> -----Original Message-----
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On
[snip]
> One theory I've heard is that today (9/12) the US was due to sentence one
> of Bin Laden's associates for the attempted bombing of the WTC
> several years
> ago, and the latest act of terrorism was timed to coincide with or stymie
> that act of sentencing.
Perhaps, but they didn't have too much choice about when to do this, if only
because they needed a clear day. There are many, many days when the WTC
and/or Washington are so obscured by haze or weather that they wouldn't have
had a good chance of success. Of course, to hit the Pentagon, one could
probably follow the ILS into National... but another problem is that in
doing so, as well as when maneuvering around NYC, the chance of a collision
with another plane would have been much, much higher in IMC (instrument
meteorological conditions). As it was, one of the WTC planes almost
collided with another jetliner, which took evasive action. Since they shut
down the planes' transponders, which give altitude info to ATC, controllers
wouldn't be able to keep other traffic away from them very well at all,
given the crowded airspace around there.
So, to think like the terrorists as well as I can, in their shoes I would
wait for a very clear day, as they did. That's also desirable from a PR
standpoint, of course. Under IMC, the pictures would not have been nearly
so dramatic.
Who knows what other logistical issues might have constrained them...
Nick
