The River

Thursday, May 18, 2006

Crazy conspiracy theories put to rest

Oil industry and weapons manufacturers finally force government to officially release video of terrorist-piloted plane striking the Pentagon

Seeking the truth about one of the attacks that precipitated the War on Terror, Judicial Watch has obtained video from two Pentagon security cameras showing a thin, white blur and an explosion at the Department of Defense facility.

Founded in 1994, Judicial Watch is best known for filing 18 lawsuits against the Clinton administration. According to Wikipedia, the bulk of its funding comes from three foundations – the Sarah Scaife Foundation (funded via oil/banking billionaire Richard Mellon Scaife), The Carthage Foundation (funded via oil/banking billionaire Richard Mellon Scaife org) and the John M. Olin Foundation, Inc. (funded via Olin's chemical and weapons industries).

In its press release, the organization states: “Judicial Watch originally filed a Freedom of Information Act request on December 15, 2004, seeking all records pertaining to September 11, 2001 camera recordings of the Pentagon attack from the Sheraton National Hotel, the Nexcomm/Citgo gas station, Pentagon security cameras and the Virginia Department of Transportation.”

The group succeeded in obtaining an official release of images already available, recorded on Pentagon cameras designed to record license plates of vehicles entering the Pentagon grounds.
The grainy, still-frame video, dominated by a close-up of a concrete entranceway, shows a split second of a thin white blur close to the ground, followed by an explosion.

"We fought hard to obtain this video because we felt that it was very important to complete the public record with respect to the terrorist attacks of September 11," said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.

Rather than dwell on the failure of the group to force the government to release all its information in regard to the incident, Fitton was buoyant: "Finally, we hope that this video will put to rest the conspiracy theories involving American Airlines Flight 77.”

Indeed, dark conspiracy theories have flourished on the Internet, fueled by everyday citizens and personal bank accounts. Now, an energy and weapons industry interest group, apparently troubled by the War on Terror’s skyrocketing gas prices and the need for larger Defense budgets, has finally made significant headway in finding the truth behind September 11.

Fitton concluded, “As always, our prayers remain with all those who suffered as a result of those murderous attacks."

No comment was sought or offered on the deaths of at least 150,000 civilians due to subsequent War on Terror attacks.

UPDATE: General scoffing and suspicion from Nimmo.

Comments:
The framing of this video release is indeed suspicious, particularly since every media outlet that has reported it has heavily emphasized the angle that this now 'disproves' the conspiracy theories.

For one, you can't see anything conclusive in the video. Even more, the very same images were released over two years ago. You don't get anything out of the video that you could get out of the images. Which is to say, not much.
 
damn, forgot to add that tidbit.

On edit:

The group succeeded in obtaining an official release of images already available, recorded on Pentagon cameras designed to record license plates of vehicles entering the Pentagon grounds.
 
I believe there is good reason to believe that the current US executive administration has an actual policy of not bothing to deny any conspiracy theories, because once they start, they'll end up having to answer every question ("You explained away X, but how come you aren't answering our questions on Cheney being a Lizard? Cover up?")

Judicial Watch, well, sure, famous for the Clinton stuff. But one of the other things they did was accuse Hastert and DeLay of taking bribes... long before it was popular to do so. I think this was in early 2001. Something to do with a fax.

Maybe both _ops_ were actually part of some crypto-counter-spin-cycle-wash-Ow-My-Brain! plan, but, anyway.
 
Hey Josh. Are you implying that the theory that 9-11 was an inside job is on a par with aliens in the White House? Just curious.

On Judicial Watch: In scanning the list of its activities on Wikipedia, it's right-wing all the way with a couple exceptions. I think it's called getting out in front on the issue.
 
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