On the eve of the 10th anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001, I’m reminded of the poster which read, “9/11 Was A Faith-Based Initiative.” I agree.
A group of terrorist operatives perpetrated the worst-ever attack on American soil, killing thousands of innocent people in a grand scheme to punish the infidel and achieve paradise.
Sorry, folks. I’m convinced that the 9/11 conspiracy stories are simply earnest yet misguided allegations by people eager to disbelieve anything widely accepted in the mainstream, even if the widely-held view happens to align with the evidence. Some are possibly motivated by anti-Bush, anti-war, anti-oil or anti-America sentiments. Others speak in paranoid sound bites that accuse all governments of lying to all people all of the time.
The internet has given a potential spotlight to allegations of all shapes and sizes, allowing them (substantiated or not) to send the masses off on a wildly-convoluted bunny trail. And while skepticism is healthy, these particular arguments have devolved into something beyond reasonable dialogue. They feed on other conspiracy theories, and they also feed on themselves.
I agree with the 9/11 Commission and the privately-conducted, exhaustive investigation conducted by Popular Mechanics and the 70+ experts who were consulted therein. The “inside job” theory doesn’t stand. The “controlled demolition” allegation is fantastic and ridiculous. And the notion that the Bush administration, inept and incompetent at everything else, might have successfully masterminded the biggest cover-up of all time as an excuse to invade the middle east for oil is ludicrous to the extreme.
The angle, velocity and 500MPH impact of the planes and the explosion of jet fuel do explain the compromise of the structural integrity of the towers. Hundreds of eyewitnesses actually saw the plane hit the Pentagon, and plane debris was recovered from the scene. Building 7 was damaged by the kinetic energy of the main towers’ destruction. Bin Laden and Al Qaeda operatives (many captured on camera) planned and executed the attacks and took credit, which weren’t the first attempts at toppling the World Trade Center (remember the 1993 WTC bombing?). This terrorist organization has a long history of attacks directed at the United States, including attacks at our embassies and the bombing of the U.S.S. Cole.
This conclusion does not mean I believe America’s past actions regarding Bin Laden have been squeaky clean. It does not imply that I endorsed the Iraq war. It does not mean I’m a fan of Bush or Cheney (I clearly am not). It does not mean I’m a stooge of any government or have adopted a “religious” mentality because I disagree with the truthers. It means I’ve seen credible, well-documented evidence presented against the claims of the “inside job” crowd. I’ve used information and reason to draw a conclusion. And if that conclusion happens to align with a widely-accepted view, so be it.
It’s important to remember that skepticism and paranoia are not the same thing. And while the internet is a tremendous resource for information, it is incumbent upon us to practice due diligence, check our sources and erect our arguments upon a solid foundation.
I disagree that all opinions in this world have merit. Certainly, we should absorb and examine opposing points of view. Some viewpoints should be accepted and embraced. Others should be quickly discarded. I believe that the conspiracy claims regarding 9/11 fall into the latter category.
Let the hate mail begin.
Popular Mechanics Article on the 9/11 conspiracy theories.
What do you make of the official story of flight 93, which states that the passengers regained control of the plane and brought it down? There are multiple eye-witness reports that suggest that in fact, the plane was downed by action of the USAF. Your thoughts?
The official story that the passengers on United Airlines Flight 93 teamed up to attack their hijackers, forcing the plane down is substantiated by in-flight cockpit recordings cited by both the 9/11 commission report and reporting by Popular Mechanics.
Also, reporting from earlier this week revealed that military officials ignored orders from Dick Cheney to shoot down rouge aircraft and ordered pilots to only identify suspect aircraft.
Finally, anyone who says that they “witnessed” an Air Force jet shooting anything down is not only lying but knows very little about the distances and speeds involved modern air combat. For example: The AIM-9 Sidewinder missile has an operational range of up to 22 miles and flies at a speed of mach 2.5. And that’s considered “short range.”
Hope that clears things up.
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