The Right Touch

Unplugged often implies not falling in the flavour-of-the-month trend. It was debatable whether to observe or comment the raw images of the WTC and Pentagon injuries. However, the grandest of positions is Yeah, there's no time like now to start forgiving, to turn the other cheek, to show the world not that we're tough, but that we're commited to making the world a better place." Aye-Aye. From the same quote: "Do I think our government will do that? No I don't." Unfortunately I share the same sentiment. With a friend we were discussing how the US government would react. A personal feeling was that the US government should not immediately send out its aircraft carriers and Stealth bombers to pulverize some target. If it did so, it would lose face towards the entire world. George W. did get one right. All these acts occured within flights initiated in the US - this should give American investigators better possibilities to identify the culprits and mechanisms at work. Use that thought wisely guys. Discuss

Cowardly: No.

The attacks on US symbols have been described as cowardly. This is most politically incorrect to point out, but it ought to be said. This is another act of disinformation. Coward is a very pejorative term in the anglo-saxon world. Unfortunately, the definition One who shows ignoble fear in the face of danger or pain states that what occurred was quite the opposite. Those who conducted the acts, in the face of fear and pain, certainly did not show fear. Hypocrisy would be a better term. For the actions were well thought out, planned and executed. But those who bankrolled the actions have not stepped forward - yes, they are cowards. Many who are not directly involved may secretly be revelling at the acts as well; do not underestimate this level of hypocrisy. Discuss

Where Was #4 Going?

Or was that #5? In any case, the plane was downed in the Pennsylvania countryside. Either shot down (probably as it was close enough to the hill of Camp David), or impede by the crew. Fascinating & possibly heroic. But what was the destination? A nuke? Replaying on the fears of Three Mile Island? Thought-inducing... Government & the military, Finance and power, Environment and the people; one strong hand to play.. Discuss

Lessons

It occured to me, as a viewer, how CNN for over three continuous hours (after which my saturation level was reached) never reflected on the lessons of the events. Firstly, the American government is *not* invincible. The attack on the Pentagon is the perfect illustration. The airspace is a no-fly zone. Fighters normally should enter in action quickly in the face of strange behaviour. It was my assumption that the plane was leaving or landing at Ronald Reagan airport, where a last minute manoever would be possible. No, it appears that one of the planes took off from Dulles. Who was sleeping at the switch? Second, only the attack on the Pentagon was necessary to show the US government that it was not invincible. But an attack on the symbol of the WTC gave media oomph to the relative power of such actions. Third. Four or five suicide attacks involving hijacking US-US bound airplanes means solid planning. Getting the trained pilots to make the suicide attack, knowing the logisitics in order to infiltrate the necessary arms and individuals to carry out the attacks... no small order. And the CIA had no prior wind of this to impede it. Guess who was sleeping at the switch. Certainly not a sign of invincibility or great power... Four. There are a bunch of chickens running around with their heads chopped off. The "unconfirmed story" about a 747 crashing into the Pentagon (which would have been the second bird with the same target) and that about United worried about certain flights unaccounted for... Come now. One thing for sure is that amongst all the noise, commercial airliners leave a signal. A radar signal. All those flights were certainly accounted for in less time than it takes to write this paragraph. How can intelligent non-partisannews media perpetuate such ridiculous and fear inducing statements is beyond this observer's understanding. Five. More headless chickens. Yeah right: aircraft carriers to protect NY airspace. What's the point if all commercial traffic was shut down and diverted to Canada? Has it not dawned on decisionmakers that all actions were taken so that they would occur within a 60 minute time span? Doing something similar 48 hours later is highly improbable and would have a lot less impact... Another thought. The psychological profile of NY. They might rebuild the towers in 2-3 years time. But the 'down' of it all will linger on. NY turned from the state of bankrupcy in the seventies to the go-go years of the nineties. The pendulum is probably going to be swinging on the negative side again for a while. The real lesson. Towers of clean steel and glass. The images show nothing left but dust. Ashes to ashes. Tell those you love how much magic they mean between those two moments. Discuss