# Who did you initially assume was responsible for the 9/11 attacks? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 11, 2006, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-you-initially-assume-was-responsible-for-the-9-11-attacks/372264 "2006-09-11T08:33:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-you-initially-assume-was-responsible-for-the-9-11-attacks/372264/41 "2006-09-11T20:38:18Z")
The Jews My suspicions were further reinforced by the fact that I, a Jew, had just started working in that area, but was suspiciously called away on training a few days before. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-you-initially-assume-was-responsible-for-the-9-11-attacks/372264/42 "2006-09-11T20:42:05Z")
It was my daughter’s first day of “real” school: junior kindergarten. I took the day off to see her off to school and to cut the grass. After getting her on the bus I decided to check emails. I had one from a friend who said something about a plane hitting the WTC, and that there were unconfirmed reports that it may have been a plane hijacked out of Boston. We turned on CNN and watched the second plane, and the third, and the forth… in utter numbness. I remember thinking “this is worse than Pearl Harbor.” I immediately thought that it must have a middle-east connection, but like a lot of others had never heard of Al Qaeda or bin Laden at the time. I do remember thinking that this day would alter the course of history. I’m damned surprised at the percentage of people who (and the level of intellect it takes to) believe that this was a Bush-sponsored event. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-you-initially-assume-was-responsible-for-the-9-11-attacks/372264/43 "2006-09-11T20:44:00Z")
[QUOTE=msmith537] The Jews My suspicions were further reinforced by the fact that I, a Jew, had just started working in that area, but was suspiciously called away on training a few days before. [/QUOTE] Is this a very bad joke? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-you-initially-assume-was-responsible-for-the-9-11-attacks/372264/44 "2006-09-11T20:57:23Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] Is this a very bad joke? [/QUOTE] No, it’s a good joke that you got whooshed on. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-you-initially-assume-was-responsible-for-the-9-11-attacks/372264/45 "2006-09-11T21:02:27Z")
[QUOTE=Mahaloth] No, it’s a good joke that you got whooshed on. [/QUOTE] No, I think it is a joke in very bad taste consider that is exactly what Al-Jazeer and the Palestinians have said for the past 5 years. Jim ---
**Author:** ![elfbabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b782af/32.png) [@elfbabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfbabe)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-you-initially-assume-was-responsible-for-the-9-11-attacks/372264/46 "2006-09-11T21:06:57Z")
I don’t remember who I thought it was at first, but I do remember thinking, “please, please, PLEASE let have been white people” and simultaneously knowing that it probably wasn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-you-initially-assume-was-responsible-for-the-9-11-attacks/372264/47 "2006-09-11T21:08:06Z")
[QUOTE=Leaffan] I’m damned surprised at the percentage of people who (and the level of intellect it takes to) believe that this was a Bush-sponsored event. [/QUOTE] Given that many in the Bush Administration were supporters of the Project for a New American Century, which considered a “New Pearl Harbor” a _good_ thing for their agenda, _and_ given their complete amorality, it doesn’t take stupidity or craziness to believe they would have. My personal belief is that they knew 9-11 or something similar _was_ going to happen; they were warned after all. I suspect malign neglect rather than an active plan by the Bushites; they didn’t need to do anything but give Osama a clear shot; whether by incompetnece or malice, they did. I also think that if Osama _hadn’t_ pulled off 9-11, they would have created their own. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-you-initially-assume-was-responsible-for-the-9-11-attacks/372264/48 "2006-09-11T21:10:48Z")
[QUOTE=madmonk28] I thought it was bin Laden. I had recently completed graduate studies in international relations and had read a lot about the growth of international terrorism and bin Laden specifically. [/QUOTE] At first I thought it was an accident, but my second thought was Bin Laden immediately. I had seen a program on him in the late 80s when they were saying he was the one to watch. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/47e85d/32.png) [@Captain\_Lance\_Murdoch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Lance_Murdoch)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-you-initially-assume-was-responsible-for-the-9-11-attacks/372264/49 "2006-09-11T21:15:07Z")
I’m surprised so many people say they had never heard of Osama Bin Laden or AL Qaeda until 9/11. Didn’t the African embassies, the U.S.S. Cole and the first WTC bombings bring them to your attention? Remember when Clinton bombed their base in Afghanistan? What about that video they released showing themselves shooting at a video of Clinton or their declaration urging all Muslims to kill any Americans they could? My brother-in-law told me back then (pre 9/11) he thought Bin Laden was nothing but a boogeyman invented by the U.S. I don’t know if he still thinks that way. Wouldn’t surprise me. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2006, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-you-initially-assume-was-responsible-for-the-9-11-attacks/372264/50 "2006-09-12T00:06:25Z")
[QUOTE=Captain Lance Murdoch] I’m surprised so many people say they had never heard of Osama Bin Laden or AL Qaeda until 9/11. Didn’t the African embassies, the U.S.S. Cole and the first WTC bombings bring them to your attention? Remember when Clinton bombed their base in Afghanistan? What about that video they released showing themselves shooting at a video of Clinton or their declaration urging all Muslims to kill any Americans they could? [/QUOTE] The answer to all your questions is “No.” Perhaps some Americans who followed Middle Eastern affairs closely had heard of Bin Laden, but certainly not most of us. Prior to 9/11, terrorism was always something that happened in some other part of the world. Like most Americans, I initially assumed that the first plane crash was a freak accident, and that the pilot was drunk, stoned, incompetant, really tired, or some combination of these. When the second plane hit, I knew that it had to be terrorism, and since plane hijackings were the specialty of Muslim terrorists, I was always pretty sure that they were responsable. I tried to keep an open mind, remembering how the Oklahoma City bombing went down, but I was hardly surprised when they said that the hijackers were arabic. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2006, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-you-initially-assume-was-responsible-for-the-9-11-attacks/372264/51 "2006-09-12T00:20:17Z")
[QUOTE=Captain Lance Murdoch] I’m surprised so many people say they had never heard of Osama Bin Laden or AL Qaeda until 9/11. Didn’t the African embassies, the U.S.S. Cole and the first WTC bombings bring them to your attention? Remember when Clinton bombed their base in Afghanistan? What about that video they released showing themselves shooting at a video of Clinton or their declaration urging all Muslims to kill any Americans they could? My brother-in-law told me back then (pre 9/11) he thought Bin Laden was nothing but a boogeyman invented by the U.S. I don’t know if he still thinks that way. Wouldn’t surprise me. [/QUOTE] I knew of Osama, I remember Clinton trying to get him with a missile. I was not aware of Al Qaeda at that point. I was much more concerned with Hesbola and the Taliban then Osama’s organization. In retrospect, very silly of me. Jim ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2006, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-you-initially-assume-was-responsible-for-the-9-11-attacks/372264/52 "2006-09-12T00:22:08Z")
When they evacuated Chicago that morning, the busses were packed with anxious people trying to get home. My brother-in-law was on his way to work in the city as the attacks happened, and just ended up following the flow of people back home. So he’s sitting on this crowded bus and everyone’s quiet and somber. And this old Black lady said, quite loudly and with the full inflection of the South Side, “George Bush done pissed somebody off!!” ---
**Author:** ![Plan\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Plan\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plan_B)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2006, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-you-initially-assume-was-responsible-for-the-9-11-attacks/372264/53 "2006-09-12T01:00:41Z")
Arab terrorists. Didn’t have time or energy to get more specific at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2006, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-you-initially-assume-was-responsible-for-the-9-11-attacks/372264/54 "2006-09-12T01:11:52Z")
I distinctly remember my response when someone told me a small twin engine plane accidentally hit the WTC (described as Lear Jet in size). I said it was impossible to accidentally hit the tallest building in the world on a clear day and that it was an act of war. I’d been following terrorism as a point of interest for at least 10 years prior to 9/11. It permeated my dreams. My immediate thought was the Arab looking guy that was interviewed on 60 minutes years back (Bin Laden). Terrorist acts were already on the rise prior to the event so it seemed highly likely, particularly since the WTC was attacked by Islamo-terrorists in 93. I also distinctly remember the last speech President Clinton gave. He specifically mentioned terrorism as the next great crisis in the coming years. It was so out of context with the rest of the speech that it made the hair rise on the back of my neck. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2006, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-you-initially-assume-was-responsible-for-the-9-11-attacks/372264/55 "2006-09-12T01:13:28Z")
I presumed it was the same people who did it in 1993. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![KSO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@KSO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KSO)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2006, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-you-initially-assume-was-responsible-for-the-9-11-attacks/372264/56 "2006-09-12T01:19:31Z")
[QUOTE=Captain Lance Murdoch] My brother-in-law told me back then (pre 9/11) he thought Bin Laden was nothing but a boogeyman invented by the U.S. I don’t know if he still thinks that way. Wouldn’t surprise me. [/QUOTE] Does he post here under the name Der Trihs? ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2006, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-you-initially-assume-was-responsible-for-the-9-11-attacks/372264/57 "2006-09-12T01:27:13Z")
When I first heard the news, (on TV, with only one plane at that point, and that one uncertain as to what type of plane) I thought it was an accident. When I found out about the second plane (I had been getting reading for school), I assumed terrorists of some sort, probably (due to the recent patterns) Middle Eastern. I had heard of and read about bin Laden, but it took some time to connect the dots. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2006, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-you-initially-assume-was-responsible-for-the-9-11-attacks/372264/58 "2006-09-12T03:34:03Z")
[QUOTE=Der Trihs] Given that many in the Bush Administration were supporters of the Project for a New American Century, which considered a “New Pearl Harbor” a _good_ thing for their agenda, _and_ given their complete amorality, it doesn’t take stupidity or craziness to believe they would have. My personal belief is that they knew 9-11 or something similar _was_ going to happen; they were warned after all. I suspect malign neglect rather than an active plan by the Bushites; they didn’t need to do anything but give Osama a clear shot; whether by incompetnece or malice, they did. I also think that if Osama _hadn’t_ pulled off 9-11, they would have created their own. [/QUOTE] Well, you’re a fucking idiot then. Sorry. But someone had to say it. They were warned? Well one, where’s the cite, and two, if they were warned I doubt it stated verbatim what was to happen on which date. Pit me. Expel me. Cancel my subscription. I don’t care. I will have no part in the theory that the US government conspired in, and sanctioned the attacks on the World Trade Center. Anyone who thinks this is true is a complete fucking moron. My subscription is almost up, so if this in fact cancels it for me, “so long and thanks for all the fish.” ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2006, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-you-initially-assume-was-responsible-for-the-9-11-attacks/372264/59 "2006-09-12T03:35:46Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] No, I think it is a joke in very bad taste consider that is exactly what Al-Jazeer and the Palestinians have said for the past 5 years. Jim [/QUOTE] That’s what makes it a joke. Anyhow I assumed it was Arab terrorists of some kind and I was vaguely aware of Al Quada from the Cole incident. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2006, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-you-initially-assume-was-responsible-for-the-9-11-attacks/372264/60 "2006-09-12T04:46:29Z")
I pretty quickly latched on to bin Laden and Al Qaeda. If you read the Sep 11th thread here you can see exactly when I got the notion. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-you-initially-assume-was-responsible-for-the-9-11-attacks/372264.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-did-you-initially-assume-was-responsible-for-the-9-11-attacks/372264.md?page=4)