On 9/10, al Qaeda had killed less than fifty Americans. By 9/11, that number had increased more than sixtyfold.

The attacks occurred three years ago this week. As a result of The 9/11 Commission Report released earlier this summer, Americans now have a clearer idea of what happened that dreadful Tuesday.

Beginning with Muhammed Atta piloting American Airlines Flight 11 into the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46 a.m., four planes crashed within one hour, sixteen minutes, and thirty-one seconds.

Within thirty minutes of takeoff, the three five-man teams that successfully used the planes as jet-fuel missiles had sprung into action. United Flight 93, which crashed into a field in Pennsylvania rather than the Capitol, carried just four hijackers who waited more than 45 minutes before launching their nefarious scheme. Other factors, including the fact that the plane carried numerous brave passengers in addition to the terrorists and that the flight took-off twenty-five minutes late, militated against al Qaeda’s plans. As the commission’s report explains, the hijackers of Flight 93 attempted to fend off the charging passengers by sharply elevating and then nosediving the plane. When it became apparent that they couldn’t complete their mission, the terrorists crashed the plane, shouting: “Allah is the greatest! Allah is the greatest!”

The explosion in the North Tower was so intense that a fireball traveled four stories below ground. More than a third of New York City’s fire companies had arrived at the scene of carnage in lower Manhattan prior to the collapse of either Twin Tower. “The first FDNY fatality of the day occurred at approximately 9:30, when a civilian landed on and killed a fireman near the intersection of West and Liberty streets,” The 9/11 Commission Report notes.

The South Tower, the building that got hit second but collapsed first, crashed to the ground at 9:59 a.m. So great was the force that firefighters on the upper levels of the North Tower got knocked down when the South Tower crumbled to earth. Within minutes, the firefighters in the North Tower were forcefully ordered: “All FDNY, get the f*** out!” Just as adamantly, one firefighter responded: “We’re not f***ing coming out!”

That firefighter likely died when the North Tower came down about a half-hour after the South Tower’s collapse. Amazingly, sixteen people inside of the North Tower survived its collapse. Not a single person inside the South Tower when it imploded lived.

The FDNY lost 343 men, the Port Authority Police Department endured 37 deaths, the Pentagon saw 184 Americans killed, and the NYPD suffered 23 fatalities.

At a total cost of about a half-million dollars, al Qaeda killed 2973 people, caused billions of dollars in destruction, and successfully targeted the functioning symbols of America’s military and economic power. With all that bloodshed, the terrorists no doubt view their investment as money well spent.

thanks Dan...

Make sure we NEVER forget.

Be well,

Sponge

Didn't George Bush try to block this commission?

Didn't george Bush also block an inquiry into Saudi ties to Al-Quadea?