help the next surprise not be one!?
Yes! Keep people with your mentality FAR away from government.
IS ANYONE FAMILIAR WITH THE BOJINKA PLOT?