All the other attacks were during the Carter/Clinton presidency. Hardly anything was done in retaliation to those attacks. That's why there were more attacks
Funny you forgot Reagan and the cut and run in lebenon
In fact, the 9/11 attacks were planned during the Clinton administration, so don't blame Bush for not "reacting" before 9/11. I have to be fair to the Democrats....Before 9/11, you couldn't get the backing of the country to increase national security and terrorist defense measures. People didn't want to pay more taxes for that.....until it happene
Does make you wonder why they let it happen does it. 4 planes turn around during a training exersise to till with such a senario and nothing was done and fly to their target for nearly a hour
The argument resonates with many Americans because it corresponds to how they experienced 9-11. They were shocked and unsure what to do.
But most Americans are not part of the air traffic control system, which is run by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), or the air defense system, run by the military.
War Games by the US military on 9/1 1 paralysis of air defenses that ensured the success of the attacks? who coordinated these efforts?
There has been virtually no media coverage of the issues of the 9/11 war games, the "amazing coincidence" of a "plane into building" exercise being conducted that morning, or the alleged role of Vice President Richard Cheney in overseeing the war games that morning.
related pages:
- NORAD / Air Force wargames on 9/11: Vigilant Guardian, Vigilant Warrior, Northern Guardian, Northern Vigilance
- National Reconnaissance Office "plane into building" exercise on 9/11
Most are unaware that these systems have routine procedures developed over many years. These procedures, practiced in drills and used in day-to-day situations, are meant to ensure that air safety and air defense personnel can function when confronted with unexpected events, even though ordinary people are understandably at a loss.
Consider this, by way of comparison. Imagine that one night a Canadian arsonist slips into Buffalo, New York, and using a new incendiary device, starts fires in four elementary schools.
People pull fire alarms near two of the schools. A neighbor calls the Fire Department when he sees smoke billowing out of the third school. And there is a Fire Station right across the street from the fourth school.
Yet not one fire truck arrives until after the schools have burned to the ground.
When asked why, the Buffalo Fire Chief explains, "We're good at dealing with Buffalo arsonists but nobody expected some guy to sneak in from Canada!"
The Chief would be laughed out of court. People would say, "When the alarms came in, how could anyone in the Fire Department have known that these fires were started by a Canadian arsonist? And even if they did know, why wouldn't they just follow their normal procedures - you know, slide down the pole, put on their coats, climb into the fire truck, turn on the siren. Why didn't they at least show up and try to put out these fires?"
The same holds true for 9-11.
As we have documented in 'Mr. Cheney's Cover Story,' the FAA and the military have routine procedures for intercepting commercial jets. (3)
An Air Traffic Controller can call for an escort (that is, a military jet) to be sent up to find out why a commercial jet has flown off course and guide it to a safe landing place. Or an escort can be used to put pressure on an uncooperative pilot or to intimidate a hijacker with a show of force. (4)
Which brings us to the matter of Andrews Air Force base. Andrews is ten miles from the Pentagon. It is the airport used by the President and other top officials, so of course it has to have escort planes. This was especially true on 9-11 because Air Force One, the President's jet, was in flight that day.
In fact, Andrews keeps combat units "in the highest possible state of readiness." (5)
So here is the question that leaders such as George Bush, General Richard Myers and Donald Rumsfeld refuse to answer because they have no acceptable answer:
Why weren't jet fighters scrambled from Andrew Air Force base to intercept American Flight 77 before it crashed into the Pentagon?