1

[First published at the website of Scholars for 9/11 Truth (4 November 2006); subsequently published at
seventeenotherwebsitesin20062007,includingtheletterssectionoftheJournalof9/11Studies(3September
2007),http://journalof911studies.com/letters/e/ProfKeeferRepliesToCockburnCounterpunch.pdf.
Ihavemadetwochangestonote13ofthisessay,deletingthereferencetoanonlineessaybyDr.JudyWood
(whoseextendedanalyses,whichwerestillbeingawaitedwhenthisessaywaswritten,aregrotesquelyinvalid),
andcitingamorerecentpostingofexcerptsfromalecturebyJeffKing(thetitleofthepostingofthislecture
thatIcitedin2006mistakenlyidentifiedhimasaprofessoratMIT).Ihavealsodeletedareferenceinnote16to
photographsreproducedinEricHufschmidt's2002book:sincethisarticlewasfirstpublished,Hufschmidthas
revealedhimselftobeanopenandvehementantisemite.Ihavesubstitutedinsquarebracketsareferencetoan
onlinearchiveofphotographsofthedestructionoftheWorldTradeCentertowers.]

[Index:9/11,mediacriticism]
[Date:November2006]

IntotheRingwithCounterPunchon9/11:
HowAlexanderCockburn,OtherwiseSoBright,
BlanksOuton9/11Evidence

MichaelKeefer

ThefirstthingtosaybywayofpreliminariesandIdbettergetitinquickly
before someone suggests that Ive turned up late or overweight for a prematch
weighinginisthatImnotoverjoyedwiththepugilisticmetaphorofmytitle.
Butsomesortofresponsetothevolleyofattackson9/11researchersandactivists
withwhichtheCounterPunchwebsitemarkedthefifthanniversaryoftheterroristattacks
ofSeptember11,2001seemscalledfor.
CounterPunchcoeditorAlexanderCockburnsetthetoneofthesepieceswithan

2
articledescribingtheologianandethicistDavidRayGriffin,theauthorofTheNewPearl
Harbor(2004)andofThe9/11CommissionReport:OmissionsandDistortions(2005),
asahighpriestoftheconspiracynutswhomCockburndenouncesascultistswho
disdainallanswersbuttheirown,whoseizeoncoincidencesandforcetheminto
sequencestheydeemtobelogicalandsignificant,andwhopounceonimaginedclues
in documents and photos, [.] contemptuously brush[ing] aside evidence that
contradicts their own whimsical treatment of eyewitness testimony and forensic
evidence.
Itsacharacteristicallyforcefulperformance,ifattimesslipshod.(Onesmallsign
ofcarelessnessmaybethemannerinwhichCockburnslidesfromcalling9/11skepticsa
coventocomparingthem,afewsentenceslater,tomadInquisitors[]torturingthe
dataastheoldjokegoesabouteconomistsuntilthedataconfess.Readersbrought
uptothinkthatthevictimsandperpetratorsofwitchcrazeshavenotcustomarilybeen
thesamepeoplemayfindthisunintentionallyamusing.)
Despite the sometimes distinctly nasty tone of this polemic, the idea of
exchangingevenmetaphoricalblowswithCockburnandhiscolleaguesisunappealing.
TheoverallqualityoftheessaysthatheandJeffreySt.Clairpublishin CounterPunch
makes it easy on most days of the week to agree with Out of Bounds Magazines
descriptionofittrumpetedonCounterPunchsmastheadasAmericasbestpolitical
newsletter. AndIveadmired Cockburnsownpolitical essays formany years:hes
writtenmovingly,sometimesbrilliantly,onawiderangeofsubjects 1evenifhisflashes
ofbrilliancesometimesalternatewithbreathtakingpratfalls:amongthemhisdismissal,
as recently as March 2001, of the evidence for global warming; his scoffing, in
November2004,attherapidlygatheringindicationsthattheUSpresidentialelectionof
2004hadbeenstolen;andayearlater,hismockeryofthewellestablishedtheoryofpeak
oil and his adherence to the genuinely daft notion that the earth produces limitless

MostrecentlyonthatdeliquescentwarmongerChristopherHitchens:seeAlexanderCockburn,Chortles
intheNewYorkerforSlaughtersCheerleader,C.Hitchens,CounterPunch(11October2006),
http://www.counterpunch.org/.Thoughthismayjustbeamatteroflongfamiliarity,myfavouriteamong
CockburnsbooksremainsCorruptionsofEmpire(London:Verso,1987).

3
quantitiesofabioticoil.2Onecanforgiveajournalistsslendergraspoftherudimentsof
scientificunderstanding.Butgivenhisselfappointedroleasdefenderoftheprogressive
leftagainstahordeoffools,itsdismayingtofindhimslidingasfrequentlyashedoes
intopositionsthatseemnotjustquirkybutdareIsayitunprogressive.
Figurativepunchups?Frankly,Imnotoverfondofboxing,eitherinitself 3oras
asourceofmetaphors.Asportwhosefullestmeasureofsuccessisanopponentstretched
outsenselessonthecanvasdoesntprovideanyveryadequatemodelfortheprocessesof
rationalargumentandpersuasionIdliketoenvisagewhichmightideallylead,notto
oblivionandbraindamage,butrather,givenamodicumofinterpretiveclarity,toatleast
thepossibilityofmentalexpansion,illumination,andachangeofmind.AndifImright
in thinking that Alexander Cockburns understanding of the events of 9/11 and the
currentstateofresearchintothoseeventsisbothoneeyedandbefuddled,itwouldhardly
seemsportingtoentertheringagainstsodisadvantagedanopponent.
Yet if one wants to take exception to serious deficiencies in CounterPunchs
treatmentof9/11evidenceandinterpretations,thewebsitesownmetaphorseemshardto
avoid.
Whatofmysubtitle,thenwhichImafraidiswordyaswellasimpolite?Itsets
out to parody the scarcely less elephantine subtitles of two of the three recent
CounterPuncharticlesthatImgoingtobecommentingonhere(reademyourself,and
weep):
AlexanderCockburn,The9/11ConspiracyNuts:HowTheyLetthe
GuiltyPartiesof9/11SlipOfftheHook,CounterPunch(910
September2006),
2

SeeAlexanderCockburn,GreenhouseGasandGlobalWarming:TheGrandDelusion,TheFreePress
(21March2001),http://www.freepress.org/columns/display/2/2001/551;ThePoisonedChalice:Sapping
theEmpire,CounterPunch(2021November2004),http://counterpunch.org/cockburn11202004.html;and
AyatollahsoftheApocalypse,CounterPunch(1516October2005),
http://www.counterpunch.com/cockburn10152005.html.
3
Iveonlyonceenteredanactualboxingringwithhostileintentfortyyearsago,intheannualRecruit
BoxingTournamentoftheRoyalMilitaryCollegeofCanadaandwithingloriousresults.(Hadtherebeen
aspecialcategoryfortheverytall,bonyandunderpowered,Imighthavedonebetter,butatover175
poundsIwasjustanotherheavyweight.Myopponent,anartlessbutmuscularfootballlineman,ledwithhis
rightandwaswideopentoeverystringbeanpunchIcouldthrow,butthankstomyweaknessandthe
balloonlike12ouncegloves,tooklittledamagebeyondabloodynose.OnceIgottootiredtohithimany
more,hedustedmeupthoroughly.)

4
http://www.counterpunch.org/cockburn09092006.html;
JoshuaFrank,ProvingNothing:Howthe9/11TruthMovement
HelpsBush&Cheney,CounterPunch(11September2006),
http://www.counterpunch.org/frank09112006.html.
The subtitle of Cockburns diatribe is no doubt meant to be inflammatory
thoughifIveunderstoodhimrightly,hesnotliterallyarguingthattheperpetratorsof
9/11wouldallbebehindbarsifitwerentforthose9/11conspiracywackos.Franks
subtitlemightalsoborderonthecategoryoffightingwords,wereitnotthathisessay,as
hehimselfpredicts,provesnothing.(Studentsofpoliticalrhetoricwillnote,inpassing,
how precisely Cockburns and Franks subtitles exemplify the trope of unintended
consequencesthatAlbertHirschmaninhisclassicstudyofTheRhetoricofReactioncalls
theperversitythesis,whichreactiveorreactionarythinkerssinceJosephdeMaistre
atthetimeoftheFrenchRevolutionhavedeployedtoarguethattheactionsoftheir
deluded opponents will produce, viaa chainofunintended consequences,the exact
contraryoftheobjectivebeingproclaimedandpursued.)4
After the appearance of these two pieces on successive days, CounterPunch
honouredafamiliarboxingrhythm(quickleftandright,pause,suckerpunch)byleaving
agapofseveraldaysbeforereleasingathirdbroadsideagainst9/11researchers:
DianaJohnstone,InDefenseofConspiracy:9/11:InTheoryand
Fact,CounterPunch(15September2006),
http://www.counterpunch.org/johnstone09152006.html.
Johnstonesessayismoresubstantialthantheprecedingtwo.Butanyreaderluredbyits
titleintothinkingthatCounterPunchwasactuallypermittingrealdebateonthesubjectof
9/11wouldindeedbesuckered.Andthereisagainaproblemwithsubtitles.AsIintend
toshow,thispieceofferslittleinthewayoffacts,andisdefectivethoughinstructively
soinitstheorizing.

AlbertHirschman,TheRhetoricofReaction:Perversity,Futility,Jeopardy(Cambridge,Mass.:Harvard
UniversityPress,1991),p.11.
4

1.AlexanderCockburn:beyondtablethumpingtotheevidence
AlexanderCockburnsattackonThe9/11ConspiracyNuts,thoughrhetorically
skilful,isvacuousinsubstance.Itisinlargepartdevotedtoarguingthatadevout,albeit
preposterous belief in American efficiency is the fundamental idiocy which leads
conspiracynutstothinkthattheremustbesomethingsuspiciousaboutthemassive
failuresoftheUSairdefensesystemon9/11.Anyoneevenremotelyacquaintedwith
militaryhistory,Cockburnasserts,wouldknowthatminutelyplannedoperationslet
aloneresponsestoanunprecedentedemergencyscrewupwithmonotonousregularity,
by reason of stupidity, cowardice, venality, weather and all the other whims of
providence.
ImnotinterestedindefendingtheefficiencyoftheAmericanmilitaryorof
anyoneelsesmilitary,forthatmatter.(Infact,Icouldsupplementthelittlecatalogueof
militaryineptitudesthatCockburnpresentswithsomechoiceadditionalonesdrawnfrom
theperiodofmyownbriefspelldecadesagowiththeCanadiannavyamongtheman
incident in which an American destroyer contrived to get itself cut in half by the
AustralianaircraftcarrierMelbourne.)YetifweattendforamomentnottoCockburns
overheated rhetorical questions and tablethumping repetition of the capitalized word
CONSPIRACY,butrathertotheestablishedanduncontroversialevidence,itisatonce
obviousthatwhatisatissueisnotprimarily,asCockburnthinks,thegapbetweenhis
ownexpectationsofbunglingincompetenceandDavidRayGriffinsunderstandingof
whatanormalairdefenseresponseshouldhavebeen.
Asanyonewhopresumestoholdforthonthisaspectofthe9/11evidenceshould
know,whatisreallyincriminatingaboutthefailuretointercepttheaircraftwhichwere
flownonthatdayintotheTwinTowersand(bytheofficialaccount)intothePentagonis
notthesimpleabsenceoffighterinterceptorsoverNewYorkandWashington,butrather
thefactthatthatabsencewasensuredbyaseriesofconcurrentmilitaryexerciseswhich
hadtransferredmostoftheavailable interceptors outofthe northeasternregion,and
whichforacrucialperiodthatmorningleftthemilitaryairtrafficcontrollersresponsible
forvectoringtheremainingfightersintopositionunabletodeterminewhichofthemany

6
blipsappearingontheirradarscreensrepresentedactualasopposedtosimulatedthreats. 5
WecanaddtothiswhatseemsthenolessincriminatingtestimonyofTransportation
SecretaryNormanMinetatothe9/11Commission,whichsuggestsverystronglythat
Vice President Cheney had ordered a standdown of missile defenses protecting
WashingtonDC.6
Cockburnsfailuretomentionthisimportantandwellknownevidencetellsus
oneoftwothings.Eitherheisunawareofit,inwhichcaseonemustaskwhyhethinksit
appropriatetoholdforthangrilyonsubjectsaboutwhichhehasnotbotheredtoinform
himself;orelsehedoesknowaboutitinwhichcaseheoughttobeaskinghimselfwhat
standardofintellectualintegritygovernedhisdecisiontorefrainfrommentioningthis
crucialevidencetohisreaders.
Midway through his essay, Cockburn offers a curious little detour into the
complexitiesoftheJFKassassination,tellingusthatinhisview,
theWarrenCommission,asconfirmedinalmostallessentialsbythe
HouseCommitteeonAssassinationsinthelate1970s,haditrightand
Oswald fired the fatal shots from the Schoolbook Depository. The
evidentiary chain for his guilt is persuasive, and the cumulative
scenariosoftheconspiracynutsentirelyunconvincing.Butofcourse
astheyearsrollby,andeventhoughnodeathbedconfessionhas
everbuttressedthosevast,CIArelatedscenariosthenutskeepon
toilingaway,theirobsessionsasunflaggingasever.
Thesesentencesareacloserhetoricalanaloguetothatfighterstacticmorein
use among halfcrocked barroom brawlers than boxers, it must be saidknown as
leadingwithoneschin.TheconspiracynutsCockburnsneersatincludeD.B.Thomas
oftheUSDASubtropicalAgricultureResearchLaboratoryinTexas,whoafteranalyzing
theacousticalevidenceofgunshotspreservedonaDallaspolicedepartmentrecording
5

SeeMichaelC.Ruppert,CrossingtheRubicon:TheDeclineoftheAmericanEmpireattheEndofthe
AgeofOil(GabriolaIsland,BC:NewSocietyPublishers,2004),pp.308436.
6
SeeDavidRayGriffin,TheNewPearlHarbor:DisturbingQuestionsabouttheBushAdministrationand
9/11(2nded.;Northampton,MA:OliveBranchPress,2004),pp.17475;andGriffin,The9/11Commission
Report:OmissionsandDistortions(Northampton,MA:OliveBranchPress,2005),pp.20708,21923.

7
fromDealeyPlazaatthetimeoftheassassination,concludedinapeerreviewedstudy
publishedin2001bythejournal Science &Justice thattherecording contains five
impulsivesoundsthathavetheacousticwaveformofDealeyPlazagunfire,andthat
OneofthesoundsmatchestheechopatternofatestshotfiredfromtheGrassyKnoll. 7
SomuchfortheWarrenCommissionsthree(andnomore)shotsfiredbyOswaldfrom
theTexasBookDepository:morethanthreeshoots,andmorethanoneshooter,meansa
conspiracy.Andbytheway,itsnotstrictlytruethatthe1979HouseSelectCommittee
on Assassinations Report confirmed the Warren Commission Report in almost all
essentials, since the HSCA Report did in fact conclude that the assassination was
probablyorganizedbyaconspiracy.8
Cockburniswelcometocling,ifhewants,towhatIdtermtheLoneRanger
theoryoftheKennedyassassinationbutonconditionthathedevoteashortmeditation
tothenameoftheLoneRangersnativesidekick.9
ThereismoreinCockburnsessayonthe9/11evidence:hehasabriefflingatthe
peoplewhodoubtthataBoeing757couldhavehitthePentagon, 10 andexerciseshis
ironicwitforseveralparagraphsattheexpenseoftherealitydisdainingnutswhothink
thatthetowersoftheWorldTradeCenterwerebroughtdownbyplanneddemolitions.
Cockburnscoffsattheparanoidfollyofthosewhobelievethat
TheWTCtowersdidntfalldownbecausetheywerebadlybuiltasa
consequenceofcorruption,incompetence,regulatoryevasionsbythe
PortAuthority,andbecausetheywerestruckbyhugeplanesloaded
withjetfuel.No,theyfellbecauseDickCheneysagentsmethodically
planteddemolitionchargesintheprecedingdays.Itwasaconspiracy
D.B.Thomas,EchocorrelationanalysisandtheacousticevidenceintheKennedyassassination
revisited,Science&Justice41(2001):2132.ThomasfindsthatAconservativeestimateofthetrue
valueoftheprobabilitythattheputativeGrassyKnollshotisattributabletorandomradionoiseisno
greaterthan0.037.
8
HouseofRepresentativesSelectCommitteeonAssassinations,HouseReportWo.951828(Washington,
DC,1979),p.95;quotedbyThomas,Echocorrelationanalysis,22.
9
ThenameTontoisnotderivedfromanynativelanguage,but(withabreathtakinglycasualracism)
fromSpanish:itmeansstupid.
10
ReadersmayfinditinstructivetocompareCockburnspunditryonthissubjectwithastudyby
mechanicalengineerMichaelMeyer,PentagonCRingExitHoleMystery,Scholarsfor9/11Truth:
Articles(10June2006),http://www.st911.org/.
7

8
ofthousands,allofwhompartytomassmurderhaveheldtheir
tongueseversince.
Perhaps(althoughhedoesntshareitwithus)Cockburnhasevidencethatthe
Twin Towers were so incompetently built as to be especially liable to explosive
disintegrationintoshowersofcutsteelandpyroclasticcloudsoffineparticledust.But
likethe9/11Commission,hemanagesquietlytoforgetaboutthecollapseofWTC7late
intheafternoonof9/11:this47storeysteelframedtower,whichwasdamagedbydebris
fromtheNorthTowerbutnotstruckbyanyaircraft,collapsedatfreefallspeedintoits
ownfootprintinwhathalfadozendifferentvideosshowtohavebeenaclassicimplosion
demolition.Significantly,FEMAandNISThavefailedtoofferanyplausiblealternative
explanationofthiscollapse.
Astothequestionsofhow,when,orbywhomdemolitionchargesmayhavebeen
planted:thereisevidence,thoughCockburnmaynotbeinterestedinexploringit,of
activityonunoccupiedfloorsoftheTwinTowersjustpriorto9/11thatisconsistentwith
the placing of such charges.11 Why dont we try replacing the gag orders that have
silenced 9/11 whistleblowers like Sibel Edmonds with an independent criminal
investigation,andseewhatcrawlsoutofthewoodwork?
Butrefutingthisrhetoricatlengthwouldbetedious.Iwouldpreferinsteadto
quotePaulCraigRobertsmagisterialrebuke:
TheexplanationthatthethreeWTCbuildingscollapsedasaresult
ofdamageandfireisamereassertion.Theassertionisnotbackedup
with scientific calculation to demonstrate that the energy from the
airliners,fireandgravitywassufficienttocollapsethebuildings.A
numberofindependentauthoritiesbelievethatthereisaverylarge
energydeficitintheofficialaccountofthecollapseofthebuildings.
Until this issue is resolved, the official explanation is merely an
assertionnomatterwhobelievesit.
The Canadian scientist Frank R. Greening has made the only
11

SeeWhatstheTruth?HowIndeeddidtheTwinTowersCollapse?ADemBruceLeeStylesFilm,
availableat911Podcasts.com(1July2006),http://www.911podcasts.com/display.php?
cat=9997&med=0&ord=Name&strt=0&vid=95&epi=0&typ=0;andlinkedathttp://www.st911.org.

9
independentscientificattemptofwhichIamawaretoshowthata
gravity driven collapse of one of the buildings, WTC 1, was
sustainable.Hispaperispublishedin TheJournalof9/11Studies,
Vol.2(August2006)andisavailableonline.Itisareplytoearlier
calculations by Gordon Ross, who concluded otherwise, and is
answeredinthesameissuebyRoss,whoshowsthatGreeningswork
actuallydemonstratestheexistenceofanenergydeficit.
It is instructive to read this exchange between competent
authorities. Few readers will be able to follow the application of
scientificprinciplesandthecalculationsoftherequiredandavailable
energy.However,itwillbeclearthattheissueisascientificmatter
thatisovertheheadsofmembersofapoliticalcommission,pundits,
andbloggers,andthatitisinappropriateforapundit,whohimselfis
incapableoffollowingsuchadiscussion,tocallthoseparticipatingin
itconspiracynuts.12
Elsewhereinthesameessay,RobertsnotesthatRossisfarfrombeingtheonly
scientisttocriticizeandrejecttheofficialexplanationoftheWTCtowerscollapses.This
is indeed the case. Evidenceto my mind conclusivethat the official accounts are
physicallyimpossible,andthatthethreetowersoftheWorldTradeCenter(the47storey
WTC 7 as well as the 110storey Twin Towers) were destroyed by controlled
demolitions, has been assembled by physicists, mechanical engineers and other
scientificallyqualifiedresearchersinaseriesofrecentstudies,someofthempublishedin
the peerreviewed Journal of 9/11 Studies.13 These analyses are supported by the
12

PaulCraigRoberts,WhereIsTheEvidence?VDARE.com(14September2006),
http://www.vdare.com/roberts/060914_evidence.htm.(Robertsmistakenlystatesthatthearticlesof
GreeningandRossappearinvolume3oftheJournalof9/11Studies[September2006];Ihavesilently
correctedthiserror.)
13
SeeforexampleMITEngineer[JeffKing]Disputes911TheoryoftheWTCCollapsePart1,
Youtube(4January2007),http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8Wt57xnZg;StevenE.Jones,Why
IndeedDidtheWorldTradeCenterBuildingsCompletelyCollapse?Journalof9/11Studies3(September
2006):148;FrankLegge,9/11EvidenceforControlledDemolition:AShortListofObservations,
Journalof9/11Studies1(June2006):915,andNISTDataDisprovesCollapseTheoriesBasedonFire,
Journalof9/11Studies2(August2006):10711;GordonRoss,MomentumTransferAnalysisofthe
CollapseoftheUpperStoreysofWTC1,Journalof9/11Studies1(June2006):3035,andReplytoDr.
Greening,Journalof9/11Studies2(August2006):1419;andKevinRyan,Whatis9/11Truth?The

10
testimonyoffiredepartmentpersonneltosecondaryexplosionsintheTwinTowers,14by
videoandphotographicevidencethatstructuralsteelintheSouthTowerwasbeingcut
andmelted(probablybythermatecharges)duringthefinalminutesbeforeitscollapse, 15
by videos and photographs of the collapses in which squibs (explosive horizontal
ejectionsofdustanddebris)arevisiblewellbelowthelinesofcollapse, 16bynumerous
reportsofmoltensteelundertheruinsoftheTwinTowersandWTC7weeksaftertheir
destruction,17andbylaboratoryanalysesofstructuralsteelfromthetowerswhichreveal
chemicaltransformationsthatcouldnothavebeencausedbygravitationalcollapseor
fire,butmaywellbeeffectsofthermatecuttingcharges.18

2.JoshuaFrank:alitanyofcomplaintsandrhetoricalquestions
InsofarasanythingresemblinganargumentistobefoundinJoshuaFranksshort
article,itappearsinthefollowinglitanyofcomplaintsandrhetoricalquestions:
WhilesomeBYUphysicistrattleshisbrainovertheintricaciesof
FirstSteps,Journalof9/11Studies2(August2006):16.Anexcellentcompendiumofkeywitness
testimonyandanalysisofvideoevidenceisavailableintheDVD911MysteriesPart1:Demolitions
(2006),availableathttp://www.911weknow.com/911mysteriesmovie.html.
14
SeeDavidRayGriffin,ExplosiveTestimony:RevelationsabouttheTwinTowersinthe9/11Oral
Histories,911Truth.org(18January2006),http://www.911truth.org/artice.php?
story=20060118104223192;andGraemeMacQueen,118Witnesses:TheFirefightersTestimonyto
ExplosionsintheTwinTowers,Journalof9/11Studies2(August2006):47106.
15
SeeShotfromstreetlevelofSouthTowercollapsing,CameraPlanet,2min.49sec.,posted24
February2003,http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=
2991254740145858863&q=cameraplanet+9%2F11;andalsotwophotographsreproducedbyJonesin
WhyIndeedDidtheWorldTradeCenterBuildingsCompletelyCollapse?
16
Squibsarevisibleinwidelyavailablevideofootageofthecollapses.See,forexample,DylanAvery,
Dir.,LooseChange,availableathttp://www.st911.org;and911MysteriesPart1:Demolitions.Foran
explanationoftheirsignificance,seeGordonRoss,HowtheTowersWereDemolished,
http://www.st911.org.[AlargecollectionofphotographsofthefullsequencesofthedestructionofWTC1
and2isavailableat91101HistoryArchive:WorldTradeCenterEvidenceBasedResearch:91101
VisualEvidenceArchive,http://www.sharpprinting.com/911/index.php?
module=photoalbum&PHPWS_AlbumManager_op=list.]
17
SeeJones,WhyIndeed
18
SeeJ.R.Barnett,R.R.Biederman,andR.D.Sisson,Jr.,AnInitialMicrostructuralAnalysisofA36
SteelfromWTCBuilding7,JournaloftheMinerals,MetalsandMaterialsSociety53/12:18(2001);cited
byJones,WhyIndeed.JonessownanalysisofsteelsamplesfromtheTwinTowersisforthcoming.

11
WTC#7scollapse,ourgovernmentisdroppingtoxicgasonpoor
peasantsinColombiainattemptstoeradicatecocaproduction.While
DavidRayGriffin penshis nextbestseller, forestsinAlaskaand
Appalachia are being obliterated in the name of corporate profit.
Whilesomanytruthseekersattempttoconvinceus[]thattheJews
whoworkedintheWTCweretoldaheadoftimenottocometowork
on9/11,LebanonisbeinginvadedanddestroyedbyIsrael.
Whats the Truth Movement doing about the hundreds of
thousandsofpoornonviolentdrugoffenderswhoarerottinginUS
prisons,orthethousandsmorewhoaredecayingondeathrow?What
aretheydoingfortheteenagegirlswhoslaveawayinsweatshops
piecing together our clothes and sneakers? What have conspiracy
theorieseverproven,anyway?
Thoughapowerfulsenseofhisownpoliticalvirtuepervadestheseparagraphs,
Franksstanceseemstomeethicallywantingaswellaslogicallyweak.Insayingthis,
ImnotreferringprimarilytohisshabbilyabusivereferencestoStevenJonesandDavid
Ray Griffin. Frank takes 9/11 activists to task for their putative failure to occupy
themselves withUS crimes inColombia, ecological issues,theinvasionofLebanon,
thirdworldsweatshops,andtheappallinginjusticesofAmericascourtsanditsdomestic
gulag.Butthesameobjectionscouldberaised(forexample)againstthemovementof
solidaritywithHaitiandemocracy.19Whathavethepeoplewholabourinthatmovement
doneinsupportofanyoftheseotherissues?Or,asonemightwithequal force(or
feebleness)inquire:HowhaveactivistsagainstUScrimesinColombiaandIsraelicrimes
in Lebanon contributed to alleviating the horrors inflicted on Haitis poor, most
particularlysincethe2004coupandtheensuingUNoccupation?
Frankscomplaintsareclearlybothinaneanddivisive.Formostofus,itisnot
humanlypossibletobedoingA,B,andC,ifatagivenmomentwearefullyoccupiedin
19

Imeanbythispeoplewhoopposethecontinuingconsequencesofthe2004coupdtat,engineeredby
theUS,CanadaandFrance,thatoverthrewtheelectedgovernmentofPresidentAristide.Forsomecontext,
seemyarticleFraudandScandalinHaitisPresidentialElection:PrvalsVictoryandtheUNs
Disgrace,CentreforResearchonGlobalization(3March2006),http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?
context=viewArticle&code=KEE20060303&articleid=2061.

12
doingD.Ofcourse,ifthisisarule,therehavebeenexceptionstoit:St.ThomasAquinas
isreportedtohavemadeapractice ofcomposingthreedistincttexts simultaneously,
dictatingsectionsofeachinturntothreeamanuenses.PerhapsFrankissimilarlyversatile
andefficient,andisabletomakesignificantparallelcontributionstoalloftheimportant
causeshenames.Butbyhisownlogic,onecouldstillassemblealistofotherimportant
causesthathehasdonenothingtofurther,andthenreproachhimforthefact.(Itsan
excellentrecipeforproducingdisunityandmutualsuspicionontheleft,ifthatsyour
goal.)
Are9/11researchersandactivistsinfacttheonestringJohnniesthatFranktakes
them for? My own limited experience would lead me to conclude otherwise. I am
personallyacquaintedwithonlyahandfulofpeoplewhohavebeenactiveon9/11all
ofwhomhoweverhaveworked,sometimesfordecadesandwithdistinction,onawide
rangeofsocialjustice,antiwarandecologicalissues,bothdomesticandinternational.
YetofcoursewhatFrankmeansisthatotherkindsofactivismareworthyand
admirable, while inquiries into the truth of what happened on 9/11 and into the
implicationsofthattrutharesimplyidiotic.Peoplewhoengageinsuchinquiriesare
merezealotsandpretenders:howtheycanseekthetruthwhentheyalreadythinkthey
havealltheanswersisbeyondme,Franksayspiously.
Butnottoofarbeyondhim,itwouldseem.Frankhimselfconcedesthatthereare
alotofquestionsyettobeansweredaboutthatdarkdayfiveyearsago.Butofallthe
inquiries,none,inmyopinion,ifanswered,wouldeverindicatetheUSgovernmentwas
behindthebloodyaffair.Sothereitis:thequestionsmaybeunanswered,buttheydont
needtobe,becauseFrankknowsalreadywhattheonlypossibleanswersaddupto.
Iftheillogicofthisshortpieceseemstawdry,thementallazinessFranksposition
authorizesisnolessso.Idontmeantosuggestthatanyactivitylabelingitself9/11
researchisintrinsicallyvirtuous.AnyonewhohasobservedneoGnosticprophetDavid
Ickeglidinghappilybetweenassessmentsof9/11evidenceandpronouncementsabout
the Illuminati conspiracy and reptilian entities in the positions of power [that]
manipulatethepeoplesoftheworldtofighteachotherinthefivesenseprison, 20orwho
20

DavidIcke,AliceinWonderlandandtheWorldTradeCenterDisaster(Wildwood,MO:BridgeofLove

13
hastakennoteoftheviciousemailblitzinginflictedbyNicoHaupt,GerardHolmgren
andRosaleeGrable(aliasWebfairy)onwhattheycallplanehuggers(peoplenaive
enoughtobelievethatactualaircraftstrucktheTwinTowerson9/11),21willknowthat
someofwhatpassesas9/11researchissilly,inept,andmalicious.Butonlybyanact
oftransparentbadfaithcanthisbeusedtodismissoutofhandresearchthatadheresto
theprinciplesofcriticalscholarshipandthemethodsofscientificinquiry.

3.DianaJohnstone:problemsofmethod
DianaJohnstonedeservescreditforherabstentionfromtheoverheatedrhetoricof
CockburnandFrank,andforherattempttoanalyzethesubjectmethodically.Butitis
preciselyinherinterpretivemethodologythatshegoesastray.
Johnstonesbasicerrorisarepeatedassumptionthatsuppositiousinterpretations
ofintentionshouldbetreatedastheprimaryformofevidence.Thussheproposes,near
thebeginningofherarticle,thatweattendtothesymbolismoftheattacks.Shethen
usessuppositionsaboutintentiontounderminewhatshecallstheBushiteconspiracy
hypothesis:
Now,letussupposethatBushiteplottersdesignedtheattackssothat
Bushcouldusethemtoclaimthattheywanttodestroyusbecauseof
our freedom. The choice of targets should support that claim.
SupposeoneoftheplaneshadcrashedintotheStatueofLiberty;that
would really carry the message that they want to destroy our
freedom.ForordinaryAmericans,itwouldbejustasshockingasthe
WorldTradeCenter,whilecostingalotlesstoAmericancapitalism
(anoldgiftfromFrancewouldhardlybemissed).Forgoodmeasure,
toshowthattheterroristswanttokillasmanypeopleaspossible,
Publications,2002),pp.463,478.
21
ForathoroughrefutationofthenoplanetheoryofHolmgrenandothers,seeEricSalter,TheWTC
Impacts:767sorWhatzits?(5November2004,updatedSeptember2005),
http://questionsquestions.net/WTC/767orwhatzit.html.

14
theycouldhavecrashedintoacoupleofpackedfootballstadiums.
This approach is peculiar in two respects. First, although I dont object on
principletospeculationsaboutintention,Ithinktheyremorelikelytobeplausiblewhen
they have a more serious anchorage in considerations of political and economic
advantagethanJohnstoneprovides.Withoutdismissinghersuppositionsoutofhand,I
wouldnotethatsheignoresothermorematerialpossibilities:forexample,thatintentions
behindtheWTCattackscouldhaveincludedadesiretodisposeoffunctionallyobsolete
and uneconomical buildings while making it possible to collect massively on their
insurance,togeneratelargeputoptionstockmarketwindfalls,andtodisposeofevidence
heldbytheSECinWTC7relatingtotheEnronandWorldComscandals(allofwhich
theattacksverydefinitelydid).
Moresignificantly,Johnstonesapproachinvertsanyproperlyanalyticalordering
ofevidence.Unlessthereisothermaterial, testimonial,photographicordocumentary
evidence that makes a Bushite conspiracy hypothesis or an al Qaeda hypothesis
plausible,speculationsaboutintentionsthatwouldsupportoneortheotherhypothesis
areapurewasteoftime.AsIhavealreadynoted,thereisstrongmaterial,testimonial,
and photographic evidence that the World Trade Center towers were destroyed by
controlleddemolitionswhichinturnindicatesthatpeoplewithprivilegedaccesstothe
buildings (whose security was contracted to a company with close Bush family
connections)knewinadvancethattheplaneswhichreachedtheirtargetswiththehelpof
whatappearstohavebeenaplanneddisablingoftheAmericanairdefensesystemwould
infactgetthrough.Thisevidenceissupportedbyanalysesofmanyincriminatingdetails
ofgovernmentforeknowledge,oftheattacksthemselves,andoftheensuingcoverup
thathavebeenpublishedbyMichelChossudovskyandotherresearchers.22 Theirwork

22

MichelChossudovsky,WarandGlobalization:TheTruthBehindSeptember11(ShantyBay,Ontario:
GlobalOutlook,2002),andAmericasWaronTerrorism(Pincourt,Qubec:GlobalResearch,2005).
SeealsoPaulThompson,TheTerrorTimeline:YearbyYear,DaybyDay,MinutebyMinute:A
ComprehensiveChronicleoftheRoadto9/11andAmericasResponse(NewYork:HarperCollins,
2004);WebsterG.Tarpley,9/11SyntheticTerror:MadeinUSA(2nded.;JoshuaTree,California:Treeof
LifeBooks,2006);NafeezMosaddeqAhmed,TheWaronTruth:9/11,Disinformation,andtheAnatomy
ofTerrorism(Northampton,Mass.:OliveBranchPress,2005);andPaulZarembka,ed.,TheHidden
Historyof9112001(ResearchinPoliticalEconomy,vol.23;NewYork:Elsevier,2006).

15
hasbeenlucidlysummarizedinaseriesofbooksandarticlesbyDavidRayGriffin. 23
Onlyonatertiaryandsupplementalleveldoquestionsofintentionamongthemthe
statedgeopoliticalaimsexpoundedbyseniormembersoftheBushadministrationinthe
documentspublishedbytheProjectfortheNewAmericanCentury,andalso,ifyoulike,
DianaJohnstonesmoresuppositiousornovelisticspeculationsbecomerelevant.
Johnstoneremarks thatthelayman cannoteasilyjudgebetweenconflicting
physical interpretations of what happened at the Pentagon, but can quite well use
common sensetoquestionmotives andplausibility. Shetreats thequestionofwhat
causedthecollapsesoftheWTCtowersinthesamemanner:
Thelaymanhasnowaytojudgebetweentheseexpertexplanations
butneitherdoexperts,since(asphysicistJeanBricmontpointsout)
scientistscannotbesureofthecauseofasingleeventthatcannotbe
repeatedexperimentally.Sowearebacktothequestionofplausibility
andmotivation.
Thisisanopenlyirrationalistrhetoricalmove.Laymencantdoscience,sowell
havetogetalongwithcommonsensebutthenscientistscantdoscienceeither,so
commonsense(untouched,itwouldseem,byanyseriousstudyoftheevidence,since
thatmightgiveitsomewhiffofthescientific)magicallybecomestheonlysetofwheels
thatanyonehas.
One must hope, for Jean Bricmonts sake, that Johnstone is misquoting or
misunderstandinghim.Inastrictsense,asheperhapsmeanttosay,everyphysicalevent
intheuniverseisasingularitythatcanneverbepreciselyreiterated.Butthatdoesnot
makeiterabilityabsurd,orscienceimpossibleforscientificexperimentsandmodellings
donotaspiretopreciselyrepeat(oranticipate)thephysicalinteractionsandstructural
relations they are designed to give us insight into; rather, they provide measurable
controlledanaloguestothoseprocesses.ToclaimthatthecollapsesoftheWTCtowers
TwoofDavidRayGriffinsbooks,TheNewPearlHarborandThe9/11CommissionReport:Omissions
andDistortions,arecitedinnote8above;seealsoChristianFaithandtheTruthBehind9/11:ACallto
ReflectionandAction(Philadelphia:WestminsterJohnKnoxPress,2006).Linkstohismostrecentarticles
canbefoundatthewebsiteofScholarsfor9/11Truth,http://www.st911.org.Forarecurrentlydishonest
officialresponsetothelinesofinterpretationdevelopedbyworkscitedinthisandtheprecedingseven
notes,seeDavidDunbarandBradReagan,eds.,Debunking9/11Myths(NewYork:HearstBooks,2006).
23

16
cannotbephysicallyandmechanicallymodeled,orthattheremainingsamplesofthe
toxic dust and the structural steel cannot be chemically and structurally analyzed, is
irrationalismofaloworder.
Itmightseemsurprisingthataliteraryscholarandtextualtheoristlikemyself
shouldobjecttoJohnstonesproceedingswhichafterallamounttoputtingnovelists
and literary critics into thedrivers seat.But Imafraid badscience alsomakes bad
hermeneuticsandbadhermeneuticsresultsinfeeblehandlingofthetextualevidence.

4.Lookingawayfromthe9/11evidence
Why have otherwise admirable leftist journalists like Cockburn, Frank, and
Johnstonebeensostrangelyaversetoattendingtotheevidenceabout9/11alludedto
above?Onereasonmaybethateventhehypothesisofstatecomplicityintheeventsof
9/11entailsconfrontingthepossibilitythatwearelivingthroughamomentofmajor
historicaltransformationanddiscontinuity.
Itisonethingtoaccept,asanabstractproposition,thattheUnitedStatesmay
havemovedfromtheendofitsrepublicanperiodintoastateofimperialautocracy.
ChalmersJohnsonsdiagnosisinTheSorrowsofEmpireis,afterall,bothscrupulousand
unambiguousasishisconclusionthattheAmericanpeoplemightconceivably
retakecontrolofCongress,reformitalongwiththecorruptedelection
lawsthathavemadeitaforumforspecial interests,turnitintoa
genuine assembly of democratic representatives, and cut off the
supplyofmoneytothePentagonandthesecretintelligenceagencies
[.] At this late date, however, it is difficult to imagine how
Congress,muchliketheRomansenateinthelastdaysoftherepublic,
couldbebroughtbacktolifeandcleansedofitsendemiccorruption.24
JohnsonsanalysismaywellarouseinusaVirgiliansenseoflacrimaererum,ofthegrief
24

ChalmersJohnson,TheSorrowsofEmpire:Militarism,Secrecy,andtheEndoftheRepublic(New
York:MetropolitanBooks,2004),p.312.

17
oftemporality,andthesadnessofstatesdoomedtoruin,perituraqueregna.25
Butitisanotherthingaltogethertoconfrontindetailthemannerinwhichthe
transitionfromrepublictoautocracyisbeingorchestratednotjustthroughtheoutof
controlmilitarismthatJohnsonsofinelydocuments,butalsothroughwhatPeterDale
Scotthascalledthedeeppoliticsofarulingelitewhichisthoroughlyhabituatedto
relianceoncovertagenciesthatareinnowayanswerabletodemocraticgovernance. 26
Yet if were going to deal in historical parallels, perhaps we ought to strive for
consistency. Romes imperialautocratsinthemaking never hesitated to shed blood,
whetheroftheircompatriotsorothernations:whyshouldweimagineourowntobe
morefastidious,orlessMachiavellian?
Anothermotiveforaversionmayalsobeinvolved:thefearofbeingmockedasa
conspiracytheoristortinfoilhatwearer,withaconsequentlossofpubliccredibility
andprofessionalrespect.Ifsuchafearwerenomorethanwhatitseems,onemightwell
askwhatvaluetherecouldbetomarkersofprofessionalstandingwhichblockinquiry
intohistoricaltruthsandmaterialrealitiesorwhatclaimstocourageorintegritycould
be made by public intellectuals who fold their tents at the mere threat of scurrilous
handlingbyopponents.Butsomethingmoreprofoundmaybeatwork.PeterDaleScott,
who like Chalmers Johnson indulges in what he calls the clichd analogy of a
comparison between the contemporary United States and Rome in the period of its
transition from republic to imperial autocracy, remarks on the refusal of the Roman
senatorialclasstoacceptthatrealpowerhadmigratedoutofthecivicinstitutionsin
which they continued to participate, and had passed into the hands of an imperial
regime, the armies and the courts of the army commanders. Their motive, though
unacknowledged,wasquitesimple:Theselfrespectofthesenatorialclassesdepended
onthisdenial.27
Virgil,Aeneidi.462,andGeorgicsii.498,inPubliiVirgiliiMaronisOpera,ed.Fr.Dubner(Paris:

25

JacquesLecoffre,1854),pp.195,113.
26
PeterDaleScottwrites,inDeepPoliticsandtheDeathofJFK(Berkeley:UniversityofCaliforniaPress,
1993),p.xii,thatcollusivesecrecyandlawbreakingarepartofhowthedeeppoliticalsystemworks.He
adds:Whatmakesthesesupplementaryprocessesdeepisthefactthattheyarecovertorsuppressed,
outsidegeneralawarenessaswellasoutsideacknowledgepoliticalprocesses.
27
Scott,DeepPolitics,p.313.

18
Ananalogousmotivemaybeinplayamongourownclassofacademics and
public intellectuals, forwhomamigration ofpowerintomilitary, deeppolitical, and
corporatemedia hands may for similar reasons be difficult to acknowledge. Istvn
Meszroshasproposedthatwearecurrentlyfacingnotmerelyaconjuncturalcrisisof
the kindthat occurred atintervals overthepast century, butrather anallembracing
structuralcrisisonewhichaffectsthetotalityofasocialcomplexbecauseitthrows
intoquestioncapitalsmodeofsocialmetabolicreproductionuptotheultimatelimits
oftheestablishedglobalstructure.28 ItwouldbenonoveltytoarguethattheBush
regimesmilitaryaggressions,togetherwithitsevidentcontemptfortheconstraintsof
republicangovernance(theBillofRightsandhabeascorpusamongthem)anditsever
increasing reliance on deeppolitical manipulations, are part of the corporatist ruling
elitesresponsetothisstructuralcrisis.Understandablyenough,publicintellectualswho
arehabituatedtoconjuncturalcrisesinwhichtheiroppositionalfunctionwasunderstood
byallconcerned,andwhohaveinadditionmadealifelonghabitofignoringorbelittling
politicalanalyseswhichincorporatedeeppoliticalfactors,haveresistedthegathering
evidence that these very factors have been decisive in the political transformations
pushedthroughsince9/11.
AndyetcounterforcesarearguablyatworkagainstwhatScottcallsthesocial
function ofdenial in masking political change. 29 One of them, intellectual integrity,
thoughitmightseemaquaintabstractiontoinvokeinthiscontext,hasyetimpelled
conservative academics and public intellectuals like Paul Craig Roberts and Morgan
Reynolds(whoinadditiontotheiruniversitycareersheldseniorpositionsintheReagan
andfirstGeorgeW.Bushadministrations,respectively)intovehementoppositiontothe
crimes of the present regime. Both have written powerful analyses of the present
administrationsfollyandcriminality,andbothrecognizetheeventsof9/11asakey
elementofthatcriminality.
Anothercounterforcemaybeagrowingrecognitionofthedelegitimizingpower
ofthe9/11evidence.
28

IstvnMeszros,TheStructuralCrisisofPolitics,MonthlyReview58.4(September2006):1114,
http://www.monthlyreview.org/0906meszaros.htm#Volume.
29
Ibid.

19

5.DelegitimizingtheBushregime
WhenJoshuaFranksaysoftheBushregimethatthisadministration,likeso
manybeforeit,needstobestoppedatonce,Iagreewholeheartedlywiththesentiment
(although the modifying phrase seems unfortunate: stopping the crimes of previous
administrations isnowsomethingonlytimetravellers canhopetodo).30 Letspause,
then,tothinkabouthowthecurrentUSadministrationistobestopped.
Iwouldsuggestthattheconceptofdelegitimationshouldfigureimportantlyin
our reflections. People who have acquiesced in the actions ofa government may be
persuadedtowithdrawtheirsupportandeventomoveintoactiveoppositionbyevidence
that those actions have been illjudged, rash, or unprincipled. But evidence that a
government has acted in ways that unambiguously violate the states foundational
covenantinthiscasetheUSConstitutionandBillofRightsandthatunambiguously
sundertherulingelitesclaimsontheconsentandloyaltyofcitizensandtheobedience
ofstateemployees,whethercivilianormilitary,cutsmuchdeeper.Whatisatstakeinthis
caseisthelegitimacyofthegoverningeliteandalso,totheextentthatpeoplecan
recognizethatelitesdeclinationsfromthenationsfoundationaldemocraticprinciplesas
systemicinnature,thelegitimacyofthesystemofcorporatizedgovernancethathasmade
itpossibleforsuchpeopletoacquireandexercisepower.
Since regular visitors to websites like Globalresearch.ca, ColdType.net, or
Counterpunch scarcelyneedtobetoldofthemanyways,fromelectoralfraudtothe
abolition of habeas corpus, from unconstrained mendacity to military aggression, in
whichtheadministrationofGeorgeW.Bushhasdemonstrateditsillegitimacy,Imnot
goingtorehearsethemallhere.Buttheevidencethatoneverykeyaspectoftheeventsof
ThisslightcontortionofFrankssyntaxseemsinterestinglysymptomaticofadesiretoavoidany
recognitionofdiscontinuity.IapplaudhisinsistencethatpreviousAmericanadministrationswerealso
routinelyguiltyofwarcrimes.Butwhyshoulditbebeyondourdialecticalpowerstoacknowledgeboth
thatcontinuityandalsothequalitativedifferencesbetweentherampagesoftheBushregimeandtheless
unapologeticcriminalityofitsprecursors?
30

20
9/11theBushadministrationhaslied,andthattheofficialversionofwhathappenedon
9/11cannotstanduptocriticalinquiry,doesnotsimplynecessitatethedevelopmentof
alternative hypotheses: it also provides what must be one of the strongest and most
inescapableargumentsagainstthisregimeslegitimacy.
Foriftheemergingevidenceofwhathappenedon9/11iscogentenoughtostand
up in the face of the most rigorous critical examinationand a large part of it
demonstrablyistheconsequencesforthelegitimacyoftheBushgovernmentarequite
literally shattering. Ifthegovernment merely facilitated this terroristatrocity through
neglectorincompetence,thenitabdicateditsprimaryresponsibilitytoprotectthelives
andpropertyofitscitizens.ButiftheevidencedrivesAmericanstosuspectthatsenior
governmentofficialsmayhavebeenactivepartiesinthecatastrophiceventsof9/11,and
quitepossiblytheirprimaryorganizersaswellastheirmostobviousbeneficiaries,then
thetrulyappallingpossibilityisraisedofatreasonousperversionofstatepowerresulting
inmassmurder.Onemightwellarguethatonlyanindependentandbonafidecriminal
investigationcoulddeterminewhethertheevidencesupportssuchahypothesis.Butit
shouldbeevidentthatofficialswhoseactionsarebelievedbylargenumbersofpeopleto
meritcriminalinvestigationarewellontheirwaytolosingpoliticallegitimacy.
Rather than arguing in the abstract for the delegitimizing power of the 9/11
evidence, letmegiveaconcreteexample ofit.RobertBowman,aretired USAFLt.
Colonel who holds a Ph.D. in physics, was director of Advanced Space Program
DevelopmentfortheUSAFintheFordandCarteradministrations.Heresapartofwhat
hehadtosayasaspeakerattheDCEmergencyTruthConvergenceorganizedbythe
9/11TruthMovementinWashington,DCinJuly,2005:
Youknow,ourfreedomsarenotunderattackfromtheremnants
ofSaddamHusseinsBaathistparty.Theyreunderattackbythelikes
of John Ashcroft, theyre trampled by Donald Rumsfeld, theyre
disdained by Dick Cheney, and theyre not even understood by
GeorgeW.Bush.Thebattletopreserveourfreedomsisnottaking
placeinBaghdadandTikritandFallujah.Itstakingplaceinpeace
marchesanddemonstrationsinGirardelliParkinSanFrancisco,in

21
Memorial Park in Oklahoma City, and in Lafayette Park in
WashingtonDC.[.]We,mysistersandbrothers,areprotectingthis
nationbyspeakingtruthtopower.[.]
Andwhenwespeak,thisisthetruththatweproclaim.Thiswar
in Iraq has nothing to do with national security, or freedom or
democracy orhumanrights orprotecting ourallies orweaponsof
massdestructionordefeatingterrorismordisarmingIraq.Ithastodo
withmoney,ithastodowithoil,andithastodowithrawimperial
power.Anditsbasedtotallyonlies.Thosewhoforcedthiswaronan
unwillingworldareguiltyofviolatingtheUSConstitution,theUN
Charter,theNurembergprinciples,andinternationallaw.Whatthey
havedoneisillegal,immoral,unconstitutional,andtreason.[.]
ThiscabalofneoconservativesfromPNACwhoplannedthiswar
Cheney,Rumsfeld,Wolfowitz,Perle,JebBushevenbeforeW.
becamepresident,theytolduswhytheyhadtodoit.Theysaidwe
needtooccupyIraqpermanently inordertodominate Iran,Syria,
SaudiArabia,andthesouthernRussianrepublicsaroundtheCaspian
Sea.WeneedtocontroltheentireMiddleEastandallitsoil.[]
[T]heyknewtheAmericanpeoplewouldntstandforit,andthey
saidsointheirdocumentsand theysaid,unlesstheres thatnew
PearlHarbor.Well,9/11didsupplythatandwevebeenliedtonot
onlyaboutthewar,butabout9/11itself.Theyignoredthewarnings:
morethanthat,wehavemountingevidencethatatleasttheymade
itimpossibleforthoseplanestobeintercepted.Ifourgovernmenthad
merely[done]nothing,andIsaythatasanoldinterceptorpilotI
knowthedrill,Iknowwhatittakes,Iknowhowlongittakes,Iknow
whattheproceduresare,Iknowwhattheywere,andIknowwhat
theyve changed them toif our government had merely done
nothing,andallowednormalprocedurestohappenonthatmorningof
9/11,theTwinTowerswouldstillbestandingandthousandsofdead

22
Americans would still be alive. My sisters and brothers, that is
treason!
As a combat veteran, I will not stand idly by and watch our
securitydestroyedbyapresidentwhowentAWOLratherthanserve
in Vietnam. As one whos devoted his life to the security of this
country,Iwillnotstandbyandwatchanappointedpresidentsendour
sons and daughters around the world to kill Arabs for the oil
companies.[.]Ijoinedtheairforcealongtimeagotoprotectour
bordersandourpeople,notthefinancialinterestsofFolgers,Chiquita
Banana,Exxon,andHalliburton.Wevehadenoughcorporatewars!
NomoreIraqs,nomoreKosovos,nomoreElSalvadors,nomore
Colombias!Thesearenotisolatedincidentsofstupidity;theyrepart
ofalong,bloodyhistoryofforeignpolicybeingconductedforthe
financialinterestsofthewealthyfew.[.]
As a pilot who flew a hundred and one combat missions in
Vietnam, I swore to uphold the Constitution of the United States
against all enemies, foreign and domesticand that includes a
renegade president! Its time for George W. Bush, Dick Cheney,
DonaldRumsfeld,CondoleezzaRice,andthewholeoilmafiatobe
removedfromofficeandinditedfortreason.31

6.Conclusion
The 9/11 evidence is evidently for Bowman neither isolated, nor inert, nor
immobilizing.Itformspartofwhathehascometounderstand(ashesaysinthissame
speech)asanewformofcolonialism.ThoughBowmanhasbeenaforcefulcriticof
31

WhatstheTruth?HowIndeeddidtheTwinTowersCollapse?ADemBruceLeeStylesFilm,available
at911Podcasts.com(1July2006),http://www.911podcasts.com/display.php?
cat=9997&med=0&ord=Name&strt=0&vid=95&epi=0&typ=0;andlinkedathttp://www.st911.org.

23
Reagans Star Wars Strategic Defense Initiative and subsequent missile defense
systems,andthoughhisreligiouscommitmentsasalayministermayalsohaveexposed
himtoformsofthoughtbeyondthecustomarydiscursiverangeofairforceofficers,one
mightguessthat9/11,whichheevidentlybelievestohavebeenaplannedcatalystinthe
Bushregimesprojectofoilgeopoliticsandaggressivewarfare,wasalsoacatalyzing
factorinthedevelopmentofhisownunderstandingofcorporatewarsandthelong,
bloodyhistoryofforeignpolicybeingconductedforthefinancialinterestsofthewealthy
few.
AsIhavealreadynoted,Bowmanisnottheonlyconservativeonetimesenior
memberofthestateapparatustohavebeenjoltedintoopenoppositionby9/11andthe
othercrimesofthecurrentadministration.
Perhapsitstimethatpeopleontheleftallowedthemselvestobejoltedaswell
attheveryleast,intoanhonestandpainstakinganalysisoftheevidence.
So,AlexanderCockburn:canweputthesestupidboxingglovesaway?