More on the WTC Disaster (Updated) [Sep 11, 2001, 8:30 pm ET] – Share – Viewing Comments
Of course this is not game related (we do not expect to be doing any further
game coverage today), but with the legit news sites being almost impossible to
access at times today, we've been getting loads of requests for more information
about what's been going on. Here is the latest as of about 9:00 PM EDT:
- President Bush addressed the nation 8:30 PM EDT. Here's a wire report: WASHINGTON (AP) - A grim-faced President Bush condemned ghastly attacks in Washington and New York on Tuesday and vowed to "find those responsible and bring them to justice." In the second Oval Office address of his presidency, Bush said the United States would retaliate against ``those behind these evil acts,'' and any country that harbors them.
To recap:
- In two separate attacks, hijacked planes struck both main towers of the World Trade Center in Manhattan this morning, and both of the "twin towers" subsequently collapsed.
- A hijacked plane struck the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. and part of it has collapsed as well.
- A hijacked plane crashed in western Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. Reports indicate the hijackers planned to crash this plane into Camp David in Maryland.
- 47 Story WTC building seven, one of the five (relatively) smaller buildings in the World Trade Center also later collapsed from ancillary damage.
- The White House, the Pentagon, and the Capitol Building were all evacuated, all domestic flights in the US have been grounded through at least noon tomorrow.
- Other closings include most federal offices, the stock markets, the Disney theme parks, and the cancellation of today's Major League Baseball schedule. The President's speech announced that all federal agencies will be open for business tomorrow.
- Broadcasts out of Afghanistan showed evidence of missile attacks and antiaircraft fire, but what connection this has to today's apparent terrorist attacks in the US is not clear at this point. The US has denied involvement in these attacks.
- In the first hints of any sort at the scope of casualties, the New York City Fire Department has estimated that as many as half of the 400 firefighters dispatched to the scene are missing. CNN has said that 78 Police officers are missing. Also, the death toll from those on the four hijacked planes has been placed at 266. The number of dead and injured at the Pentagon has been widely reported as about 100. No estimates of the number of victims from the World Trade Center have been made.
- People throughout the United States have are being urged to donate blood to help offset significant shortages in New York and Washington. The American Red Cross in Greater New York or the American Red Cross are places to contact about donating blood or money, or both.
- Some news sites seem to be back online. Here are some links that have been more reliable: CNN.com; CNET.com; Yahoo; The New York Times; washingtonpost.com; usnews.com; ABCNEWS.com; FOXNews.com; MSNBC; and BBC News Online.
All of our thoughts go out to the victims of these attacks and their families and friends in what must be an incredibly difficult time.
Michael Moore is a talented director specializing in, I think it's fair to say, left of center documentaries. Even though he is far more intelligent and witty than I, I would like to point out some flaws in his logic.
1) I'm no bin Laden expert but I do know he is a wealthy Saudi Arabian who has been hiding in Afghanistan for at least the last five years. Was he there during the war with Russia in the mid 1980's? I can't say but regardless, the Afghanistans were trained by United States personnel not in terrorism but in war. They weren't going over the border killing Soviet citizens. They were in their homeland fighting an occupying army who was also an enemy of ours.
2) Yes the United States was in bed with dictators and murderers in Central and South America during the Cold War.
We weren't there because we enjoy the sight of murdered civilians and nuns but because we believed we were fighting a greater evil named communism. Once the Cold War was over, we dumped those bastards like yesterday's kitty litter. Now most of those countries are true democracies. Was it worth it? You tell me.
3) We are not contending with terrorists from Salvador, Vietnam or Chili. They could care less what our past political and military actions have been. They hate us for one basic reason: our support of Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East and the single small country that has been kicking their collective asses for over 50 years.
4) You can always count on Mr. Moore's feelings of white guilt. We suspected bin Laden immediately because he went after the WTC a decade ago and because NYC and DC are the kind of sexy targets, with all due respect to OK City, these pricks target. Besides, the right wing nuts in this country are too freakin' stupid to fly a plane and not fanatical enough for suicide missions.
5) I'll assume the Bush comments at the end were made in jest. Otherwise, they're too asinine to comment on.
If I have made factual errors here, please correct me.
Pagan
1) I'm no bin Laden expert but I do know he is a wealthy Saudi Arabian who has been hiding in Afghanistan for at least the last five years. Was he there during the war with Russia in the mid 1980's? I can't say but regardless, the Afghanistans were trained by United States personnel not in terrorism but in war. They weren't going over the border killing Soviet citizens. They were in their homeland fighting an occupying army who was also an enemy of ours.
2) Yes the United States was in bed with dictators and murderers in Central and South America during the Cold War.
We weren't there because we enjoy the sight of murdered civilians and nuns but because we believed we were fighting a greater evil named communism. Once the Cold War was over, we dumped those bastards like yesterday's kitty litter. Now most of those countries are true democracies. Was it worth it? You tell me.
3) We are not contending with terrorists from Salvador, Vietnam or Chili. They could care less what our past political and military actions have been. They hate us for one basic reason: our support of Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East and the single small country that has been kicking their collective asses for over 50 years.
4) You can always count on Mr. Moore's feelings of white guilt. We suspected bin Laden immediately because he went after the WTC a decade ago and because NYC and DC are the kind of sexy targets, with all due respect to OK City, these pricks target. Besides, the right wing nuts in this country are too freakin' stupid to fly a plane and not fanatical enough for suicide missions.
5) I'll assume the Bush comments at the end were made in jest. Otherwise, they're too asinine to comment on.
If I have made factual errors here, please correct me.
Pagan
Date
Subject
Author
447.
Sep 12, 2001Sep 12 2001
Re: ...he who fights monsters...
anon@24.240
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