To John,
I would imagine that people, who were near ground zero, heard explosions. If you have been near a collapsing building or in an earth quake you would know that there are some very dramatic sounds associated with these phenomenon.

The conspiracy you speak of is still off the mark to me although I can understand where you are coming from. I think if there is a conspiracy it must be coming from an anti-arab, anti-muslim quarter. The cause for me to think this way is in the things that are going on in Israel. Since the death of Rabin there has been a consolidation of power by the ultra right in that country. They lost a few elections but they have managed to get back in power by a series of acts of violence that are somehow always timely and useful for their purposes. They have managed to use the world's media in their favor at all times. The global media has put the entire onus of stopping all violence at the hands of the Palestinian Authority even when the Israeli government seems to have no real control over their "settlers" and right wing yet they are not held accountable. When Rabin was assasinated I remember seeing his killer on the TV chewing gum and laughing and the authorities looking dismayed more than disdainful or angry. There was no witch hunt for his accomplices or co-conspirators although Leah Rabin plainly said that the ultra-right had facilated it by their public talk. Subtly hinting at a right wing conspiracy. No Israeli social upheaval or deep violent schism just slumped shoulders, heads hanging low and a vote minisculy in favor for peace. But for the assasination of a man who called all Arabs lice and stated they should be sent to Mecca even Palestinian school girls must die. Israel has made a statement in this in that even though they could not or would not protect Rabin from a gruesome fate they expect the Palestinian authority to do this for a man who does like to have body guards. It seems they are now bent on war. I, for one, feel Mr. Sharon and his ilk are devotees of the cult of war and hatred and are finding creative ways to prosecute it.

There is where I see some conspiracy. In all these actions I see some complicity by the western media who have no qualms about demonising Mr. Bin-Laden but have put on some goose down filled, kid leather gloves for dealing with the blood thirsty Mr. Sharon and his marauders. They have bowed to the US led coalition's request for help in creating the proganda you speak about as it concerns Al-quaida and The Taliban and have no strength, will or concern about what Israel does although it is the very root of the problem. When I see them interviewing men like Benny Netanyahu(who benefitted from the death of Rabin and who was one the hard right Mrs. Rabin was speaking of) for an objective view on the situation then you know the score.

Maybe The Israeli army can order thousands of the masks, that Fredledinque highlighted, so they can place them on their victims like so many crooked cops have done with their hidden guns and say they thought they were looking at Bin-Laden when they fired. With the mode the western media is now in, this would probably prove to be a very successful strategy.

As you can see, I consider the middle east as the primary concern. And the conspiracy, if there are any, would probably be coming from groups who are interested in a pro-Israel outcome. The problem with this is rest of us are caught in the middle and are endangered by this as well as us standing by and watching a modern, slow motion genocide take place.

See ya, AA.

Hey DOG,
I'll just advise you if you want to see some of my post you can scan through the the archives because I don't commit any to memory(my computer's that is) and I certainly wouldn't want to bore anyone by reposting them. It's bad enough that I've posted so many.

On the other hand, if it's my goofy spin on the 3rd batt. attack you want then here it is. I have been in a few fights in my life, some where I've had to disarm an assailant, but I could never say I know what a battlefield is all about. But this does not preclude me from knowing the difference in intensity between the various historical campaigns and wars. I also know that Afghanistan has been the Waterloo of many a great army. But I don't think that any army that has attacked this country has had the technical sophistication and has used that technical superiority(especially air superiority) so extensively and prepared the ground so well before an attack. The big gun ships strafing the Taliban post after the extensive bombing sorties have ultimately decimated the oppossition before the ground troops(your beloved rangers) could land and perform their jobs. This means that, as the chairman said, the ground troops came under light fire or resistance. What does this mean? It means they were not in Nam or the beaches of Normandy. It means they were not at the battle of the Bulge or Inchon. I think you get the picture. They should, as soldiers, have some feeling of accomplishment, I guess, but it doesn't seem like something to beat your chest too much about.

Sincerely A.L.I.(float like a butterfly, sting like a bee)

To Another American,

Those of the ultra right are the same people I think are making this war happen through well-timed catastrophes made vivid by a totally cooperative press. The ultra right in America bought and control the press, and I say they were secretly behind the attacks on the World Trade Center.

They are also the same people who hated the "hippies" and my generation. So, while it isn't a generational war, it is a spiritual war between generations.

I was making a point saying that all of my favorite television shows are being taken away: shows that are intellectually interesting, and shows that are sexy. They are being replaced in an almost conspiratorial way by shows that are intellectually bland. But the amazing thing is, who could have that much power? Someone does, and now they want more power by destroying the world economy.

You are convinced the ultra right in Israel are propogating war. I am convinced the ultra right in America are propogating war. These are very similar observations, and these people are dangerous. To find evidence of involvment between the terrorist and the American ultra right would be to study and find the World Trade Center towers could not have been brought down by those upper story fires, or at least not so completely or quickly. This should be studied.

It is definitely a worldwide ultra-right conspiracy. But ask the question, who are these people, really? Are they really right wing? I am right wing. I voted for Ronald Reagan, then Reagan started screwing around with economy, then I learned that he had been a card carrying communist (or socialist, no difference). Bill Crystal is the guru of the ultra right in America. His father was a big-time socialist.

The communist goal was total world domination, but then they suddenly said, "Oh sorry, we were wrong." I don't think they would have laid down and died that easily, and it is especially troubling that Reagan, the guy who supposedly beat them was a card-carrying socialist.

Where is God on this?

He hates communists. I think our "it is futile to resist" military is way cool. I just hope they are kicking butt for the Good Guys.

And where the heck did Compassion go? I think she is intellectually interesting, and amazingly sexy... even if God doesn't think so.

I'd like some valid reasons why the U.S. government shouldn't put every muslim and person with middle eastern heritage into interment camps, and close our borders immediately to all foreigners? (unquote)

What a good idea. Seeing as how the majority of US citizens come from immigrant foreigners then, as an exercise, should prove interesting.