9/11: WI Flight 93 crashed into White House?
- Thread starter Troper
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I don't think anything other than Alien Space Bats could get the US to use nuclear force in response to 9/11.
I'm not entirely sure WHAT will happen if Bush flips out, to be honest. He was one of the worst US presidents in a long time and he really didn't seem to have that great of a grasp on the implications of using force. If he became unhinged...well, I'm not sure I'd like to find out.
If Bush decided to give a launch order--and I'm not sure WHAT he'd do in that situation--it's either going to launch a nuke or its going to result in him being removed from office.
I'm pretty sure no members of the Bush family were at the White House that day. Cheney was, but he and the rest of the staff went into the WH bomb shelter after word came of the 2nd plane hitting the WTC; and if Flight 93 had continued towards DC the White House probably could have been evacuated in time. And that's if it ever got near DC; three planes had already hit targets, everyone knew what was going on, and the Air Force would not have hesitated to shoot it down at that point.
Plus, it's never been clear that Flight 93's target WAS the WH; it's just as likely it was targeting the Capitol.
Plus, it's never been clear that Flight 93's target WAS the WH; it's just as likely it was targeting the Capitol.
I don't think it would affect a lot in the first few years, but the election in 2004, and thus 2008, would be different.
If anything, there would have been an even worse 911 Wall street crash.
If it was any other President than Bush, could there be a chance the US did not go into Iraq or Afghanistan? I think a President's rating depends a lot on the circumstances they are dealing with.
If anything, there would have been an even worse 911 Wall street crash.
If it was any other President than Bush, could there be a chance the US did not go into Iraq or Afghanistan? I think a President's rating depends a lot on the circumstances they are dealing with.
Max that's ridiculous. First off Bush whether you liked him or not wouldn't have just decided to nuke someone especially when he has no idea who to attack. Also moving past his emotional reaction the VP, Sec Def, Sec State, Commander of NORAD, Com of Air Combat Command, and a slew of others are there to keep the President in check. In the case of an overt attack which Bush would be launching, he'd have to get it confirmed by the military. They aren't going to launch a nuke without proper provocation. They would refuse any such order. Rumsfled and Cheney would not have even let Bush send that order.
I'm pretty sure that Laura Bush was in the White House with Cheney in the bunker.
Back to the original question, there is no real changes to history or anything if the White House was destroyed as opposed to 93 crashing. A powerful pscyh blow for sure but doesn't change Afghanistan.
There is speculation in some circles that the U.S. should have responded with nuclear force at let me check... unfortunatley that forum is down right now but I think it was called Tora Borah or some such. Anyway the idea was to use a nuke to destroy a major complex housing Bin Laden and other elements of his leadership as a show of force to the world as well as a way to immediatly kill the leader of Al Qaeda. I do not believe that it was ever seriously considered except for after the fact (I first heard about the idea because Alex over at CF.Net was saying it should have been done) but it was in mind today because Dan Simmons (an American writer of Literature) had writted a brief counterfactual about it over at his forum today but his forum is at the moment down.
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If they knew of a complex housing Bin Laden and other leaders of Al Qaeda then why didn't they attack it at the time? Didn't have to be a nuclear attack but a big bang of some other kind could surely have been arranged that would have levelled said complex. It would have been a splendid retaliation if done quickly enough after the atrocity of 9/11.
The president can't just launch nukes though it has to go through the army, who although quit twisted themselves are not insane.
Orville_third
Banned
Actually, according to the official story, it was headed for the Capitol. However, even today, nobody's sure what to do if something bad were to happen to Congress...
This could lead to Bush's becoming even more of a "unitary executive" than before- hey, nobody in Congress could oppose him, and the Supreme Court got him in...
Of course, if it were to hit the White House, it could trap Cheney inside. He wouldn't die, but the Urban SAR teams would go after Cheney first...
This could lead to Bush's becoming even more of a "unitary executive" than before- hey, nobody in Congress could oppose him, and the Supreme Court got him in...
Of course, if it were to hit the White House, it could trap Cheney inside. He wouldn't die, but the Urban SAR teams would go after Cheney first...
I don't think there's a single President who wouldn't have invaded Afghanistan after 9/11. Iraq is another matter entirely, however.
AmIndHistoryAuthor
Banned
If Cheney were killed in the attack, that raises an interesting point. Who becomes Bush's most influential advisor? I don't think any other of his inner circle would've manipulated intel going to the President in the same way as Cheney, as completely or successfully.
I don't think Laura Bush's possible death in an attack would affect Bush the way Max thinks. Think back to other presidents who've lost family during their time in office. Coolidge went into almost a clinical depression, sleeping 12 hours a day and saying little to anyone, after his son died. Lincoln's melancholy deepened, but he seems to have drawn on some inner reserve of strength, making him the most reflective president we've ever had.
So would Bush be emotionally crippled by Laura's death? Or might he become something completely unlike himself today, a thoughtful man determined to rise above his personal tragedy? His faith might be the determining factor. No doubt he'd pray a lot, but how else would a deepened faith affect his actions. I don't think it'd make him automatically bloodthirsty for vengeance, but it might make him even more of a Crusader. Trying to turn the military mission more explictly evangelical perhaps?
I don't think Laura Bush's possible death in an attack would affect Bush the way Max thinks. Think back to other presidents who've lost family during their time in office. Coolidge went into almost a clinical depression, sleeping 12 hours a day and saying little to anyone, after his son died. Lincoln's melancholy deepened, but he seems to have drawn on some inner reserve of strength, making him the most reflective president we've ever had.
So would Bush be emotionally crippled by Laura's death? Or might he become something completely unlike himself today, a thoughtful man determined to rise above his personal tragedy? His faith might be the determining factor. No doubt he'd pray a lot, but how else would a deepened faith affect his actions. I don't think it'd make him automatically bloodthirsty for vengeance, but it might make him even more of a Crusader. Trying to turn the military mission more explictly evangelical perhaps?
Satan could competently run a nation. 6,000 years strong.
Bush was more like...well, the guy you could have a beer with seems the best example. Frat brothers a fun, but they don't run the most effective strategy for economic development and prosperity, and let's leave it at that.
If the White House is attacked, expect things to go into panic mode far more than it did on 9/11 already.