Posted on 08/30/2006 12:57:41 PM PDT by nickcarraway
The government is taking the unusual step of responding to conspiracy theories about the destruction of the World Trade Center.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST, Gaithersberg, Md.), which investigated the causes of the collapse of the twin towers, said Wednesday (Aug. 30) that it has posted a "fact sheet" addressing alternatve theories about the fires and collapse. Several academics have put forth a "controlled demolition" and missile attack hypotheses for the destruction of the towers.
NIST concluded after a three-year building and fire safety investigation that the towers collapsed after being hit by separate, fuel-laden aircraft flown by terrorists. The impacts severed and damaged support columns, dislodging fireproofing insulation and dispersing jet fuel over multiple floors of each tower.
The resulting fire, which reached temperatures as high as 1,000 degrees C, weakened floors and columns, causing upper floors to collapse after sagging and pulling inward on perimeter columns. "This led to the inward bowing of the perimeter columns and failure of the south face of WTC 1 and the east face of WTC 2, initiating the collapse of each of the towers," NIST concluded.
NIST's probe rejected claims that upper floors "pancaked" on top of lower floors, causing the collapses. Other investigations pointed to huge amounts of office supplies, especially paper, as a source of fuel that significantly raised the temperature of tower fires beyond those that jet fuel would normally burn outside of an aircraft engine combustion chamber.
"Both photographic and video evidence—as well as accounts from the New York Police Department aviation unit during a half-hour period prior to collapse—support this sequence for each tower." NIST concluded.
Far more controversial are theories about explosions inside the towers. Conspiracy theorists postulate that puffs of smoke seen at the time of each collapse are evidence of a controlled demolition. Critics of the official probe also cited seismic data they claim showed evidence of explosions just before each tower collapsed. Other theories alleged missiles were fired at the doomed towers.
While both NIST and the 9/11 Commission have dismissed these theories, U.S. officials have been compelled to address allegations widely disseminated on the Internet.
"NIST respects the opinions of others who do not agree with the findings in its report on the [World Trade Center] collapses," the agency said in a statement. "However, the WTC Investigation Team stands solidly behind the collapse mechanisms for each tower and the sequences of events (from aircraft impact to collapse) as described in the report."
I know based on the NORAD tapes the personnel involved were woefully unprepared for what they encountered....despite what I'm sure is the innumerable hours of training and billions of $ expended for air security......and no I didn't predict the attack on the towers but whoever placed those put options on American and United sure got lucky there too didn't they?
If he comes up with a sufficiently entertaining answer to my questions about al-Qa'ida, I may print them out and bring them to work tomorrow.
I'm hoping for something along the lines of "The CIA hired bin Laden to take credit for 9/11 after the fact" or maybe even a "Bush and bin Laden both want a global war, so they both ensure that the other stays in power and looks good."
What about your qualifications as an architect or civil engineer? You ever going to supply those?
Great answer. And thank you, by the way, for your gallant service to our country.
What the world witnessed when all four planes hit was an act of pure evil, and the denyers will jump through any hoop, and concoct any story, to deny to themselves that simple fact.
The right to life, the right to continue to live, the right to be alive, held dear and defended by every country on the planet was violated on that day, willfully, purposefully, and with incomprehensible malice by 19 islamic terrorists.
I was in high school senior at the time. Can't help you there. Any questions from within the last decade?
http://www.house.gov/science/hot/wtc/wtcreport.htm
A link to another study, this one from FEMA.
It does mention that airplanes hit the buildings, so if you are a True Believer you may want to skip it.
How many aircraft were used as manned cruise missiles between 15 August 1945 and 11 September 2001?
despite what I'm sure is the innumerable hours of training and billions of $ expended for air security
How muxch training focused on the prospect of terrorists using commercial airliners as cruise missiles?
One would think if you're so involved with chasing Osama you'd be somewhat versed on the history of terrorist attacks on this country.....wouldn't you? How about a little research and get back to us?
So, what are your qualifications as an architect or as a civil engineer for evaluating the circumstances of the WTC 7 collapse?
Why do you say that? What's the worst thing that could have happened?
I mean, aside from risking your name going down as taking part of the biggest, most cowardly act of mass murder and treason in American history, setting your most cherished political causes back by decades, and being put down like a sick dog for your crimes?
It's a small price to pay, um, for... ah... well... for the chance for other conspirators to kill you to keep you quiet!
Wait... this is kind of a dumb idea, huh?
Gee.....you know I wasn't there but I would sure hope with all the billions spent on war gaming and terorrist scenarios someone much smarter than you or me would've had at least a clue something like that was possible .....doncha think? Heck, there was even an Arabic calendar that depicted a plane going into a tall building....ever seen that one?
What are yours?
Let's stick to the topic of current events for now. We can get to research projects later.
Speaking of research, how's that al-Qa'ida theory coming? Aliens? Illegal aliens? Illegal space aliens?
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