I've only ever gone along with the official line.
I recall reading at the time some conspiracy theory re Mossad involvement to ignite a war in the Middle East with US backing, but I cant buy into this at all. I cant see any government official(s) from any country (excl rogue states) sanctioning such an atrocity with such an inevitably high civilian death toll.
U
The father of Mohamed Atta claimed his son was not involved but then I guess he would say that.
I doubt many structural engineers test models based on 10,000 gallons of jet fuel being spewed out and fires starting up in various locations with temperatures reaching 1000c.
If not Al-Qaeda then who? And what would be the motivation?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-14665953
Its amazing that in many ways the plot was so simple, compared with the might of the US, and yet so successful at striking at the very heart of everything Jihadists despise.
I was on a city break in NYC in Oct '03 and it was eery seeing ground zero and more so seeing landscape images pre 9/11 and then physically seeing this huge open space
I was the same as you Holly.
I haven't seen Ground Zero but I can imagine how eery it is there; I remember well going up the WTC tower and eating at the Windows On The World restaurant and to watch those towers fall was just incredible.
Watch the videos Hols and read the facts then see if you change your mind. I never dreamt for a moment I would become a 'truther' but the facts of the matter are inescapable .... imho.
On your points above; the huge fireballs on impact are the planes jet fuel exploding. Even if some jet fuel didn't burn off it only burns at 1100c which by all scientific accounts is nowhere near hot enough to melt steel. A firefighter who reached the firers radioed back there were 2 isolated pockets of fire and they could "knock them down with two hoses"!
Even if the plane damage and jet fuel fires could explain the Twin Towers, WTC 7 collapsed like a pack of cards and wasn't hit by anything. This huge steel building was a 100 yards from the Towers.
Your point as to 'why on earth would anyone do this' is the key question. There are untold billions of reasons why they would do this and they are $'s. The very reasons Pearl Harbour was provoked by the US government and then 'allowed' to happen. The same reasons the The Gulf Of Tonkin Incident was faked and President Kennedy was assassinated!
America prospers in a war economy with all the multi-billion $ arms contracts and a small circle of very influential people get very rich (much richer!) from their interests in the armament contractors. Look into The Carlyle Group with millions and millions made for it's very influential members .... people like John Major, the Bush family and the brother of one Osama Bin Laden!
Don't take my word for it, even The Economist recognises how shady and secretive this group is!
http://www.economist.com/node/1875084Not only do these neo-cons get personally much richer but their country gets much more powerful and dominates "The New American Century"! Talk about a win - win situation!
Months before 911 a think-tank called The Project For The New American Century with members such as Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfelt and Jed Bush (Dubya's brother) pronounced that the building up of America's world dominance would be a long slow process unless (and I quote) "there was a catastrophic and catalysing event - a new Pearl Harbour"!
Again don't take my word for it:
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_for_the_New_American_Century#.22New_Pearl_Harbor.22I think Scipio is a bit of a Republican, neo-con .... it would be interesting to hear his thoughts on this too!