To help with learning the language, I try to be resourceful and find material to listen to or watch, such as BBC News (in Arabic), videos (television programs) posted on YouTube by Al-Jazeera, read online news web sites, etc. Recently, Osama bin Laden issued a new video/audio message to Europeans. I was able to listen to that and understand pretty well what he said, including “the truth is that as I said previously that I was responsible for the events in Manhattan.” The various Bin Laden videos have been useful for learning the language, since he is very well-spoken and that some of the videos come with English subtitles.

For now, I am posting on a new website - Al Duroos.com, which I am using as a way to practice and learn Arabic vocabulary, grammar, find learning resources, etc. I expect to be back here and expanding the content on this site more in a month or so. At some point, I hope to be proficient enough with Arabic, to begin translating content here on this site into Arabic, as well as making use of Arabic-language material (e.g. news articles) to make this site better.

إن شاء اللة (in shaa’ allah)

The Global War on Terrorism, “GWAT” as he terms it, is a misnomer. It is not global, and not so much a war, but rather a struggle against violent Islamic extremism. Al Qaeda uses terrorism as a tactic, in its quest to replace apostate governments in the Middle East with a Caliphate. Al Qaeda is not so much political (no programs and policies), but would lead similarly to the Taliban in Afghanistan in how women are treated, restrictions on cultural activities, and other such restrictions. Clarke advocates an intelligence/law enforcement approach, more so than a military approach. Key Al Qaeda leaders that have been captured thus far, they have been located and captured by intelligence or law enforcement. It is also required to challenge Al Qaeda on its ideology. The “Battle of Ideas” is critical in dealing with Al Qaeda.

The War in Iraq has damaged the credibility of the U.S. in Muslim countries. On the notion that “if the U.S. leaves Iraq, there will be chaos and Al Qaeda will build a sanctuary there”, Clarke asks “how would we know? how would chaos be different than the current situation”? Al Qaeda has already gone in, and have training opportunities in Iraq with targets brought to them. If Al Qaeda tries to build camps in Iraq, would the U.S have to accept that? No. Clarke explains that “We would ask the government to eliminate it. If they don’t we do.” That does not require the U.S. to have troops in Iraq, as the U.S. would still have air capabilities, as well as special forces stationed in the Persian Gulf region. Regarding Iran, Clarke does not support an aggressive, military approach towards them, as that only exacerbates the situation rather than helping.

Audio of his talk, as well as from other speakers, is available online at the conference website.

Al Qaeda threat

- Two-thirds of top Al Qaeda leaders have been captured or killed
- By 2003-2004, Al Qaeda had become irrelevant and no longer mattered. They had become a “spent force”, in part because the United States invaded Afghanistan and “smashed” the sanctuary there and damaged Al Qaeda’s infrastructure.

Fact is that Al Qaeda has reconstituted in in northwest Pakistan, in Warziristan and along the Afghanistan border. Those leaders that have been captured, have since been replaced. Al Qaeda has been recruiting throughout the Islamic world, and has newly established training facilities where they teach recruits. Then, those recruits are sent back out in the world. Now, Al Qaeda is just as strong as they were pre-9/11, as documented in this year’s National Intelligence Estimate

• 6 Years After 9/11, the Same Threat - The New York Times

Al Qaeda is as strong as ever, top leaders not captured, mid-level leaders replaced, and the group now poses a threat.

He also spoke about the “Global War on Terrorism”, Iraq, and Iran - summaries of his remarks will come in later posts here.

Nonetheless, I found some news footage of the demolition:

• Sands Casino Hotel Imploded - video on MyFox New York

In the video, you hear the charges go off for ~18 seconds, with very very loud, very very distinct sounds in quick repetition (like in my implosion video). The way that Sands was brought down, the sound of the charges and all, is just like the implosion I had the good fortune to go see. (Tencza Apartments) This is yet more proof that the collapse of the World Trade Center towers and 7 World Trade Center were nothing at all like a controlled demolition. The unmistakable sound of charges going off is completely absent in all the numerous videos of the World Trade Center collapse, as well as videos of WTC7.

For the Sands implosion, it’s also important to note the preparations involved. R.E. Pierson Construction Co. and Controlled Demolition Inc. worked on this project, drilling over 200 holes into concrete pillars and the floors for the 400 pounds of dynamite. In all, the preparations took 2-3 months.

Sands to have explosive ending - The Press of Atlantic City

The CIT has been coming to Washington on a few occasions, including August 2006, where they go around interviewing 9/11 witnesses, often showing up unannounced. They coaxed two Pentagon police officers into saying the plane crossed over Columbia Pike, over the Navy Annex, and flew north of the Citgo. They include some other interviews in “The Pentacon” to support their theory. They say if the plane flew north of the Citgo, then evidence such as the downed light poles must have been planted by the government. And, the plane couldn’t have gotten low enough and crashed into the Pentagon. Instead, they say the plane did a “fly over” and went off somewhere. And, there was some other explosion at the Pentagon.

Lyte Trip’s north of the Citgo theory:

Actual flight path:

Close up view of actual flight path:

Well, the plane was going so fast, passed over in just seconds before they saw it crash into the Pentagon. Details such as the exact flight path may be difficult to precisely recall, especially five years after the fact. There are witnesses that say things like, “In my adrenaline-filled state of mind, I was overcome by my visual senses.” (Penny Elgas) Surely, the experience makes some people numb, simply in shock. Still unmistakable that they saw the plane crash into the building, but when asked to recall details such as flight path, five years later, there may be some discrepancy in witness accounts. Accounts taken closer to the time of the attacks, particularly those in the days after the 9/11 attacks, would be more reliable in regards to details.

Screenshot of the “Flight 77″ The White Plane video - Craig on the left, talking to a witness:

In this “White Plane” video, they ask some more witnesses about the color of the plane. With how fast the plane was going, how brief their glimpse of it, and how sunny it was, it may have appeared white to some people. And, surely it was extremely unexpected to see it pass over, as it did. The witnesses all describe seeing an American Airlines jet, a police officer thought it was “champagne” (more of a silvery/gray color), and they describe a plane with red and blue stripes, maroon writing/markings, and windows.

It is also important to note where these witnesses were at the time. They were at the Army-Navy Country Club and in the neighborhood, by Hoffman Boston Elementary School. All of these locations are closer to I-395, and at some distance away from Columbia Pike. From these locations, the plane would have continued on the straight line path and crossed south of the Citgo, before knocking down the light poles, and crashing into the Pentagon. This is entirely consistent with the “official flight path”, which again is based on evidence (the flight data recorder, downed light poles, etc.). These witnesses contradict “the Pentacon” and the “north of the Citgo” theory.

This is the entrance to the NYAS office on the 40th floor:

WTC7 - more photos

Costs

I think it’s useful to see the 45th floor (unfinished) compared to the 40th floor (finished). It cost $700 million for Larry Silverstein to build the new 7 WTC, but that’s with all the floors unfinished. What’s not figured in that price tag is that each floor needs to be finished and set-up for whatever needs the tenants have. The designers/architects who finished the space for the NYAS were on hand on Saturday. They explained that it cost $12 million to finish the 40th floor for the NYAS. In all, there are 42 floors of space to lease in the building. (along with the mechanical space used by Con Edison)

$12 million * 42 = $502 million.

$700 million (cost of the building) + $502 million = $1.3 billion

Silverstein received $861 million from insurance on the old building, however he had $400 million remaining in mortgage to pay off for the old building. He was left with $461 million. And, he still has to pay the the ground lease for WTC7 and the rest of the complex. ($102 million annually) - that’s $612 million since 9/11/2001

Also, it cost $1.4 billion to restore the adjacent Verizon Building, which was heavily damaged by the collapse of WTC7. Fiterman Hall, located next to WTC7, is currently undergoing deconstruction, and will be replaced with a new building. I’m not sure how much all that costs.

Do the math. In all, very substantial costs involved due to the collapse of WTC7, rather than people making a profit from insurance proceeds.

Anyway, the photos are posted here: (be patient for the page to load all images)

• WTC7 - gallery

Same photos are also posted on Flickr (this may be faster):

• WTC7 - Flickr set