I agree with those that suggest that the author goes over the top sometimes, but I will also be quite explicit in saying that I think Alex Jones is a very important part of the patriotic truth movement, and all that he does is in my view at least 80% vital to improving public intelligence in the public interest.
This book plays out a theme that relates the bombing of the Federal Building in Oklahoma with 9-11, and I read through it at the same time that I was watching the DVD “Painful Questions” which actually had news clips about additional unexploded bombs being found in the Federal Building after the fact.
I am increasingly frustrated as I read so many of these books, each with vital tid-bits, many of which I can see correlating with one another, but yet no one anywhere has cut the spines off all these great books, digitized them, and created a visual diagram that makes sense of all this.
One thing I am certain of: the White House and Larry Silverstein are both hiding information from the public, and one day we will have proof of the degree to which elements of our own government allowed 9-11 to happen and went the extra step of helping to murder thousands of Americans solely and exclusively to manipulate a mandate for combining a police state at home with a unilateral ;militarism-terrorism abroad.
This is yet another of the many excellent books from Pregressive Press, with lots of details and lots of common sense.
My only regret is that despite the many excellent blogs and websites surrounding the 9-11 lies and deceptions, there is still no single sense-making facility that could “rack and stack” specific individuals like Dick Cheney, Rudy Guliani, and Larry Silverstein such that the public could demand, and get, indictments and grand jurys and everything else.
I read a lot, but lately I have been discovering the real value of non-fiction DVDs. This is one of the best, one of the most important DVDs that I have ever seen. I recommend it without reservation.
Although I am a very conservative person, my views have been radicalized by the superb non-fiction coming from Webster Tarpley, Jim Marrs, and Michael Ruppert, among others.
This DVD systematically and logically covers the power blackout that turned off the security camaras and access devices, the withdrawal of the bomb-sniffing dogs, the heavy dust each morning in the days preceeding 9-11, the secondary explosions that strongly suggest a planned demolition of three buildings (one of them, WTC 7, not hit at all), and–quite interesting–the asbestos problem that made the buildings, built in the 1960's–a real loser unaffordable to fix or take down. 9-11 was literally a $7 billion bonanza for its owners, at one stroke destroying the bulk of the complex to be cleaned up at taxpayer expense, and paying a DOUBLE insurance premium (in court, the claims that the two airplanes were two separate incidents rather than one coordinated attack, doubled the money paid out by the insurance companies). Bottom line: I think the US Government “let it happen” for its own reasons, and Larry Silverman was tipped off and it was Larry Silverman, not the US Government, that brought the buildings down. If this is obvious to me after a cursory examination of public materials, I have to ask myself: 1) how much did Rudy Guliani get for scooping and dumping to destroy the crime scene? and 2) is the insurance company part of the scam, or just stupid?
I have to say, on the basis of all my reading and my own past experience as a professional intelligence officer, that I am certain of one thing: this has not been properly investigated; and I am fairly certain of a second thing: 9-11 was known to be happening by a handful in the US Government and a handful in Israel as well as Pakistan, and it was welcomed as a cataclysmic event that would also be financially profitable to another handful. All of the suspicious activity began when Larry Silverman took possession of the complex.
Although I am less inclined to believe–without a proper investigation–that 9-11 was in fact made to happen at the instigation of Dick Cheney among others, I do believe there is enough evidence about neo-conservative views that such an event was needed, to *demand* a public investigation. The 9-11 Commission was a whitewash, actually criminal in its negligence.
5 Stars to Author, ZERO to Publisher, Available for $15,
November 24, 2006
Paul Zarembka
At 344 pages, I can produce this book in hardcover, with a color jacket and flags, for $3.44 a copy. Amazon pays publishers 40% of the retail price, so I propose to publish this book for $34.40, should the author desire to actually have people buy the book.
I regard this over-pricing as both unnecessary and unprofessional. It is certainly NOT going to increase the chances of this important knowledge actually reaching all those who might wish to avail themselves of an honestly-priced book.
Am wondering if the price might be a type. See first comment for how to get the book from the publisher for $15 (fiteen).
This kind of pricing directly invites copyright violation by incentivizing the placement of a copy of the book on the Internet, anonymously, never to be eradicated.
I have reviewed most of the books on 9-11 and its aftermaths, and if you visit my lists, you can find over ten books and some DVDs there that can all be bought for the outrageous and completely unjustifiable cost of this book. As I write this, the Senate is hearing testimony on the thermite found in the rubble pile. The Senate will probably hush this up. The is ample evidence to suggest that Dick Cheney “let it happen” and that Larry Silverman, owner of the complex, was tipped off in time to implant controlled demolitions and take care of his “unaffordable” asbestor problem–receiving $7 billion in insurance [one wonder how much he kicked back to the insurance companies to avoid their serious investigation, and to Guliani for scooping and dumping to destroy the crime scene).
Among Hundreds of Books, The Strongest Approach to Truth,
October 7, 2006
Webster Griffin Tarpley
EDIT of 3 Feb 07: With thanks to Josh for pointing out the confusion, I wish to clarify the distinction between my summary of what the author says, and my own conclusions from the many other books and DVDs I have reviewed.
1) 9-11 was planned and executed by Bin Laden with direct assistance from elements of the Pakistani government.
2) No fewer than 9, some say 11, governments warned the US at the highest levels. I believe that Dick Cheney saw this as a gift of heaven, and organized the 9-11 exercises so as to have complete operational control of the U.S. government, and he “let it happen.”
3) I believe that Larry Silverstein, new owner of the World Trade Center, NOT the U.S. Government, was briefed on this by the Mossad, and saw an opportunity to solve his asbestos problem at taxpayer expense. I believe that Larry Silverstein, in partnership with the security firm managed by a Bush family member, installed the controlled demolitions and “pulled” all three buildings, murdering the people in them, in order to clear the area for rebuilding and get the $7 billion in insurance money. I believe that he paid Rudy Gulliani as much as a billion to “scoop and dump” the crime scene into oblivion, and I believe that the insurance company executives are in cahoots with Silversten and got major kick-backs, because there is no way a serious insurance company investigation could have ignored the evidence of thermite being briefed to the Senate this very week.
4) Finally, I do think there is evidence of CIA and FBI blundering about and aiding “assets” who participated in the first World Trade Center car bombing, but it is very important to distinguish between bureaucratic incompetence; Dick Cheney's deliberate decision to let it happen; and Larry Silverstein's alleged dmurder of all those people including firefighters.
This has NOT been properly investigated, and it needs to be.
—- end of edit —-
It is with great sadness that I conclude that this book is the strongest of the 770+ books I have reviewed here at Amazon, almost all non-fiction. I am forced to conclude that 9/11 was at a minimum allowed to happen as a pretext for war (see my review of Jim Bamford's “Pretext for War”), and I am forced to conclude that there is sufficient evidence to indict (not necessarily convict) Dick Cheney, Karl Rove and others of a neo-conservative coup d'etat and kick-off of the clash of civilizations (see my review of “Crossing the Rubicon” as well as “State of Denial”). Most fascinatingly, the author links Samuel Huntington, author of “Clash of Civilizations” with Leo Strauss, the connecting rod between Nazi fascists and the neo-cons.
This is, without question, the most important modern reference on state-sponsored terrorism, and also the reference that most pointedly suggests that select rogue elements within the US Government, most likely led by Dick Cheney with the assistance of George Tenet, Buzzy Kronguard, and others close to the Wall Street gangs, are the most guilty of state-sponsored terrorism.
The author draws on historical examples of US fabrication of threats (e.g. the bombing of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor) and many others (Jim Bamford publicized Operation Northwoods). It is an undeniable fact that the U.S. Government has been willing to kill its own citizens and fabricate attacks as part of moving the public.
The author suggests that there is no conclusive evidence that 9/11 was of foreign origin, and to the contrary, quite a bit of evidence that the hijackers had been trained at US military bases, protected by the CIA and FBI, and that the end result of their actions–including controlled flying into buildings and controlled demolitions bringing down three towers, one of which was not hit at all, all suggest a US-based conspiracy.
The author is compelling in his review of the conflicts of interest for each of the 9/11 Commissioners and key staff; he is conclusive in his damnation of their performance and their refusal to be tough with NORAD, the FAA, and many other Executive organizations that refused to cooperate; and he is conclusive on his suggestion that all actual evidence points to the Pentagon being hit by a missile rather than an airplane.
The author is especially compelling in condemning Rudy Guilliani as part of the conspiracy, and as the “bud” of the extreme right charged with cleaning up the crime scene. Instead of making the area off-limits, Gulliani moved aggressively to “scoop and dump” to the point that firefighters rioted.
I believe it enough to want a full investigation that passes the smell test of the 9/11 families as well as objective outside observers. I believe it sufficient to indict Dick Cheney and other neo-cons. Sadly, the Executive is now in the service of corporations that benefit from high crimes and misdemeanors, rather than in the service of the American people who suffer great ill from these terrible mis-deeds.
My bottom line: justice has NOT been done, and this book, together with Crossing the Rubicon, is a major reason why I believe that eventually, Dick Cheney and others will be brought to justice. The people now have a digital memory and collective intelligence. Bin Laden Dead or Alive? Mission Accomplished? Civil liberties at home, democracy abroad? Just who are we kidding? More to the point, who are we betraying if not ourselves?
In fairness to Dick Cheney, I also wonder if he is not the fall guy for Wall Street and the gnomes of Zurich. I am waiting for him to have a heart attack while getting a routine medical check-up….the Ken Lay defense, but imposed by those who are willing to assassinate the John Kennedy's and Bobby Kennedy's of our world.
9/11 Press for Truth is better, but this DVD is very worthwhile. It opens with George Soros being concerned about the dangerous foreign policies and actions of the Bush Administration, and then moves directly into asking 9 people 11 questions (generally one person per question). Here are the questions in abridged form:
1) Should airlines have been prepared?
2) What did Bush Administration know, and when?
3) Why wasn't the US military prepared or able to respond?
4) How did Administration respond to military failure?
5) Any ties between US Intelligence and the terrorists?
6) Were there plans for a war in Central Asia before the Bush election?
7) Is there an underlying motive for putting US military into Central Asia?
8) Is there historical evidence that US Government is willing to kill its own citizens and blow up its own ships and buildings as a pretext for war?
9) How has the US Government reaction to 9-11 impacted on civil liberties?
10) How has present legislation affected lives of American people?
The movie concludes with some very reasonable thoughts:
1) Across America people are oblivious to what is being done in their name by the US Government and the US military.
2) The War on Terror is a pretext for imperial expansion into oil-rich areas.
3) Criminalization of the state occurs when the state gets to decide who is a criminal without the consent of the people, the courts, or the Congress.
4) Congress rolled over and gave both airlines and US Government a free get out of jail pass the day after 9-11.
5) We *need* the voices of dissent now more than ever, to uphold the Constitution and the Rule of Law.
6) The Patriot Act must be repealed.
7) Need to rebuild on the basis of individuality and honor, not corporations and corruption.
8) We're in a war for the future of humanity.
The general tone is a bit too left-wing for my taste, but in no way does this undermine the reasoned sanity of the questions and the answers. Definitely worth buying, viewing, and sharing.
Edit of 16 Oct 06: View this with “Loose Change” (second edition) which is unfortunately not sold via Amazon.
Edit of 11 Sep 08 to add links. the rest of the world (at least one quarter of the Germans, most Arabs, mixed ratios elsewhere) is quite certain that 9-11 was either made to happen by the US Government, or allowed to happen (my own view, with Silverstein adding controlled demolitions and Gulliani helping destroy the crime scene quickly).
This is an extraordinary, gifted piece of work that covers a broader swath of history, a deeper cultural well, and more detailed personal portraits of the key players, than any other book I have read in this area. It joins Louise Richardson's “What Terrorists Want,” Dick Clarke's “Against All Enemies,” and Professor Pape's “Dying to Win” as a core reference on the rise of suicidal terrorism.
I especially liked the historical survey from the 1940's through the 1960's (Six Day War), 1970's (Sadat and rise of Arab despots), 1980's (arming of the jihadists in Afghanistan) to the 1990's (Sudan as home base).
Towering sentence: 9-11 began in Egyptian prisons–“torture created an appetite for revenge.” It was the combination of Saudi government money and Egyptian prisoners and revolutionaries tortured by that government, and then inspired by jihad in Afghanistan, that created a global remobilization of terrorism.
Penetrating insight: Arab governments funded jihadists to get their rabble-rousers out of town, but no one gave any thought to how this was creating a permanent “stateless vagrant mob of mercenaries.”
The level of detail across the book is very good, and presented in an easy to read and compelling fashion. For all that I have read, here are a few gems from this particular book:
1) Despite Clinton's claims, US simply did not take Al Qaeda seriously until late 1990's, and then the lionized Bin Laden with the Tomahawk attack, in the process enriching Bin Laden by $10 million, the price he got from the Chinese for the unexploded Tomahawk missiles that failed.
2) FBI blew it in 1996 (the book does not mention the two walk-ins that the FBI brushed off in 2000 and 2001), CIA refused to share key information with FBI, NSA refused to share Bin Laden transcripts with CIA or the FBI, the grotesque incompetence and bureaucratic idiocy–even for someone like myself who has worked for the CIA, is simply unbelievable.
3) US support to Israel, US tolerance of Israeli genocide against Palestinians, is hands down more aggravating to the Arabs than US presence in Saudi Arabia, but it was the latter that began Bin Laden's radicalization. The US seriously misunderstood the negative impact of staying on in Saudi Arabia, and Dick Cheney's violation of his promise to pull out of Saudi Arabia when Iraq was displaced from Kuwait, can be said to be directly responsible for pushing Bin Laden over the edge.
4) Muslim Brothers of Egypt have mastered “civil affairs” and are able to sponsor hospitals, schools, factories, and welfare societies at the same time that they sponsor a violent secret side.
5) Both communism and capitalism are despised by the fundamentalists for their materialism; this slightly outranks the secular Arab dictators. Jews, England, and America are in for a rough time.
6) The author has done a really fine job of investigating and recounting details of Bin Laden's life including his illnesses, his genius, and his occasional possible loss of sanity.
7) The Saudi government is a hollow shell waiting to implode; Saudi Muslims are 1% of the global Muslim population, but Saudis fronted 90% of the money for mosques and maddresses all over the world, exporting radical Wahabbism over more balanced Islamic variants that tolerate Jews and Christians.
8) Al Qaeda playbook written by an Arab trained by US Special Forces.
9) Bin Laden was happily retired in Sudan, he was re-energized out of retirement by US forces staying in Saudi Arabia, and by the King stripping him of his citizenship.
10) US economic interests world-wide, not just cultural targets within the USA, are part of Bin Laden's total plan. He believes that the US will fragment over time, as the Soviet Union did (see my review of Joel Garreau's “Nine Nations of North America”_.
11) 1994 was the first time airplanes into the World Trade Center were discussed with Bin Laden. 2001, seven years later. My personal view, based on this book and others, is that we are about to be hit again, and I would not be surprised if it were a combination of a Taliban attack on Kabul, a nuclear or bio-chemical event in the US, and precision attacks on Saudi oil pumping stations.
12) Egypt recruits boy spies on their parents by drugging them and sodomizing them, taking photos, and threatening to publish the photos. Charming…..just the kind of stuff George Bush Junior wants to legalize.
The author concludes the book with a very good nine page description (one paragraph each) of the key characters in this saga. It's not over, by a long shot–as this and other books document, terrorism is a tactic, not an enemy, and we cannot beat Bin Laden by playing into his hands with heavy handed occupation in Iraq and lightweight easily over-run forces in Afghanistan. The next twelve months could see a great deal more damage done to the West by disparate allies from Iran to Hezbollah to Al Qaeda to white supremacists to a new break-out of terrorism in Asia.
Important Pieces of the Puzzle,
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