After all, this is the command center for the American military, why were missile defense systems or jets sent to shoot it down before it hit the Pentagon. Why was the plane just allowed to cross restricted air space and hit the pentagon without it being shot down.
2006-09-11 16:16:53 · 4 answers · asked by General Vic 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Other - Politics & Government
Okay... a case of closing the barn-door after the horse has run off... mobile AA-missiles were placed around DC and the Pentagon AFTER the attacks. An interesting question would be are they STILL in place today ??
I don't believe the Pentagon HAD a missile-defense system or even simple AAA (Anti-Aircraft Artillerly) in place between post-WW II and 9/11/01.
I'd imagine happy liberals would be greatly offended to have weapons placed near their homes, schools, and Starbucks. "Goodness... how can one have a proper cocktail party with the ARMY around !!"
Jets sent to shoot the Aircraft down ? All a matter of timing, distance, and poor-communications (plus an all-time low number of air-defence alert fighters).
Having read about half of the 9/11 report now... the NEADS (North East Air Defense System) was notified of the FIRST hijacking at 8:38am... NEADS scrambled aircraft (2) from Otis ANGB in Massachusetts at 8:46 (airborn at 8:53) to cover New York. The World Trade Center strikes occur at 8:46 and 9:03.
NEADS then scrambles two additional AC from Langley AFB in Virginia at 09:24 and AA flight 77 struck the Pentagon at 9:37 am.
The hijackers in the last two hijacked aircraft turned off their transponders, and Air-Traffic Controllers had great difficulty tracking them. ATC use lower-powered radars than radars used to TRACK & TARGET threat aircraft
Also... simply... it would take an order from the President (or perhaps SecDef) to shoot down an unarmed aircraft.
2006-09-11 16:52:30 · answer #1 · answered by mariner31 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think even now, no-one will lightly give the order to shoot down a domestic airliner that strays into restricted airspace for a minute or two.
So, there are always going to be vulnerabilities which cannot be dealt with in one standard way, as the next attack might be completely different again.
2006-09-11 23:26:00 · answer #2 · answered by Bart S 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Real footage or proof of that plane would help too.
2006-09-12 00:03:54 · answer #3 · answered by ? 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It was a commercial passenger plane.Shooting it down is contrary to most people's way of thinking. At least it was back then.
Now, will you answer my question too, please?
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AtSQy_mVn7DCWbXLMLxgDRLsy6IX?qid=20060911151746AAaYpYp
2006-09-11 23:23:00 · answer #4 · answered by hott.dawg™ 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋