Comments on: Not Quite Right

By: Jeff Harrell

Jeff Harrell — Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000

I thought something similar. He was obviously saying that terrorists were responsible for Flight 93, but trying to do so succinctly. What happened on that plane was actually pretty complicated: The terrorists hijacked it, then the passengers stormed the cockpit, then either the terrorists drove it into the ground or it went out of control and crashed. It’s hard to sum that up in a couple of words, so he said “shot down.” Maybe “brought down” would have been better, but whatever.

By: Confederate Yankee

Confederate Yankee — Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000

The conspiracy theories of a shootdown all fall apart the second one looks at the wreckage in Shanksville.

A fuel-laden airliner blown apart by an air-to-air missle does not make one nice neat hole in the ground, but is spread across the landscape like Pan Am 103.

Of course, we’re asking people to use both logic and common sense, and you know how often that argument works.

By: ed

ed — Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000

Hmmm.

Evidently people all over the world suddenly are incapable of correctly parsing a damn sentence. It’s obvious that the subject of that particular sentence are “the people”. I.e. terrorists.

What a non-story.

By: DemEnTEd

DemEnTEd — Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000

Yet another example of Serious Allegations. Remember, it’s not the truth that matters, only the severity of the allegation.

By: Jim Martin

Jim Martin — Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000

People are always looking for something to twist so they can blame others.

Most likely the passengers rushed the cockpit, crowding in forcing the terrorist at the controls to push the wheel forward putting the plane into a dive. Wrestling with the passengers he yanked the wheel left and right causing the plane to yaw. There was no way he could throttle back — the plane flew into the ground at 600mph.

NORAD said they were prepared to shoot it down, VP Cheney had given the order. Could he do otherwise? I can’t think of any other course of action.

And the next time, if it comes, we have to be prepared to accept those kinds of decisions and not be so shocked we can not act to prevent greater losses.

By: Jim Martin

Jim Martin — Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000

The time for shock is over, brace yourselves.

My first experience with terrorists was at the 1972 Munich Olympics, when Palestinian terrorists took the Israeli team hostage and all later died in an attempted rescue. Who were these people, who would do such a thing? That afternoon the Olympic grounds were completely surrounded by troops in trucks parked bumper-to-bumper. Tanks were on the grounds and special forces in warm-up suits were climbing exterior walls trying to reach the hostages, automatic weapons hidden under their jackets. It looked like WW II all over again with the German iron cross painted on the trucks and those famous steel helmets.

Threats to blow up airliners made tourists afraid to fly home. The airport was surrounded by tanks. Not knowing how many terroists were involved, the Germans made a huge show of force to keep people calm.

That kind of thing may happen here with our troops surrounding buildings. Be calm, don’t believe every rumor, and act only when officials give the order.

The one thing the terrorists have to learn is, no matter what they do, we WILL prevail. They WILL die.

By: Rod Stanton

Rod Stanton — Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000

I agree with the previous comments. Anyone tryng to make a case from the complete statement will not succeed. Of course the MSM will not give the complete statement when they go on the attrack.

By: Xrlq

Xrlq — Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000

I don’t even see why this would be a particularly severe allegation, if it were true. The Administration has made no secret of the fact that if it had had an opportunity to shoot down any of the four planes, it would have done so, and it would have been right to do so.

By: Cable

Cable — Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000

If these were off-the-cuff, rather than written, prepared remarks, the controversy may be due to a simple transcription error - “brought down the plane over Pennsylvania” fits nicely in the litany of horrors.

By: The Lonewacko Blog

The Lonewacko Blog — Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000

VP Cheney had given the order

Except, I was under the impression that only our President could give that order…

As for the quote, maybe he just misspoke. Or, maybe he was trying to let us know something. Or, maybe he was trying to throw out some red meat in the hopes of distracting us from more sinister “facts.” Or…

As for WND, many of their “reports” are just legally OK re-writes of real newspapers’ stories: “The NYT reported… According to the NYT, the Wal*Mart shopper said…” etc.