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Written today 11:00 C.T. Sept. 11, 2001
Greetings Fellow Readers,
I believe it was Admiral Yamamoto, the highest and most respected military commander of Japanese forces in WWII who stated 1 week after the completion of the attack on Pearl Harbor - "I fear we have awakened a sleeping giant".
At that time the Japanese were tremendously surprised to find the U.S. did not fold up. At the time they didn't know their greatest fear was not the American military - but the small people - the American people - every Andy and Barney and Thelma Lue and Gomer. Our parents and grandparents faced similar concerns in early December 1941 and didn't buckle under - but instead they "buckled up". It was bad then, its bad or worse today.
The coordination and skill required to successfully accomplish what we have seen so far today is significant. The knowledge of detonations, the ability to sneek what would have been truck loads (plural) of demolitions into the Trade Towers was not some mere guerilla terrorists. The knowledge and selection of planes to hijack was not by chance - planes were chosen that
were "long route" planes which would have had much higher levels of fuel aboard to enhance fire and explosion. The goal was maximum loss of life (on the planes and in the buildings and surrounding area) - the goal was maximum human suffering and fear creation. The delayed bomb detonation was designed to add more death from fire fighters/police and care givers rushing to aid in the disaster. Not one hit, not 2, but 4 (2 planes, 2 sets of bombs) plus the Washington buildings.
Unlike the Japanese in Pearl Harbor, the attacks were not designed to hurt military targets. In this case, it was cowards who specifically targeted innocent people. They chose full occupancy times for maximum pain, maximum horror, maximum physical suffering, agony, and maximum death potential as their method - rather than honor. There were no warning calls - there was no consideration to evacuate - the physical targets may have been buildings - but the goal was to kill people, lots and lots of people. Women and children and non-military males are the prime dead.
In those specific goals, their cowardice and cleverness has succeeded. But in those specific goals only. There is great pain, there is huge death toll, there is fear and anxiety. Like Yamamoto some 60 years ago - once again its time for some military leader (this time a loathsome coward) to whisper "I fear we have awakened a sleeping giant". Victory is NOT within their grasp. Mayberry is a fictional town - except its methods, goals, and attitudes can exist in the hearts of all of us small people. Its not our military that makes us what we are - its the little piece of Mayberry in all of us.
They have shown themselves to be highly intelligent, highly organized, highly skilled. However this is much different than being wise or showing wisedom or showing an understanding of honor. Their mission was not an honorable one, nor was it well chosen.
Once again someone has miscalculated who we are and what we are. Its time we "buckle up".
On a sad day,
Axle-and-Hub
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They have tried to ruin the country through financial means. If the public realizes and understands this through careful and swift education by the leadership of our government - the impact will be minimal.
Don't give in to panic and greed. be an American and do your part to educate those without the understanding or comprehension of these events - on what has happened and why not to panic.
My condolences to those who lost loved ones today. Hopefully you will find comfort knowing that this unfortunate incident will ultimately make our country stronger.
GOD BLESS AMERICA
While I agree entirely with the sentiment of the letter, I have yet to see any proof whatsoever that there were bombs detonated within the WTC. I'm an architect and have spoken extensively with structural engineers today, and to a man, it is agreed that the catastrophic failure of both Towers was consistent with a long-span steel structure in which a fire could have weakened the floors in which the plane entered and the weight of the building above the compromised floors ultimately caused a catastrophic failure and the resulting dynamic loads of the collapsing structure would be sufficient to take out the remainder of the building not unlike a series of dominoes.
This by no means lessens the tragedy one iota, but I believe it is important to get the story as correct as we can...do you have any evidence of bombs within the WTC?
FReegards...MUD
Please inform me if I'm mistaken, but I haven't heard any report of bombs involved today in the Trade Center collapse.
Can we get a source for this report?