[RDangerfield]

Coop: Huh? There was like 11 minutes between the tower attacks. You really think you're gonna get planes scrambled and into position in that time? Concerning the Pentagon, the planes were scrambled and in the air, but they were still transiting to the D.C. area when the building was hit. Hindsight is wonderful.

The original question posed was: what could have been done? Among others, I have answered that a contingency plan should be in place to scramble planes immediately upon attack.
8:45 a.m. (all times are EDT): A hijacked passenger jet, American Airlines Flight 11 out of Boston, Massachusetts, crashes into the north tower of the World Trade Center, tearing a gaping hole in the building and setting it afire.

9:03 a.m.: A second hijacked airliner, United Airlines Flight 175 from Boston, crashes into the south tower of the World Trade Center and explodes. Both buildings are burning.

9:43 a.m.: American Airlines Flight 77 crashes into the Pentagon, sending up a huge plume of smoke. Evacuation begins immediately.

What if there had been an enemy plane attacking? The Pentagon was attacked an hour after New York, but planes could not be scrambled in an hour? Was there a contingency plan at all? Is there one now? God, I hope so.
--Raoul

[Coop]

The last time I checked the Pentagon was in VA, and the WTC was in NY. Hindsight is just wonderful.