Steven Vincent Johnson wrote:
. . . Nevertheless, a vocal group can not accept these explanations
as plausible. For them, it would seem that there MUST be additional
more sinister explanations, that missiles and/or strategically
positioned chemical explosives had to have been used as well.
Why?
I think it's fair to say that events happen in our lives that seem
to suggest the disquieting fact that we aren't always in control of
our destinies.
. . .
How could this happen? There had to be a reason! WHOSE TO BLAME?
...For something this horrible to have transpired there MUST have
been a methodical nefarious plan in place. It's just too horrible to
believe otherwise.
. . .
As long as we externalize the emotional trauma attributed to the WTC
collapse as the result of missiles and/or explosives, at least we
won't have to wrestle with another personal demon that every time we
pay for an air ticket and take our seats in a passenger jet that we
are contributing the kinetic energy of our own helpless bodies to a
potential terrorist bomb capable of killing thousands of people and
leveling tall buildings in a flash of an eye. Yeah, it HAD to have
been missiles ...yeah, and explosives too. Yeah, that's the ticket.
You have hit the nail on the head! People want to believe in a deeper
conspiracy. This makes them feel better. Frankly, I would just as
soon be attacked by religious fanatics as by a crazed U.S. administration.
Regarding thermite, NIST writes:
"Therefore, while a thermite reaction can cut through large steel
columns, many thousands of pounds of thermite would need to have been
placed inconspicuously ahead of time, remotely ignited, and somehow
held in direct contact with the surface of hundreds of massive
structural components to weaken the building. This makes it an
unlikely substance for achieving a controlled demolition."
This shows why a quantitative analysis is called for. The hypothesis
sounds vaguely plausible until you see "many thousands of pounds." No
one could bring in and install that mass of material without being
noticed in the middle of an office building in New York City.
- Jed
