Reply #18: Fascinating stuff.

[Turbineguy]

Security was placed in the hands of the airlines who saw it as a cost without demonstrable benefits.

The Bush Administration ignored the warnings.

The FBI failed to follow up on leads.

There was obsolete equipment.

There were rules of engagement based on a different hijack tactic.

There was an exercise scheduled.

There was a new tactic in hijackings

There were multiple hijackings.

There was an information overload (3000 aircraft in the sky).

There was confusion.

There was imprecision of information. American Airlines obviously was not helping.

All things considered, the day went rather well (I'm not trying to be funny). They did not shoot down the wrong planes. All the other planes were brought down safely.

I think some of these people performed incredibly well.

I have always disagreed with the idea that there was a Bush (or PNAC) conspiracy. The magnitude of the operation was too large and too many things could have gone wrong exposing the conspirators.

As for the 1/3rd of Americans who believe 9/11 was an inside job, more than that voted for Bush the second time around.