World Trade Centre Attack. Although an horrendous act, do you think the tactics were brilliant ..........?

NAZGUL

I wounder if they lost some of their nerve they hit the towers so high, may be they pulled up at the last.... The better place to hit would have been lower, that would have placed more stress on the support beams and caused an earlier failure of the structures. If it was not loss of nerve and carefully planed to hit the structures that high so it would take longer for the towers to fall, they got their monies worth of terror, and now a life time of being hunted by our and similar Governments.

Please do not think for a second I condone such actions. I'm a Patriotic America born here and raised here in the military and served in the Air Force.

James M

Essentially, they killed 3000 people with stanley knives! With all the military hardward, intelligence and so on, the US were helpless when it came to 19 driven individuals who had the imagination and nerve to do such a simple act with utterly devastating consequences.

The whole point of 9/11 was to start a holy war. And they did it with such ease.

SgtMoto

I feel the same way. Ingenious planning and knowledge, but bad timing. If they had waiting just an hour more think of what the casualties would have been.

One thing 9/11 should have taught us is that we are dealing with an ingenious enemy with no morals. And we worry about Abu Graib and foot paths compared to what they have done and are still doing. We can't use sleep deprivation, but they can chop off heads at will. What kind of world am I living in?

It also shows how much patience they have to carry out plans. They are concerned about the now as we do, but the future no matter how long it takes.

Billy Jack

I agree!

Who would have thought that airplanes would be used as weapons.

America was complacent prior to 911. I just hope that people don't get so hung up on future impossibilities that they forget about the basic attack methods.

Yeah, obviously, but don't give em a big head over it.

mckenziecalhoun

I think Saudi Arabia was right to kick Osama OUT!

Islam had been doing wonders slowly immigrating into democracies, getting a majority, and voting the place into an Islamic state. The Western powers couldn't do a thing about it. It was the perfect, though slow, strategy for bringing submission to Allah to the rest of the world.

Then Osama starts yelling and screaming about using the sword again!

Our Presidents have been aware and legally resisted the actions of Islam in taking over countries in Africa and S.E. Asia, and stayed on friendly terms with many Middle-Eastern countries as a result, to try to slow it down, properly.

Osama gave the West the excuse to put a stop to it, once and for all.

Brilliant strategy on the attack.

Idiot on strategy for the war.

Ding dong, I'm Sparticus 2.

War is war - always horrific, but then who plays nice? It was a clever move, I just hope to God it wasn't an inside job. If it was then those involved should indeed be tracked down and extiguished.

Muddy

I agree, caught everyone with their pants down, despite conspiracy theorists half informed rants about a cover up!! Did they actually intend for the towers to collapse though or was it an unfortunate consequence? Cos if it was the latter its just a case of flying a plane into a building, which any drunk BA pilot could do! Ive often thought though that rather go for institutions (WTC and pentagon), if you really want to hit at a nation's morale why not take out their landmarks? WTC was a horrible, evil attack....but I bet the Yanks would be even MORE pissed off if you took out the Statue of Liberty!! What you reckon?

davegesprek

Yes, I agree with you. Bin Laden had been planning the 9/11 over 3 years.

The very first idea of hijacking the airplanes and crashing into the simbolic buildings came out from now captured "Khalid Sheik Mohammed", one of the top aids of Bin Laden.

And the leader/executer of the 9/11 terror was Mohammed Atta, an Egyptian who had studied in Germany before.

According to the people around him, Atta was a "perfectionist". Did you know this? Atta actually acheived very good grades while studying in University Hamberg, in Germany. It is known that in order to impress the Germans, you need to be a "perfectionist". And Atta was a perfectionist.

Plus, Bin Laden's very strong financial support to the plan made it more successful. The 19 hijackers learned the flight lessons in the U.S., which is very costly.

Just like you said, it was a brilliant tactic.

DEFCON 1.

well lets just say it started a war....so me thinks it got the correct reaction.

desertviking_00

I would have to agree. Using a civilian airliner as a cruise missile was an inexpensive way to induce an act of terror. It should also put to rest the idea that these Salafist Jihadists are coming from the ranks of the poor and illiterate masses in the Sukh, Casbah and Bazaar. They are the educated sons of financially well-off couples in intact families.

'Dr Greene'

As despicable as they were, they certainly put an end to Hijackings.

No passenger would fail to intervene to stop a hijacking now as they would fear the same would happen again.

Consul of Rome

If they had done it right, after the 2 planes hit the WTC, another would have come in and belly flopped onto the crowd in the streets. The resulting fire and destruction could have easily tripled or more the casualty count.

Ronnie Mac Loves You

world trade center - 3000 dead

iraq - 100,000 dead

Alf B

Must have been brilliant if the Government didn't even think about it being done in this way.

Doubt it could be done the same way twice....or could it!!!!!

candy g

yes of course it was an evil evil attack and have nothing but sorry for those that where lost and their families.

Right that said I could not agree with you more to be honest, the UK is well versed in terrorist attacks etc but even this was a stroke of genius on their part.....basically it showed in my opinion JUST how vulnerable the USA is and how complacent the country [at all levels] about getting hit by terrorists.

It showed that they are MORE than able to plan fund and execute a pretty good plan and I think with the immediate grounding of ALL other planes saved more than a few other targets that day...........

Whilst of course the rants will go on and on about shutting down the borders and they have a good point you know what my GREATEST fear is...................the ones that are ALREADY here biding their time, watching and waiting for the next time to [put into effect another such plan..........and sad it it seems it WILL happen again

regards

Stone K

In a military mindset, genius is measured by sheer simplicity, luck and success.

So useing those standards, yes it was... But in the most heinous sense of the word.

Andrew

I watched a show on it, it was well planned out. They even had to do things like shave in the hotel on spet. 10th o.O They had strict directions and obviously that worked.

random mentalist.

The tactics were cowardly and inconciderate. the peaple involved where all self obsesed and unrespectfull to the way mankind takes its anciant beliefs. There trying to bully the most powerfull country on earth. im english.

grodno

Surprise is the essence of most successful attacks. Warfare is a terrible thing and this act on innocent people will go down in history as probably the most heinous piece of terrorist activity.It was so unexpected it caught America on the hop.From the terrorists point of view it was a brilliant operation, unbelievable in it's daring, for the victims it was a most horrible tragedy.America was not awake on that watch. Also don't forget this was a concerted attack on the Pentagon as well as other targets which were not reached.The Pentagon is hardly ever mentioned, because they struck at the heart of the Military machine.

anothersomeonenew

Brilliant?? I suppose you would have to compare the loss of life in comparison with the potential loss of life which would be what, about 20% of that possible (remember the building regularly held quite a few thousand more than were there on that day? Also, as the buildings pancaked rather than fell over the loss was even less than that. Secondly, the Pentagon plane, hardly a large score in creating mayhem of our defense system. And that's not even mentioning the failure of theplane that crashed in Pennsylvania. Lasltly, what was gained. Were the terrorists made more powerful? Did they grow wealthier? Did it produce a rush of recruits to their cause? No, in my book it was an average act of terrorism that failed miserably in meeting its target.

Snowy

The key elements of the plan were to strike at a symbol of western power and idolatry which was the towers themselves.

The ancient islamic world is very hung up on symbols and gestures of power. The human loss of life was probably a very secondary consideration for them, if at all.

My view therefore is that the terror which was struck after the very public execution of nearly 4000 people was a bonus for the terrorists which they didnt quite expect, but quickly learned how to exploit.

Up until that moment Al Queada were struggling to reconcile the theology of killing civilians with the teachings of the prophet. After 911 they re-interpreted elements of the Koran to make it ok to kill civilians, including fellow muslims, if they are in the system of the infidel.

284561

StevieWonders....Good Question suits your name....Tactics crash a plane into big building no tactics give a small child a toy plane and two big towers and I recon they would do the same....I will give credit to the IRA they thought it out....These tossers are so stupid they just do stupid things....
I've seen how these dumbasses work, it ain't clever...Just got lucky....Don't praise the Idiots....If I told you you would get 40 Virgins if you kill yourself would you...Doubt it.....Thick as a Brick.....

satcomgrunt

No the only reason there tactics worked is because of the way Americans are raised. From day one Americans are taught at school do not fight back, always call the cops etc. If they would have tried to pull this attack off against any other people in the world it would have failed. I will say the plan was brilliant but it took a lot of luck as in no way shape or form should 3 or 4 people with box cutters have been able to overpower an entire airplane.

Also the plan may have been a great tactical victory for them but wars on with strategic thinking, the 9-11 attacks caused them to lose their training camps in Afghanistan. So while it was a good plan it could only have worked against a weak society, they would not have dared try and do that to a plane full of people from Israel, or South Korea, etc and it proved in the long run to be a mistake.

felix

The tactic of flying a plane into a military target was conceived during WW2 [japanese kamikaze pilots first used this strategy]; so it is nothing new.
The Intelligence Services knew for sometime of this specific tactic [flying a civilian passenger plane into a building] that was being discussed within terrorist circles.
It was therefore not a surprise that this was carried out 1 year later; it did however obviously take USA completely unawares.
The operation itself was brilliantly planned [think of the logistics & timings], but as stated before it is possible that the pilots did lose their nerve at the end; if the planes had been aimed at the base the effects would have been more considerable. The collapse of the twin towers was unexpected and was a major stroke of luck for the terrorists.
It could have been much worse.
As for the propaganda required by the terrorists it is estimated that this was a major coup and their ranks were inundated with new volunteers by some 350%.
So overall I would have to disagree and say that this tactic achieved its aims & goals.
But please dont forget there are many more different tactics they can use; and some of these are much more efficient [i.e higher casualty rate]

coldasicecream2000

yes, as horrible as it was it was the work of genii (geniuses?). the precision was incredible and the timing impeccable. they have a great deal to be proud of - even though they have nothing to be proud of. it's a truly awful contradiction.

YR1947

well they managed to scare 300 million people i think thats very brilliant look what they have gotten NATO into after their acts
part of the problem is ameirca itself
whose very smart forign policy caused 9/11 and the american media for the endless ur not safe stories

Pleasant Peter Perkins

I think you will have hit some raw nerves with this question, though I think I know what you mean. As a terrorist attack it must have succeeded beyond their wildest dreams.

I doubt though that this was one plan executed solely by the terrorists in the planes or indeed their Al Quaeda masters.
I suspect that the full horror of that day is down to people within America as well as those obvious villains from without.

17pdr

Brilliant tactics - First get a no-brainer elected as president, then knowing your own peoples gullibility to be fooled into believing that a bunch of guys with stanley knives can hijack aircraft and with no flying skills crash them better than any Kamikaze ace into large buildings. Skillfully manipulating a compliant media to broadcast your deception too. Superb Stratedgy - conning the world into believing you have been attacked buy 'Muslims' so that you can attack or invade any Muslim country you like (that just happen to have large oil reserves Oil). The consequence is that you grab the worlds biggest Oil reserves before the Chinese and Russians get their grubby little hands on them. Brilliant, Cheney & co should be proud... and probably is. But the real beneficiaries are the US and UK people themselves they now have no fears about filling their gas tanks for another 30 years at least.

CLIVE H

The method of attack on the WTC was indeed brilliant.

What really surprises me is that everyone seems to have been taken by surprise.

Back when the Chinese got their own first A-Bomb, someone in Congress expressed the opinion that the Chinese would not be able to bomb US cities with their new A-Bomb because they had no delivery system. Someone else stood up and said, "Oh yeah! What about China Airways? They [the Chinese] could deliver their A-Bomb in an airliner.

You'd think that someone somewhere would have kept that idea in mind and kept up to speed.

If you look back to all the Arab/Palestinian conflict of the past, they nearly always involved the hijacking of airplanes, most of which seemed to be landed at Dawson's Field in Jordan and eventually blown up on camera for all the world to see.

Note intelligence file - planes, blown up, attack etc...

Coach

Brilliant? No. Not very hard to do what they did. We had and still have so many holes in our national security that something will happen again. Unless our govt gets of their fat lazy a$$es and secures our nation, NOW.

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