Despite the fact that some blogs are giving the Able Danger story a lot of attention, seemingly in order to defend the administration against all comers, we have not seen fit to run with it endlessly. This word from the Pentagon is sufficient. From AFP, with thanks to D.W.
A Pentagon review has so far found no evidence that a secret intelligence operation identified Mohammad Atta as a member of a US-based Al-Qaeda cell before the September 11, 2001 attacks, a spokesman said.Representative Curt Weldon and Lieutenant Colonel Anthony Shaffer have charged that Atta and three other September 11 hijackers were identified as early as mid-2000 through a data-mining program codenamed "Able Danger."
But Lawrence DiRita, a Pentagon spokesman, said a review of materials related to Able Danger has so far turned up no evidence that it identified Atta, the reputed leader of the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon...
"What we have found are mostly sort of general reference to terrorist cells that people were generally aware of," DiRita told reporters.
"But nothing that would seem to corroborate specifically what congressman Weldon and Lieutenant Colonel Shaffer recall, although as you know they don't have what they said they saw. That makes it a little more difficult," he said.
Weldon and Shaffer have said Atta and three other future hijackers appeared as members of a Brooklyn-based Al-Qaeda cell on a chart that was presented by Able Danger to the US Special Operations Command in early to mid 2000.
They said the group had recommended the information be shared with the FBI, but that the command's lawyers rejected that course of action.
If true, it would have been the first time Atta was known to have been identified by the US intelligence community as an Al-Qaeda member before the September 11 attacks. Providing Atta's name to the FBI might have helped disrupt the attack, according to Weldon.
Neither Weldon nor Shaffer have been able to produce a copy of the chart itself, however.
Shaffer acknowledged in an interview published Saturday by the Washington Post that his allegations about the chart were based on the recollections of a navy officer and an unidentified civilian official affiliated with Able Danger.
He said that after the September 11 attacks, the civilian employee showed him a chart from 2000 that had the names of Atta and three other hijackers.
Navy Captain Scott Phillpott, whose recollections Shaffer also said he relied on, told a presidential commission investigating the September 11 attacks in July 2004 that he remembered seeing Atta's name on an Able Danger chart in the spring of 2000.
No surprise there. Just as with the London bombings, those Islamofascists are presumed to 'peaceful mainstream Muslims' by our PC authorities, and only when they murder some 3,000 people, then, only then they sctratch their heads and realize that they might not have been as peaceful.
This ignorance has alread proven to be lethal many a times, and if we don't discard it quickly enough, we can only expect more grim proofs of the mendacity of the religion-of-peace claim.
-----------------------------
dolphin, CAGE co-founder.
http://www.acage.org
I heard Curt Weldon tell this story months ago. He sounds credible to me.
What did Sandy Berger take out of the archives in his pants?
August 23, 2005
http://www.beecy.net/frank/
What was Sandy Berger Stuffing in his pants and socks????
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1462195/posts
"The Great Raid" - Debbie Schlussel Calls It The Year's Great Movie (MUST SEE!!!)
Debbie Schlussel.com ^ | 08/12/05 | Debbie Schlussel
Another praiseworthy dimension of "Great Raid" usually absent in Hollywood is respect for (non-Muslim) religion. While rare enough to have such a patriotic movie coming out of Hollywood (especially at this time), the positive portrayal of religion is contextual and important. Religious Catholicism, its adherents and clerics, are shown in a positive light.
The Japanese allowed Irish Catholic priests to freely move around the Philippines because the Irish were considered German allies, Dahl explained. Taking advantage of this, Irish Catholic priests risked their lives to help Utinsky run the Filipino underground and smuggle medicine to the POWs. They were murdered for it. In a few scenes, a card depicting the Virgin Mary plays an important role in giving two American soldiers the courage and confidence to carry out the successful raid and rescue.
Since all religions (except Islam, the only religion liberals and showbiz types love to love) are regularly trashed on the big screen, "The Great Raid" is a refreshing film, in that respect alone.
But the most refreshing thing about "The Great Raid" is that someone in Hollywood actually dared to commit the crime of making America and our brave soldiers look as good on film as they are in reality.
"These were brave, brave people, Americans and Filipinos, who deserve to be recognized - and honored," Dahl told Detroit Free Press film critic Terry Lawson. "I hope I did them justice."
Yes, you did.
For more on U.S. POWs of the Japanese in the Philippines, see my writing about Lester Tenney (nee Tennenberg), Maurice Mazer, and Frank Bigelow--heroic U.S. POWs of the Japanese in the Philippines and survivors of the Bataan Death March. Read Lester Tenney's moving book, "My Hitch in Hell: The Bataan Death March,"
READ THE WHOLE THING!!!
http://www.philippine-scouts.org/Newsletters/Summer_2002.pdf
FUNNY GOOGLE BATON DEATH MARCH AND THIS TURNS UP?? BUT LOOKS LIKE THE MON DIDN’T LIKE WHAT I HAD TO SAY??
http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/007714.php
GUESS I DO SOME GOOD MORE LINKS TO JW FROM GOOGLE??
Jihad Watch: 5 Saudis die fighting US forces in Iraq
Baton Death March?? Over 1200 men began only 500 survived the Japanese killed
... ALL ABOUT THE WW2 AND JAPAN AND HOW McCARTHAR MADE THEM USE THE WORD BATON ...
www.jihadwatch.org/archives/007714.php
http://flatrock.org.nz/topics/history/america_enters_the_war.htm
As chance would have it, the number two man in the Vichy French hierarchy, Admiral François Darlan, happened to be in North Africa visiting his sick son. Despite his sorry record of collaboration with the Germans, Darlan soon recognised that the Vichy government was in a hopeless situation and that further fighting against the British and Americans would do nothing to advance the long-range interests of France. Moreover, German forces were clearly gathering on the frontiers of Vichy France to occupy the remainder of the country. Darlan proceeded to cut a deal with the Allies (under Eisenhower) that stopped the fighting throughout Algeria and Morocco. In retrospect, the deal saved the lives of a considerable number of American and British soldiers, while eventually putting the French troops in North Africa at the disposal of the Allied cause. Nevertheless, a huge outcry arose in Britain and the United States about dealing with the Fascist Darlan - an outcry that was only hushed by Darlan's assassination on Christmas Eve 1942.
The idea of conditional surrender seemed a betrayal, so Roosevelt stated that the new policy for the Allies would from that point on be one of Unconditional Surrender – all enemy troops had to unconditionally surrender before fighting could cease. This had the negative effect of polarising German opposition, since many Germans were patriots but not Nazis. But the anti-Hitler Germans would be showed the same treatment as Nazis (as if that didn’t happen anyway?), because it was Germany who must surrender, not just Hitler. This caused even those who did not like Hitler to fight for him, and further, it cut down on the opportunity for assassination attempts.
The idea was that if countries did not surrender unconditionally, they would simply rearm and start a new world war – exactly as Germany did after WWI. This heavily influenced the tactics used to finish the defeat of Japan.
GREAT HISTORY LESSON BETTER READ THE WHOLE THING??
With the Unconditional Surrender etched in stone, and the Germans driven out of Africa, Stalin resumed his push to get the Allied forces to launch a cross-channel invasion of France, but Churchill decided that the Allies needed to take Sicily, Italy, and the Balkans first – the “soft underbelly” of Europe. Churchill feared for the future if Stalin were allowed too much free reign – if Russian forces pushed west and occupied territory, the USSR would likely keep it even after the War was over, which Churchill did not want. At the Tehran Summit, Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin all met, and a date for the impending cross-channel invasion was set – spring 1944. Roosevelt agreed that while the Allies would take Italy, as Churchill requested, they would not go on towards Greece.
HOW WE FOGET??
By the end of 1943, Mussolini was overthrown; Hitler had to send in a rescue squad to prevent him from becoming a prisoner. The Soviets turned the tide on the Eastern front with the Battle of Stalingrad (1943). Both sides completely disregarded civilians, so the city was decimated, however the Russians trapped the Germans. Unfortunately, there were 1-2 million casualties on both sides. The siege on Leningrad was broken as well. This fighting on all fronts caused the German forces to be spread thin, allowing Russian victories which further weakened the German Army. (The Soviets stopped just outside Warsaw to allow the anti-Communist Polish Underground to be wiped out when they foolishly moved against the Germans thinking they could count on Russian support.) Trusting the Russians did tend to be foolish, yes…
1-2 MILLION DEAD IN 1 BATTLE IN THE WAR??
YES THIS IS A GOOD SIGHT TO LEARN HISTORY!!
War in the Pacific
In the first 6 months after Pearl Harbor, the Japanese swept across the Pacific.
READ THE WHOLE THING!!!
Fighting gallantly, the US Forces commanded by General Douglas MacArthur were hurled back by the advance of the enemy. MacArthur ordered a fighting retreat to the Bataan peninsula, where the defending forces, in accordance with the plan, would regroup and make an indefinite stand. This was to delay invading enemy forces until the US Pacific Fleet could be mustered and fight its way to the Philippines. At the Bataan peninsula, with its defensive terrain and backed by artillery from Manila Bay and nearby Corregidor, the defenders expected to hold out until reinforcements arrived. But with the Pacific Fleet crippled at Pearl Harbor, no aid would be forthcoming.
The surrender of Bataan hastened the fall of Corregidor a month later. More than 15,000 American and 60,000 Filipino prisoners of war were forced into the infamous Bataan Death March which became one of the most heinous war crimes ever committed by a modern military power.
READ THE WHOLE THING!!
THEN THINK ABOUT ONLY 500 SURVIERS???
http://www.neta.com/~1stbooks/bataan.htm
Only 54,000 reached the camp: 7,000 - 10,000 died on the
way and the rest escaped into the jungle.
ANOTHER GREAT SIGHT!!
note: Bataan: The 200th and 515 Coast Artillery units were from the New Mexico National Guard, which had a heavy representation of Hispanic officers and enlisted men. They had been selected because of their combat readiness, and also many of the men in the unit spoke Spanish, a principal language of the Philippines.Upon their arrival, they became the largest single American military unit in the Philippines.
DID YOU KNOW??
http://www.post-gazette.com/nation/20020526memorial3.asp
Emerick cannot forget these casualties of war, no matter how hard he might try.
He is one of the last thousand or so survivors of the Bataan Death March, which happened 60 years ago, during the early stages of World War II.
"We're the Battling Bastards of Bataan,
No mama, no papa, no Uncle Sam,
No aunts, no uncles, no cousins, no nieces,
No pills, no planes, no artillery pieces,
And nobody gives a damn!"
DON’T LET THIS HAPPEN EVER AGAIN WE MUST STAND BEHIND OUR FIGHTING FORCES!!! THIS IS WHAT THE MSM IS DOING TODAY TO OUR FIGHTING FORCES WE ARE WINNING THIS WAR!!!
JUST LIKE WE WON WW2 AND ARE NOW FRIENDS WITH JAPAN!!!
YOU ASK WHY DOD WOULD NOT WANT TO AIR ABLE DANGER AND HOW LOSE WE WERE??
THINK ABOUT IT THE COURT CASE THAT EXPOSED WE HAD ubl[yellow coward who runs away] SAT. PHONE WELL THAT JUST MENT HE CHANGED HIS PHONE??
SO IF WE WERE GETTING CLOSE TO CATCHING BAD GUYS WHY EXPOSE HOW WE ARE DOING IT??
YOU KNOW THE MSM WILL NOT KEEP QUITE??
SOME THINGS ARE BETTER OFF LEFT IN THE CLOSET??
Part of the American Tribe
Squirrel Hunter
Spider Killer
GOD BLESS THE USA AND HER FIGHTING FORCES AND ALL WHO FIGHT WITH HER GIVE THEM STRENGTH, WISDOM, SIGHT, AND COURAGE TO STAY THE COURSE TO VICTORY TO DESTROY ALL ISLAMIC TERRORIST AND ALL WHO SUPPORT THEM AMEN
REMEMBER
Sandy Berger pleaded guilty to stealing and destroying Papers from 9/11 arckive??
Part of the American Tribe
Squirrel Hunter
Spider Killer
GOD BLESS THE USA AND HER FIGHTING FORCES AND ALL WHO FIGHT WITH HER GIVE THEM STRENGTH, WISDOM, SIGHT, AND COURAGE TO STAY THE COURSE TO DESTROY ALL ISLAMIC TERRORIST AND ALL WHO SUPPORT THEM AMEN
PS
But if we are useing this kind of tec. today to cath bad guys is it really good to expose it to the world to lose another tool agianst our enemies just to make us feel better???
I say have some closed door hearings then have it on the recoard for history to bring out when the Danger has passed??
BUT NOW WE ARE STILL IN DANGER FROM THIS EVIL MOVEMENT AND MUST USE ALL WE CAN TO DESTROY THEM ALL AND ALL WHO SUPPORT THEM!!
As far as I understand, Mohammad Atta was known to have previously committed terror attacks in Israel.
Here's something to lighten our moods...a great article from the Onion.
--Stephen
Seams that Germany is haveing mager floods??
Will the MSM cover the gold star moms traveling in support of this war against islamic terrorist??
SO FAR I AINT HEARING IT??
Part of the American Tribe
Squirrel Hunter
Spider Killer
GOD BLESS THE USA AND HER FIGHTING FORCES AND ALL WHO FIGHT WITH HER GIVE THEM STRENGTH, WISDOM, SIGHT, AND COURAGE TO STAY THE COURAGE TO DESTROY ALL ISLAMIC TERRORIST AND ALL WHO SUPPORT THEM AMEN
PS
Didn't Germany say they would do nothing about iran and nukes????
Elephant - Israel/Atta
June 24, 2005
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,160321,00.html
House Passes Flag-Burning Amendment
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
WASHINGTON — The House on Wednesday approved a constitutional amendment that would give Congress the power to ban desecration of the American flag, a measure rejected twice by the Senate in the past decade but expected to get a closer vote this year.
By a 286-130 vote — eight more than needed — House members approved the amendment by the required two-thirds majority after a debate over whether such a ban would run afoul of the Constitution's (search) free-speech protections
WHO THINKS IT IS OKAY TO LEAVE THIS LOOP HOLE??
http://www.foehammer.net/2005/06/thoughts.html
VIDEO IN NYC OF CRAZY MULSUMS!!!
NAYS 130 ---
THESE ARE THE CONGRESS WHO SAY THIS IS OKAY???
Abercrombie, Ackerman, Allen, Baldwin, Becerra,Berman, Blumenauer, Boucher,Brady(PA), Butterfield, Capuano, Cardin, Carson, Case, Clay, Cleaver, Conyers, Cooper, Cummings, Davis (AL), Davis (CA), Davis (IL), DeFazio, DeGette, DeLauro, Dicks, Dingell, Dreier, Ehlers, Emanuel, Engel, Eshoo, Evans, Farr, Fattah, Filner, Flake, Frank (MA), Gilchrest, Gonzalez, Green, Al Grijalva, Gutierrez,
Hastings( FL), Hinchey, Hoekstra, Holt, Honda, Hooley, Hoyer, Inslee, Israel,
Jackson (IL), Johnson, E. B., Jones (OH), Kennedy (RI), Kilpatrick (MI), Kind, Kolbe, Kucinich, Larsen (WA), Leach, Lee, Levin, Lofgren, Zoe Lowey, Maloney, Markey, Matheson, Matsui, McCollum (MN), McDermott, McKinney, Meehan, Meek (FL),
Meeks (NY), Millender-McDonald, Miller (NC), Miller, George, Moore (KS),
Moore (WI), Moran (VA), Nadler, Napolitano, Oberstar, Obey, Olver, Owens, Pastor, Paul, Payne, Pelosi, Petri, Price (NC), Roybal-Allard, Rush, Ryan (OH), Sabo, Sánchez,Linda T.Sanders, Schakowsky, Schiff, Schwartz (PA), Schwarz (MI), Scott (VA), Serrano, Shadegg, Shays, Slaughter, Snyder, Solis, Stark, Tanner, Tauscher,
Thompson (CA), Tierney, Udall (CO), Udall (NM), Van Hollen, Velázquez, Visclosky, Wasserman Schultz, Waters, Watson, Watt, Waxman, Weiner, Wexler, Woolsey, Wu
SHAME SHAME SHAME!!!
Part of the American Tribe
Squirrel Hunter
Spider Killer
God Bless the Country who has Heros Amen
pitty the country who needs them not!!
Elephant said "As far as I understand, Mohammad Atta was known to have previously committed terror attacks in Israel."
As long as we're spreading urban legends, here are a couple of other interesting bits of mis-information:
Quranic verse speaks of the "wrath of the Eagle (U.S.) cleansing the lands of Allah."
Those darn liberals in Hollywood are making a movie that portrays Jesus as a homosexual.
">A Saudi newspaper ran an article claiming that Jews use the blood of Muslims to celebrate Purim.
Oh wait, this one is not a legend, it is true.
Oops, mangled an HTML tag. Sorry. The Saudi blood libel story is here.
GUESS WHO SAID THIS AND WHEN???
Beirut took place on 1983? You were turned into scattered pits and pieces at that time; 241 mainly marines solders were killed. And where was this courage of yours when two explosions made you to leave Aden in less than twenty-four hours!
But your most disgraceful case was in Somalia; where after vigorous propaganda about the power of the USA and its post cold war leadership of the New World Order you moved tens of thousands of international force, including twenty eight thousands American solders into Somalia. However, when tens of your solders were killed in minor battles and one American Pilot was dragged in the streets of Mogadishu you left the area carrying disappointment, humiliation, defeat and your dead with you. Clinton appeared in front of the whole world threatening and promising revenge, but these threats were merely a preparation for withdrawal. You have been disgraced by Allah and you withdrew; the extent of your impotence and weaknesses became very clear. It was a pleasure for the "heart" of every Muslim and a remedy to the "chests" of believing nations to see you defeated in the three Islamic cities of Beirut, Aden and Mogadishu.
I say to Secretary of Defence: The sons of the land of the two Holy Places had come out to fight against the Russian in Afghanistan, the Serb in Bosnia Herzegovina and today they are fighting in Chechenia and by the Permission of Allah they have been made victorious over your partner, the Russians. By the command of Allah, they are also fighting in Tajakistan.
I say since the sons of the land of the two Holy Places feel and strongly believe that fighting (Jihad) against the Kuffar in every part of the world, is absolutely essential, then they would be even more enthusiastic, more powerful and larger in number upon fighting on their own land the place of their births defending the greatest of their sanctities, the noble Ka'ba (the Qiblah of all Muslims). They know that the Muslims of the world will assist and help them to victory.
OH MY??
Mohammad Atta was selected by CAPPS ( Computer Assisted Passenger Prescreening System ) in Portland, three other members of his team were selected in Boston and set off alarms in Boston, yet not one security person cared and they were waved through. The only thing CAPPS did was keep their luggage off the plane until they boarded. Well getting back to my point, how did Mohammad Atta and the others get into CAPPS to begin with? Someone in our government put them in there, someone in our government knew these Moslems were probable jihadist. Is it President Clinton’s or President Bush’s
fault that Mohammad and his crew were not only selected for further scrutiny, but set off metal detectors and still received a free pass? No! Never once have I heard any news reporter put the blame where the blame belongs, with the lackadaisical airport security.
Posted by: Bar at August 23, 2005 03:01 PM
where does the Blam belong REALLY??
With the killer or the victim or the cover up ??
I say the First blam goes to the killer!!!
SHOULD WE EXPOSE TO THE KILLERS THE WAYS IN WHICH WE TRACK THEM??
IS CLINTON TO BLAM HE COULD HAVE DONE MORE!!
WHAT DID SANDY BERGER STUFF IN HIS PANTS ALL KNOW HE PLEADED GUILTY??
DOES IT REALLY MATTER TO EXPOSE SOME TOOL TO HELP THE USA CATCH ISLAMIC TERRORIST??
I SAY KEEP SOME THINGS IN THE CLOSET BEHIND CLOSE DOORS AND IN 20 YEARS EXPOSE THE TRUTH BUT WHILE THE TOOL MIGHT HELP CATCH ISLAMIC TERRORIST KEEP IT IN THE CLOSET AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE TO EXPOSE WHAT SANDY BERGER PLEADED GUILTY TO STEALING AND DESTROYING THE SAFTEY OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE IS MORE IMPORTANT!!!
Suprised no one Guessed??
http://www.islamistwatch.org/main.html
Declaration of War on America
August 23, 1996 Hindukush Mountains, Khurasan, Afghanistan
By Usama Bin Laden
Ibn Taymiyyah, after mentioning the Moguls (Tatar) and their behavior in changing the law of Allah, stated that: the ultimate aim of pleasing Allah, raising His word, instituting His religion and obeying His messenger (Allah's Blessing And Salutations On Him) is to fight the enemy, in every aspects and in a complete manner. If the danger to the religion from not fighting is greater than that of fighting, then it is a duty to fight them even if the intention of some of the fighter is not pure i.e. fighting for the sake of leadership (personal gain) or if they do not observe some of the rules and commandments of Islam.
SO WHAT WAS ALL THAT CRAP ABOUT NOT WORKING WITH saddam[yellow coward found in a hole don’t shot I’m a yellow coward] WHY HAS THE STATE DEPARTMENT BEEN LIEING TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE??
To repel the greater of the two dangers on the expense of the lesser one is an Islamic principle that should be observed. It was the tradition of the people of the Sunnah (Ahlul Sunnah) to join, invade and fight with the righteous and non-righteous men. Allah may support this religion by righteous and non-righteous people as told by the prophet (Allah's Blessing And Salutations On Him). If it is not possible to fight except with the help of non-righteous military personnel and commanders, then there are two possibilities. Either fighting will be ignored and the others, who are the great danger to this life and religion, will take control or to fight with the help of non righteous rulers and therefore repelling the greatest of the two dangers and implementing most, though not all, of the Islamic laws.
OH MY YOU HAD BETTER READ THIS FOR YOURSELF THEN GET REALLY PISSED AT THE LIBS TRYING TO HIDE THE TRUTH FROM YOU??
THIS IS WHAT THE ISLAMIC TERRORIST ARE USING TO GO AND KILL THE IRAQI PEOPLE AND THE LIBS ARE HELPPING THEM SOME BECAUSE THEY ARE TO DUMB TO OPEN THEIR EYES OTHERS BECAUSE IN THEIR HEART THE SIDE WITH THE ENEMY?
IT IS VERY SIMPLE THE BIG Q? IS HOW WE FIGHT THIS WAR DO WE FIGHT A LONG DRAWN OUT WAR TO SAVE AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN OR DO WE FIGHT IT LIKE WW2 AND JUST LEAVEL AND KILL AS MANY AS WE CAN UNTIL THEY GIVE US AN UNCONDITIONAL SURENDER??
BUT HOW EVER WE FIGHT THIS WAR IT WILL BE FOUGHT!!
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, NOW JUST WANT TO LEVEAL THE PLACE AND MOVE ON. THE WORLD SHOULD THANK IT’S LUCKY STARS WE HAVE G.W. WHO HAS A HEART AND WANTS TO SAVE AS MANY PEOPLE AS HE CAN??
BUT THIS WAR WILL BE FOUGHT THE PUNCH HAS BEEN THROWN!!
NOW WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON THERE ARE ONLY 2 SIDES TO THIS FENCE??
Now ask yourself who was President in 1996???
and when did 9/11/2001 happen and what happened in between??
How many islamic terrorist attackes against the USA and what was done about it but remember it does not lay at the feet of any one President it goes back to the 70s and the killing in Germany of those Israelis and the world has always stood and done not much??
THE REAL FAULT IS THAT OF THE ISLAMIC TERRORIST AND THOSE WHO SUPPORT THEM EITHER THROUGH GREED OR FEAR OR IN LIKE BELIEF!!
TIME TO STAND TOGETHER AND FIGHT THE ENEMY YES I SAY KILL THE KILLERS FOR THEY ARE AT FAULT!!
BUT CONGRESS DO YOUR JOB AND PUT THIS ON THE RECORD BEHIND CLOSE DOORS AND KEEP IT THERE UNTILL WE HAVE A BETTER TOOL!!!
Part of the American Tribe
Squirrel Hunter
Spider Killer
God Bless the USA and her Fighting Forces and ALL who Fight with her give them Strength, Wisdom, Sight, and Courage to Stay the course to Victory to Destroy ALL Islamic Terrorist and ALL who Support them Amen
Bar said "Mohammad and his crew were not only selected for further scrutiny, but set off metal detectors and still received a free pass"
Is this National Urban Legend Day? I am picturing the metal detector blaring and the guard lackadasically waving Atta through regardless. Does this make any sense? Can you provide any cites that anything remotely like this occurred? I set off metal detectors too, with my zipper or belt buckle or coins, but they don't just wave me through.
Atta and other hijackers were flagged for heightened security scrutiny. The factors that cause flagging are kept secret for obvious reasons, but they are things like buying a one-way ticket, buying a ticket with cash, buying a ticket moments before the flight is set to take off, etc. It doesn't mean that you're on a terrorist watch list, especially in the pre-9/11 days.
Even if metal detectors had found their box cutters, there was nothing illegal at that time in carrying them on-board. Our laws were way behind what the jihadists were planning. Pre-9/11, our minds could not have conceived of the evil they were plotting.
I'm not going to get my torch and start chasing airline security guards (or GWB) as the cause of 9/11. It was our (all of us) failure to pay attention to the growing danger of jihad. Our entire society was flabby and lazy and ill-prepared for self-defense. I think that is changing, in part thanks to Robert.
National Geographic's documentary "Inside 9/11" information is available online. Many of the interviews are archived and available here:
Follow this link and click interview archive
Dear Special Guest
Upon further review I confused American Airlines flight 11 and United Airline flight 175, with American Airlines flight 77. I was under the impression that CAPPS was a database not a criteria screening program. But nonetheless, if protocol was adhered to that day by airport personnel, some of this could have been averted, maybe even all if it.
Until that gets addressed, we are just kidding ourselves.
CAPPS or CAPS at the time was in place to expose those who pose a threat to civil aviation, 10 of the 19 highjackers where selected by CAPPS, Mohammad Atta appears to be a random selection, these passengers were to receive extra scrutiny, but apparently none did!
Mace was used in all the highjackings that day, how did they get that on those planes?
Or was mace allowed in those days?
Fight 77 had three team members selected by CAPPS, at least two of those set off the metal detectors and one of them set off two detectors. When interviewed none of the screeners could recall that anyone they screened that day was CAPPS selected. When a screening expert was asked to review the videotape of the hand-wanding, he found the screeners work to be "marginal at best". The screener should have resolved what set the alarm off, in both cases it is clear he did not! Page 3 of the 9/11 commission report.
Matter of fact, Nawaf al Hazmi who set off both metal detectors and then was hand-wanded before being passed, in the video it clearly shows something in his back pocket clipped to its rim! But hey airport security is not blame, right!
Just because I assess blame that doesn't imply that it is ok for anyone to take a torch and chase anyone.
I am not to blame for 9/11, what I knew about Islam had absolutely no affect on the outcome that day. The only ones that were in position to respond on that day was airport security. Not what you so broadly refer to as all flabby lazy Americans, unless your are referring only to those security personnel that were involved?
OT, this is so funny! I am sure CAIR will have a fit.
http://in.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=businessNews&storyID=2005-08-23T065501Z_01_NOOTR_RTRJONC_0_India-213542-1.xml
To be PC, I am supposed to be a little upset at the above link...so I'm not. (So sorry, if the shoe fits....)
I heard today that a second member of the Able Danger team has come forward to corroborate the Atta data.
But the real scandal of 9/11 was:
-who the hell got rid of the Sky Marshalls?
Hired in the 1970's when the first serious hijackings occured, they were supposed to be the last line of defense. On all major aircraft.
But, at some point between then and 9/11, they were mostly phased out. (About as smart as throwing the fire extinguishers out of a building because 'there hasn't been a fire lately', and 'you can save a pretty penny in recharging fees by just scrapping them'.)
If there had been Sky Marshalls onboard the larger airliners (excluding the smaller commuter flight that hit the Pentagon) there would have been only one crash that fateful day, and 14 hijackers shot dead on the three other prevented-from-being-hijacked flights.
2,700 or so people would still be alive.
The World Trade Towers would still be standing.
The economy would be incalculably richer.
And we might have gotten Osama by now with all the extra money available.
Saving those several tens of millions(?) of dollars - over thirty years- by firing the Sky Marshalls is one of the unanswered aspects of the entire fiasco.
Did the 9/11 Commissioners even address WHO fired them?
And when?
Because we always know "why".
To save a buck.
And then lose billions.
And, worse, lose thousands of our neighbors.
I suspect that Able Danger -
(a project which was also SCRAPPED ...and WHO DID THAT?)
-is symptomatic of this penny-wise / pound foolish (AKA braindead) political expediency (spelled "lunacy") that continues to endanger us all to this day.
The Homeland Security Department should reinstate the security mechanisms of this worthwhile effort.
But this time it would help if they might LISTEN to the warnings!
(And secure the borders while they're at it.)