Poll shows many Germans see U.S. behind Sept 11

Reuters ^ | 23 Jul 2003 15:18:43 GMT

[yonif]

BERLIN, July 23 (Reuters) - Almost one in three Germans below the age of 30 believes the U.S. government may have sponsored the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington, according to a poll published on Wednesday.

And about 20 percent of Germans in all age groups hold this view, a survey of 1,000 people conducted for the weekly Die Zeit said.

It also said 68 percent of all Germans felt the media had not reported the full truth behind the attacks, in which some 3,000 people were killed when hijacked planes were crashed into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

After the September 11 attacks, there was an outpouring of sympathy from Germans for the United States. Despite misgivings, Germany joined a military campaign against the al Qaeda network that Washington blamed for the attacks.

But as the United States geared up for war against Iraq, relations soured bady as Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder expressed vocal opposition to the plans.

Although the United States took strong offence at Berlin's attitude, Schroeder's anti-war stance was popular in Germany and helped him to snatch victory in last September's elections.

Asked whether they believed that the U.S. government could have ordered the September 11 attacks itself, 31 percent of those surveyed under the age of 30 in the poll answered "yes", while 19 percent overall gave the same answer.

Die Zeit said widespread disbelief about the reasons given by the United States for going to war in Iraq and suspicion about media coverage of the conflict had fostered a climate in which conspiracy theories flourished.

"The news is controlled," 17-year old Kenny Donaubaur was quoted as saying. "You could see that in the Iraq war. It doesn't seem to me thet you get the full truth."

[bedolido]

Put them in the same group that say the Holocast never happened. Idiot Germans. You sure this isn't a state run (nazi) poll?

[Bikers4Bush]

I see some folks have been drinking their idiot juice.

[Jonathon Spectre]

They believed Hitler, too, so Germans don't have a real good track record in sorting fact from fantasy.

[diamond6]

Well, if a lie is repeated often enough, people will believe anything. Ignorant people.

[Im Your Huckleberry]

Wow.

The rest of the planet is just going off the deep end.

So this is how much influence the ultra-radical, leftist media has in other countries, eh? Must be, if it can sway that many ignoramuses under 30 to believe something that insane. Either that, or the socialists in the University systems have far more influence than we ever imagined...

[veronica]

The people who see the US, or "the Jews" or Israel, (or whatever conspiracy theory of their choosing,) behind 9-11, are insane.

[dirtboy]

Almost one in three Germans below the age of 30 believes the U.S. government may have sponsored the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington, according to a poll published on Wednesday.

It would be interesting to see the ethnic and religious composition of this group.

[mhking]

No problem. One in three Americans think all Germans are stupid.

[Huck]

I wonder how many polled are East Germans.

[Mr. Silverback]

Thanks for posting this, yonif.

Don't trust anyone (German) under 30.

[Cyber Liberty]

This makes sense for a country that, itself, set fire to buildings in order to have an excuse to go Jew-hunting. When people do this, it's called "projecting".

[risk]

I wonder if we are paying a higher price in hostile conspiracy theories because the American government and media appear to have tried to downplay the events of 9/11 to avoid a domestic crisis and quell hatred.

[RightWhale]

Considering their historic expertise and experience with such contrivances, the Reichstag Fire, the border telegraph office incursion with Poland, it seems natural they would think of this.

[SpinnerWebb]

I don't blame them...... I put them behind WWI and WWII. =)

[tracer]

Why don't the Ubermenschen fess up and simply come out and blame Da Jooz???

[spectacularbid2003]

Mr. Putin - PUT BACK THAT WALL!

[yonif]

Why am I not surprised....

[Steve_Seattle]

And that 30% probably made up a good chunk of the "anti-war" demonstrators, which says a lot about their basic [lack of] intelligence.

[RightWhale]

At the same time it probably goes against the 1948 UN Statement of Human Rights to lump all Saxon shopkeepers in one group just because some of them are quick to believe conspiracy theories.