Hypothetical: What if the warnings Prez Bush had enabled us to avoid 9-11?

[glenn1]

Let's go even further: assume that the FBI had information on the exact date, time, flight number, and descriptions of suspects. So they raid all the planes, and arrest the 19 dirtbags.

...And then what? Not much, I imagine. Oh, CAIR and it's ilk would be having a fit, of course, complaining to everyone including George W. about profiling and unfair targeting of Arab-Americans. After all, just what did the FBI find? Some box cutters? Those aren't illegal on airplanes. Flight manuals? These men were all attending accredited flight schools, trying to achieve the American dream, etc. etc. So they had one-way tickets: is that a crime? Funeral shrouds? Are you honestly arresting these men for bringing white sheets onto a plane? Korans? So because these men are pious Muslims, you dare to assume...! And really, folks, come on: flying a Boeing into a skyscraper? You've been watching too many movies! Who would come up with something this complicated, when a truck bomb in a garage would do just as well?

And so on and so on. I'm sure at least half these men would have been released within a couple of days. Profiling would be discussed at length on CNN and PBS. Several specials would be made, with weeping, hijab-wearing photogenic young women, describing in perfect Midwestern English the ordeal of being singled out by airport security. American Airlines would issue an apology, and make a contribution to the Arab-American Anti-Defamation Society, with a promise of more "outreach efforts." Norman Mineta would be outraged! and put in all sorts of new restrictions designed specifically to avoid giving extra scrutiny to "people of Middle Eastern appearance." (hey! wait a second!) George W. would go on the record saying that "pro-filling" is "discriminatational" and against everything he holds dear. Clinton would tell a story of his Lebanese-American great-uncle who was once denied entry into the White House. Al Gore would talk about his years of service under Lawrence of Arabia. Pretty soon, the whole thing would be forgotten as another embarrasing example of the Latent Racism in American Society.

Until one day, another group of men board an airliner...

Originally posted by "Enough"

 

[CaptainGoodnight]

Yeah. I think the terrorists would have moved on to plan 'B'

 

[her209]

What are the chances that 4 men have Korans, flight manuals, box cutter knives, one way tickets, on the same flight, and funeral shrouds. Hmmm

 

[spanky]

according to ur post... looks like we lose either way.

 

[Electric Amish]

I really don't care.

amish

 

[sohcrates]

I just can't believe that the news is making such a big deal of this.

I'm sure there's always all kinds of "possible threats" coming in..but NO ONE saw the twin towers collapsing...i mean come on

The news makes it sound like bush was told everything and chose not to warn anyone...we all know, from looking at history, that no real action is ever taken until we learn our lesson...and that's the hard truth about 9/11

 

[Wallydraigle]

The classic no-win situation.

 

[UltraQuiet]

I just can't believe that the news is making such a big deal of this

It's just the networks response to the letters Dasshole & Co. sent to the networks complaining they weren't getting enough attention.

 

[308nato]

Originally posted by: CaptainGoodnight
Yeah. I think the terrorists would have moved on to plan 'B'

Well. I'll tell ya'. I am one hard@ss tuff old SOB. Plan B scares me to near wetting my pants. I hope that by some stroke of fortune, the changes made since 9/11 allow plan B to get stopped.

glenn1, you have painted the scenario about how it would have went down my friend. You only missed getting the RevRund Jacks0n in there somehow.

😛

 

[Copperman]

Bush knew of an attack
but no way they knew what type of attack it could have been

and where

 

[Mister T]

and the world would be up in arms if we had still went in and mopped up Afghanistan.

You know, I pity the rest of the world the day someone decides to use nuclear or large scale biological weapons against the United States. Only then will the true military might of the U.S. will be realized...

 

[Mrburns2007]

I think he should have secretly put sky marshals on the planes and when the terrorist tried to highjack the plane they would just blow them away using those special bullets of course.


Since were using hindsight I think the fact that they used knives which weren't illegal and crashed the planes into buildings which all the experts said they couldn't imagine ever happening, proves that airport security sucks. It also still sucks even after 9/11 there just using feel good fixes that make people feel better but don't really work. The airlines are the ones truely responsible for the suck ass security, why knives where ever allowed on planes or that "nobody" could imagine using planes as weapons shows there incomptent or just trying to cover there ass.

 

[Toasthead]

If that were true then this thread would have never existed...Kinda creepy.

--Toast

 

[sheselectric]

The others are right. The attacks would have happened later.

Personally, i'm surprised the 9/11 attacks were so "successful" but it showed just how long the terrorists had been planning it.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

Nothing.

The feds would have had a press conference, and no one (or few) would have cared, or understood the severety except for those giving the report 🙁

The masses would have just kept trodding along. They only take notice when it's too late.

 

[AnthraX101]

People envy the US. Somewhere where anyone has a chance of "making it" in this life. That will never change. Security can help to disuade the undetermined, but or verry way of life is hated by those whom are used to being oppressed all the time.

What else can we do BUT try and liberate them?

And yes, this is just another liberal plot to throw a hissy-fit over impeachment.

And if you are interested in that terrorism report that said this would happen? Here it is. All 138-pages of it.

Armani

 

[Copperman]

I feel sorry for Bush on this......

Had alot of decisions real quick in office.......
hope it makes him stronger in office

Cliff

 

[SuperTool]

That's a good point. But I just love catching republicans in hypocricies. These guys were hanging it all on Clinton, saying Clinton knew this and that and didn't do enough. And now that the same questions are raised about their president, they get all defensive and cry "politics". When will the right wingers learn, if you can't handle the heat, don't play with fire.

 

[Miramonti]

The point is though, could the govt. (and us) learned as much without the cost of thousands of lives as well as billions of dollars for the education? If not, then what good is our Intelligence? First reports were that this was an Intelligence breakdown. Now it doesn't sound like a breakdown, but a lack of intelligence in the minds of those who are responsible for dealing with the information and acting on it. Otherwise what's the use of having Intelligence agencies if no one's going to do anything about it.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

Originally posted by: jjsole
The point is though, could the govt. (and us) learned as much without the cost of thousands of lives as well as billions of dollars for the education? If not, then what good is our Intelligence? First reports were that this was an Intelligence breakdown. Now it doesn't sound like a breakdown, but a lack of intelligence in the minds of those who are responsible for dealing with the information and acting on it. Otherwise what's the use of having Intelligence agencies if no one's going to do anything about it.

That's the problem. The agencies have become neutered and political. They can't do the ass-kicking stuff that they need to do. If you have to do dirty things to get stuff done, then do it. But too many pansies have to stick up for everyone and these guys can't do what they need.

People worry about privacy, and these folks have to go and get all these special permissions, taking time. Then it's too late and you've got tons of dead people, AND less privacy. Same end result, except you've got a lot of dead folks with the latter.

 

[alrocky]

Originally posted by: glenn1
Let's go even further: assume that the FBI had information on the exact date, time, flight number, and descriptions of suspects. So they raid all the planes, and arrest the 19 dirtbags...

The World Trade Center would still be standing, there'd be 3000+ more souls alive and I would've flown home from Vegas that same day.
That level of information you supposed (leading to their arrest) implies knowledge of the terrorists' intent to fly into the WTC et al and would not result in their release "within a couple of days." Thus the balance of the scenario you've described would not occur.

 

[IGBT]

More then likely, the intel was forthcoming in it's evaluation predicting a terrorist event. But the liberal national socialists in the US would prevent even the most modest preventive measures. So in the present liberal socialists environment we must experience civilian body count before we act to protect society ie.airport security,immigration (still out of control) checks of cargo containers (only sampled checks presently). The next terrorist event may bring about the checks and change that are long over due.

 

[chickendinner]

Id feel exactly the same. Cause it would have happened no matter what.

 

[jjones]

Originally posted by: IGBT
More then likely, the intel was forthcoming in it's evaluation predicting a terrorist event. But the liberal national socialists in the US would prevent even the most modest preventive measures. So in the present liberal socialists environment we must experience civilian body count before we act to protect society ie.airport security,immigration (still out of control) checks of cargo containers (only sampled checks presently). The next terrorist event may bring about the checks and change that are long over due.

Agreed. The same fools screaming "foul" now would have been the same fools screaming "foul" if preventative measures had been put in place. These are the same fools that screamed "foul" when we went after Bin Hidin in Afganistan.

 

[classy]

I think its silly for people to make a big deal over this. People have to understand that America recieves these kind of threats every single day. To hold the Prez responsible or anyone else besides those who did this is just downright stupid. Even to try and put any amount of blame is downright dumb as well.