There are too many conspiracy theories regarding 9/11

[gandalf]

according to Ben-Veniste and the NY Times (one year ago, I thought Ben-Veniste would aks tough questions). Naturally you think they refer to the official version. Even here on DU some people firmly believe these jokes.

No, they refer to the really really unsubstantiated rumor that Ashcroft stopped flying commercial jets before 9/11.

Read this liberal-biased analysis of a NY Times article, the latter containing the following snip:

"So it was no accident on Tuesday that one commissioner, Richard Ben-Veniste, asked Attorney General John Ashcroft about reports that he stopped flying on commercial aircraft before the attacks. Mr. Ashcroft was only too glad to set the record straight, saying he 'never ceased to use commercial aircraft for my personal travel.'

"Mr. Ben-Veniste was pleased, too. 'By putting that in the public domain,' he said on Wednesday, 'I think we can at least take the step toward reducing the number of conspiracy theories, of which there are many.'"

[BlueEyedSon]

1. Bee Ess

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2001/07/26/national/main303601.shtml

Ashcroft Flying High

WASHINGTON, July 26, 2001

(CBS) Fishing rod in hand, Attorney General John Ashcroft left on a weekend trip to Missouri Thursday afternoon aboard a chartered government jet, reports CBS News Correspondent Jim
Stewart.

In response to inquiries from CBS News over why Ashcroft was traveling exclusively by leased jet aircraft instead of commercial airlines, the Justice Department cited what it called a "threat
assessment" by the FBI, and said Ashcroft has been advised to travel only by private jet for the remainder of his term.

"There was a threat assessment and there are guidelines. He is acting under the guidelines," an FBI spokesman said. Neither the FBI nor the Justice Department, however, would identify what
the threat was, when it was detected or who made it.

A senior official at the CIA said he was unaware of specific threats against any Cabinet member, and Ashcroft himself, in a speech in California, seemed unsure of the nature of the threat.

EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT

[gandalf]

2. Perhaps the NYT cannot afford Internet access

has no archive and suffers from memory losses. The same for Ben-Veniste.

[Moderator]

6. BlueEyedSon

Per DU copyright rules
please post only four
paragraphs from the
news source.


Thank you.

DU Moderator

[BlueEyedSon]

7. Right, sorry!

Just tried to edit it, but it's too late.
:(

[mouse7]

3. Like that one about 19 guys conspiring to crash planes into buildings

I mean, how absurd. People thinking regular guys could hijack several airplanes in US airspace, and then pilot them into skyscrapers. Ridiculous!

[skip fox]

4. Here's the Moussaoui/FISA mystery (if you're running low):

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x45821

[mmonk]

5. If the truth is simple

then tell it. Otherwise, put up with conspiracy theories.