A major instance when the our typical knee jerk reaction for revenge malfunctioned, unfortunately

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

We knew very quickly that the vast bulk of the hijackers, the people who actually carried out the 9/11 murders were Saudis. Yet, some of Bush's FIRST actions after 9/11 were to facilitate the quick departure of Saudis from America instead of detaining them as might have been expected. In other words, he was protecting the nationals of the country that was the source of most of the hijackers. This also lies in direct conflict with his later defined "Bush Doctrine" that countries that harbor terrorists are terrorist nations in themselves

Americans do usually have knee-jerk patriotic reactions. How did they miss this opportunity to yell and scream and demand answers from Bush as to why he did this and why weren't they yelling immediately for some answers and investigations as to why Saudi Arabians were attacking us. Osama himself said that he wanted to get us out of Saudi Arabia as one of his goals, which I think pretty much has happened.

So, to recap: a huge terror incident occurs staffed primarily with the residents of one country, Bush evacuates the other residents of that country, and later capitulates to the terrorists demands to remove ourselves from that country.

This is not a screed against Saudi Arabia. I just wonder how and why Americans AND THE MEDIA let this get by them while they focused instead on Al Queda the entity, instead of WHO was Al Queda, where did they come from, what did they want and how were they financed?
The entire country instead allowed themselves to be diverted to an entirely different war against an entity that had nothing to do with the attack.

Surprising. I would have thought that we would be too stupid to allow that to happen.

[babylonsister]

1. Consider the lies the past admin told and the secrecy they required.

There's your answer.

As for the media, remember they got their talking points from the white house and were willing little diseminators of those lies.

[Rabrrrrrr]

2. Partly because the Shrubya administration put pressure (threats) on the networks

to report only propaganda, and not do any actual journalism.

Secondly, Republicans are hypocrites and liars.

Thirdly, anyone who raised questions was immediately shouted down as an America-hating terrorist-lover

September 11 gave us a chance for the media, after 20+ years of being the propaganda arm of the Republican party, to actually do their job again and rediscover who they're supposed to be.

Instead, they gave us American Idol and Survivor.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

10. Ari Asshat Fleischer - "I'd be very careful about what I said." nt

[Ian David]

3. Well, yeah... but have you SEEN Osama bin Laden's niece?

BBC NEWS | Americas | Bin Laden niece in glamour shots
Dec 23, 2005 ... The niece of Osama Bin Laden has posed for provocative photographs for an American magazine. Wafah Dufour, an aspiring musician and model, ...
www.news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4555430.stm

[lunatica]

4. We didn't even know about all this till much later and only via the internet

The media has been the propaganda arm of the executive since Bush was selected. We found out about this through the blogs.

There were anti-war marches all over the country in which hundreds of thousands participated the February before Bush went to war in March. And before that in October before he went to war with Afghanistan. Where were you?

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

5. It's always really hard to remember what one knows and when one learned it

BUT, the FBI knew within hours (according to wikipedia) who the highjackers were. So did Bush, obviously since they flew the Saudis out quickly.

I think the media quickly went with the "Islamic terrorists" label which diffused the identity of the hijackers more.

As a result NO ONE did more to inflate, disperse and aggrandize what had formerly been a ferocious but relatively small group than George Bush with his war against the wrong target.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

7. I know and remember all that. I know many many people knew

we were being pushed into a war of desire that had nothing to do with 9/11. But all that took time to develop to that stage.

I am speaking more of right back in the beginning - immediately after 9/11. I am surprised that the retributive instinct of the American public wasn't immediately focused on Saudi Arabia, just for the plain fact that most of the hijackers were Saudi, and Osama himself was Saudi. His original fatwa against America was all about getting out of Saudi Arabia. My point is that it is kind of amazing how Saudi Arabia escaped almost unscathed from the wrath/scrutiny of the American public. I'm not even saying that they deserve either wrath or scrutiny, I'm just saying I'm surprised it didn't happen. But, if it had happened, Americans would have had a far better insight into the issues and they would not have been so easily led to the diversionary war of choice.

[BeFree]

6. That's why...

...so many of us have questioned the whole story. The unbalanced nature of the reaction, the moves away from getting the truth laid out, and the players involved (Bushco) force anyone who fairly looks at the whole story to study the alternative explanations.

As a whole, the Official Conspiracy Theory, OCT, is wrought with inconsistencies and is incoherent. Not that the alternatives as a whole are coherent, but in many cases make better sense. And so the quest for the truth continues. Never giving in and fighting Bushco the whole way, the quest continues.

[dgibby]

8. Perfect example of the "Shock Doctrine" in action.

[dysfunctional press]

9. "I just wonder how and why Americans AND THE MEDIA let this get by them..."

it's very simple- "THE MEDIA" is NOT on the side of the american people. it's mainly the propaganda arm of the corporatists that run the show. the american people were hoodwinked.

[monmouth]

11. I still get chills when I remember my son and his date were in a club

in Palm Beach the night of 9/10. He and his girlfriend were telling me later that it wasn't too crowded except for three young fellows (son described them as Arabs)and a few others. They were all talking, the three sort of celebrating "something". Son's girlfriend mentioned she was heading for New York. The three stopped talking, asked her when she was going and she said "in a couple of days." One of them, a little over-served at this point, said "well as long as you're not there tomorrow" and then quickly changed the subject. These were the guys we later found out were living in Boynton Beach. Son and girlfriend, along with other patrons were absolutely shocked and shook.

[lunatica]

12. That's chilling

[monmouth]

13. It was. The Feds hung out at the place for weeks later hoping to

speak to people who were there. Kevin sat and talked with them for over an hour, identifying pics, etc.

[lunatica]

14. Were any of the people he identified on the planes?

I'm curious because many of the people that were named as the 19 highjackers were later found to be alive and well.

[monmouth]

16. I believe they all were, but Feds gave out little to no info. We got

what info we could from the newspapers.

[annabanana]

15. Simple. The Media cheifs went to the White House and said

"What do you want us to do?" And then they did it.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

17. It could be. The story did not fall out the way logic tells me it should have. nt