Moore vs. Clarke

[Kazak]

I have NOT seen Fahrenheit 911, hope to see it this weekend.

I'm under fire trying to argue in favor of Moore (perhaps I should just shut up until I actually see it :shrug:).

They are saying that the 911 commission contradicts Moore's account of the Saudis hasty exodus immediately following 911. Seems like I saw a thread in here about how Clarke's testimony confirmed Moore's account, but I can't seem to find it.

Any ideas about how I might counter this, or should I just cave (I shudder at the thought)?

Thanks.

[Longhorn]

1. Here's a link

http://www.michaelmoore.com/mustread/f911facts/isikoff.php

[cjbuchanan]

2. Don't believe those who attack

I have seen the movie and it says directly, flights after September 13th. It jells fully with the 9/11 commission.

Here is Michael Moore's site on this: http://www.michaelmoore.com/mustread/f911facts/isikoff.php

Here is my review: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x1855822

[rinsd]

3. No, the film states it correctly.

It's Sept 13th when there were some limited flights allowed.

[Hoping4Change]

4. Salient facts form the 911 timeline.

Some commercial flights begin resuming on Sept 13.

However, all private flights are still banned from flying.

Nonetheless, some private flights do take place, carrying Saudi royalty and bin Laden family to transit points so they can leave the country.

These flights take place even as fighters escort down three other private planes attempting to fly...New York Times, 9/30/01, Vanity Fair, 10/03]

One of the flights is a Lear Jet that leaves from a private Raytheon hangar in Tampa, Florida (see also September 25, 2001) and takes three Saudis to Lexington, Kentucky.

Prince Bandar...pushes for the flights...Vanity Fair, 10/03, CBC, 10/29/03 (D)]

For two years, a violation of the air ban is denied by the FAA, FBI, and White House, and decried as an urban legend except for one article detailing them in a Tampa newspaper (Tampa Tribune, 10/5/01).

Finally in 2003, Richard Clarke, National Security Council Chief of Counterterrorism confirms the existence of these flights, and Secretary of State Powell confirms them as well.

The White House is still silent on the matter. The Saudis are evacuated to Saudi Arabia over the next several days (see September 14-19, 2001).


See Paul Thompson's 911 Timeline for more details and quotes from FBI
agents that thorough interviews were not done.

http://www.cooperativeresearch.org/timeline.jsp?timeline=complete_911_timeline_saudis,_bush&startpos=50