Posted on 03/24/2002 2:05:00 PM PST by Musket
A:They were grounded Q.:Why were they grounded?
Of course I'm refering to our jet fighters at Andrews AFB on 9-11. Where were they? Were they in the sky? Were they on the ground? Why didn't they take out flight 77 before it slammed into the Pentagon? Our guys are trained and our equipment is at the ready for such events, they had ample time, they knew that the towers were already hit, where were they?
I am not a Leftist. I LOVE our country. I've been a member of FreeRepublic for 4 years. I'm no "Tin-foil Hat" guy, but ya gotta admit-this just doesn't pass the smell test. I've been is shock since 9-11, I'm not completely out of it yet but I think it's time to start asking some questions. I just want to know the truth-where were our fighters on 9-11?
We have some USAF people here at FR, please, tell me-what could've been going on during that fateful hour plus? Am I wrong to believe that our guys are ready for this kind of situation? I find it hard to believe that Clinton so crippled our forces that our defenses where totally shut down. If that is true, then he deserves to be in prison for the rest of his life. OR were they ordered to stay on the ground? If so, why? And by who?
I'm sorry if this ground has already been covered, I can't read everything on FR. If there is a good thread already that explains what happened please post a link to it.
Thanks,
Musket
"Surprise Ahmed, there are no 72 virgins!"
What makes you think that? They had no way of knowing *which* plane to take out until calls came from the plane saying they'd been hijacked. The calls from the plane were still "in progress" when the plane hit the Pentagon. Ted Olsen had alerted the FBI, but we're talking a matter of minutes -- darned few minutes. And, the plane changed targets at the last seconds, so no one, not even the hijackers, knew exactly where it was heading.
This sort of "we blew it" speculation is hardly helpful, IMHO, or supported by the evidence. If you want to complain, complain about the Clinton admin who got us to that point in the first place. That seems more logical and more eminently profitable.
A timeline of the attacks in the United States on Tuesday (times EDT), according to witnesses, authorities and media reports:
7:45-7:59 a.m.: American Airlines Flight 11 departed Boston for Los Angeles.
7:58-8:14 a.m.: United Airlines Flight 175 departed Boston for Los Angeles.
8:01-8:42 a.m.: United Airlines Flight 93 departed Newark for San Francisco.
8:10-8:20 a.m.: American Airlines Flight 77 departed Dulles for Los Angeles.
8:38 a.m.: The Federal Aviation Administration notified the military air defense command of a hijacking.
8:43 a.m.: The FAA notified military authorities of a second hijacking.
8:46 a.m.: American Airlines Flight 11, carrying 92 people from Boston to Los Angeles, crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center.
8:53 a.m.: The fighter jets from Otis Air Force Base took off and headed toward New York City.
8:55 a.m.: Flight 77 began turning east, away from its intended course.
9:02 a.m: United Airlines Flight 175, carrying 65 people from Boston to Los Angeles, crashes into south tower of the World Trade Center.
9:09 a.m.: FBI began investigating reports of plane hijackings before the World Trade Center explosions.
--> 9:10 a.m.: Flight 77 was detected by radar in West Virginia, heading east.
9:25 a.m. :The FAA notified military air defense that Flight 77 was headed toward Washington.
9:25 a.m.: Two F-16 fighter jets were scrambled at a Langley Air Force Base in Virginia.
9:28 a.m.: President Bush in Florida calls the crashes an "apparent terrorist attack on our country."9:35 a.m.: The jets from Langley took off.
9:37 a.m.: American Airlines Flight 77, carrying 64 people from Washington to Los Angeles, crashed into the west side of the Pentagon.
9:48 a.m.: The Capitol and West Wing of the White House were evacuated.
9:49 a.m.: The Federal Aviation Administration bars aircraft takesoffs across the country. International flights in progress told to land in Canada.
9:50 a.m.: 1 World Trade Center – the south tower – collapses.
9:55 a.m.: President Bush leaves Florida for a secure location, Barksdale AFB, Louisiana.
10:10 a.m.: Flight 93 crashed in Pennsylvania. The military never sent planes up to intercept the flight. A senior military official said the Pentagon was not informed prior to the crash of any problems with the flight.
10:29 a.m.: 2 World Trade Center – the north tower – collapses.
I'm no pilot but.... the big one descending toward the Pentagon would be the obvious answer. Regarding "ample time", wouldn't an hour be enough time to get at least some of our guys up there? I mean, that's what they're trained for.
So what you're all saying is Washington D.C. was not properly protected and there was NO plan in place. That's pretty pathetic, but if it's the truth then I'll just have to live with it.
Apparently none.
It's called 'Monday morning quarterbacking'. Isn't it amazing how clear and obvious things are after the fact?
Must be me.
I'm not. I just want to know why. The day of the attack everyone was asking the same thing-where are our guys? If we were under protected and caught off gaurd then I'll just have to live with that.
I have a challenge for you. My personel opinion is that the airlines are the least likely focus of the next attack on the US. There are obviously a host of other possibilities.
Why don't you sit down, figure out where and how they will attack, and then how we can effectively defend against the attack? If your analysis makes sense, maybe Tom Ridge will implement it. And at the very least you'll have your prediction down on paper ahead of time and will be able to demonstrate that you're much smarter than those who didn't anticipate the 9/11 attacks.
Anyone who has flown into Reagan (formerly National Airport, knows that the flight path on approach and departure is directly over the Potomac. The Pentagon is less that 1/2 mile to the side of the final approach to Reagan. The White House 1 mile? Congress 2? How much reaction time would you have with an aircraft approaching at 150 - 200 mph?
Aside from the fact that we just paid millions for renovations at the airport (saving members of Congress 30 min travel time), why should we keep this airport active?
Excellent point, so I'm repeating it and pinging the tread starter so he/she will see it too.
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