Rep Cox statement about 9-11 - more oddities

[DoYouEverWonder]

Turns out Rep Cox was with Rummie and Wolfowitz at the Pentagon on 9-11. I don't know if this is new info or not, but it's the first time I've come across this information about Rep Cox being with Rummie that morning and his account of the events. It seems that Cox's account of what happened has some holes in it, that are as big as the hole in the Pentagon.

First, he claims that at 9:00 AM he was in the Pentagon when the 2nd plane hit the WTC, though he makes it sound like the first plane which actually hit about 15 minutes earlier.

Then he claims that the Pentagon was hit a few minutes later? This guy must be bad at time and space relationships, 45 minutes is not a few minutes.

Third, he makes no mention of the fact that Victoria Clark had told Rumsfeld after the 2nd plane had hit the WTC what was going on in NYC.

Another oddity, Cox claims he escaped the building BEFORE it was hit?

Last but not least, is Cox's description of the discussion they were having while Rummie was pretending nothing was going on in NYC. Seems odd that he would be so focused on terrorism while he ignores an ongoing terrorist attack?




http://cox.house.gov/html/release.cfm?id=33

Chairman Cox's Statement on the Terrorist Attack on America

At 9 a.m. EDT Tuesday, as a hijacked Boeing 767 slammed into the World Trade Center, I was in the Pentagon in the private dining room of the Secretary of Defense. Don Rumsfeld, the Secretary, and Paul Wolfowitz, the Deputy Secretary, and I were discussing how to win votes for the Bush defense plan that is now pending in the House and Senate.

When minutes later, the Pentagon itself was hit by a Boeing 757 loaded with civilian passengers, virtually the entire building was immediately evacuated. I escaped just minutes before the building was hit. Most of those who remained were huddled in the National Military Command Center in a basement bunker of the building. From there, America's military response is being directed even now.

Ironically, just moments before the Department of Defense was hit by a suicide hijacker, Secretary Rumsfeld was describing to me why America needs to abandon its decade-old two-major-war strategy, and focus on the real threat facing us in the 21st century: terrorism, and the unexpected.

"When I worked on the ballistic missile threat commission , there was an 'event' every few months that focused the attention of those in denial," he told me. "For example, India shocked the world when it detonated a nuclear device. Then Pakistan. Then North Korea launched a two-stage ballistic missile over Japan.

"Terrorist groups, some state-sponsored, are developing these same missile capabilities as we meet here. They are developing the chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons to go with them.

"They do not have all the pieces yet, but they will. That is why Congress has got to give the President the tools he needs to move forward with a defense of America against ballistic missiles, the ultimate terrorist weapons.

"If we remain vulnerable to missile attack, a terrorist group or rogue state that demonstrates the capacity to strike the U.S. or its allies from long range could have the power to hold our entire country hostage to nuclear or other blackmail,'' he said.

"And let me tell you, I've been around the block a few times. There will be another event." He repeated it for emphasis: "There will be another event."

Within minutes of that utterance, Rumsfeld's words proved tragically prophetic.

[Leprechan29]

1. A nation free of missiles

While I would support a missile defense shield (on principle, treaties notwithstanding), the logic behind such a system that it would "stop terrorist missile attacks" is beyond stupidity. The idea that terrorists would try to launch a missile from a nation rather than strategically planting it makes little sense - both because such a missile would likely miss it's target and splash into the ocean, and because it doesn't seem to be the style of any terrorist that we know of (Militaries yes, Terrorists no).

[shraby]

2. Not only that but

we could shoot a missile down while it's out over the ocean with heat seekers.

[Leprechan29]

4. I don't

know about that being accurate (depending on the technology, that might be possible, but it is highly unrealistic for an ICBM-type missile which would be unreachable and uncatchable by any current missile platform), but with a few tests, that would be an interesting theory.

[ramblin_dave]

3. Bush kept to his schedule pretending nothing was wrong

while listening to the pet goat story. Cheney was sitting in his office watching the attack on TV. All these guys were acting out a preplanned script, to keep to their schedule and pretend that they couldn't imagine what was going down.

[Old and In the Way]

5. Total BS.

"When minutes later, the Pentagon itself was hit by a Boeing 757 loaded with civilian passengers" The Pentagon was hit 52 minutes after the 2nd WTC hit. You are correct DYEW that this guy's recall has a lot to be desired.

Love the way he tries to make the case for a Missle Defense System....that was a hot topic for this administration just before 9/11. Another MIC boondoggle to soak the US taxpayer with.

How many terrorists are capable of building a support and test system for ballistic missles? Think they could keep that a secret?

Total horseshit. Prehaps we'd be better off investing in new military generals that can react to commercial aircraft flying into the Pentagon with an hour's "heads up".