Anthrax/ABC and Bentonite . . . Just figured this one out ---

[defendandprotect]

As I reflected on how I would have done this, it became immediately obvious that the
Anthrax was going to trace back immediately to our own military lab --

And why would anyone do that --- ??? Pretty dumb, eh?

Especially when the object would have been to implicate IRAQ/Islam/Muslims in the attack --

Then I remembered this story about the BENTONITE -- and realized that ABC was probably only
doing what they were told to do . . .

BECAUSE THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE BENTONITE IN THE ANTHRAX --
BUT EVIDENTLY SOMEONE SLIPPED UP --

OR THE MESSAGE DIDN'T GET THRU . . . WHATEVER, IT DIDN'T HAPPEN --



CONCLUSION: THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE BENTONITE IN THE ANTHRAX TO CONNECT IT TO IRAQ --- !!!!
***********************************************************************


Excerpt from thread ---

ANTHRAX & ABC: They’re not protecting “sources.”-They're protecting "fabricators and liars"
by kpete


ABC News already knows the answers to these questions. They know who concocted the false bentonite story and who passed it on to them with the specific intent of having them broadcast those false claims to the world, in order to link Saddam to the anthrax attacks and — as importantly — to conceal the real culprit(s) (apparently within the U.S. government) who were behind the attacks. And yet, unbelievably, they are keeping the story to themselves, refusing to disclose who did all of this. They’re allegedly a news organization, in possession of one of the most significant news stories of the last decade, and they are concealing it from the public, even years later.

They’re not protecting “sources.” The people who fed them the bentonite story aren’t “sources.” They’re fabricators and liars who purposely used ABC News to disseminate to the American public an extremely consequential and damaging falsehood. But by protecting the wrongdoers, ABC News has made itself complicit in this fraud perpetrated on the public, rather than a news organization uncovering such frauds. That is why this is one of the most extreme journalistic scandals that exists, and it deserves a lot more debate and attention than it has received thus far.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=3717402&mesg_id=3717402

[mmonk]

1. Quite possible. Or maybe the person in charge

of obtaining the correct anthrax did a double cross.

[liberalmuse]

2. I remember the Bentonite thing from years ago.

And this is why the anthrax wasn't believed to have been from Iraq. And I agree the whole thing reeks of bullshit.

[Supersedeas]

10. first the faulty Iraq connection (complete with pre-War Major Media drums), then

falsely accusing two other 'suspects' -- Assad and Hatfill

Maybe the third 'suspect' is the charm for Mukasey and Co.

[adamuu]

18. agreed. what is that awful smell? n/t

[autorank]

3. k*r That's smokin' gun material

There's a direct lead to those who had knowledge of the conspiracy to lie about the anthrax attacks.

The motive is implied by the lie - to cover up the true assailants. The sources for Jennings
may or may not have direct knowledge of the attach but they clearly know who told them to lie.

Excellent analysis.

[Kaleko]

4. Quite plausible.

You know, even the best laid Plans... (for a New American Century) can get derailed by the littlest slip-ups sometimes.

That Dr. Ivins, who purportedly was a Roman Catholic, had no reason on earth to pose as a Muslim scribbling death threats to Israel and the U.S. if he was truly acting as a lone homicidal madman should be obvious by now.

Sorry, spooks, your story doesn't add up! There'll be lawsuits coming, and hopefully they will be high-powered enough to put some fear back into all these hyenas and parasites.

[AntiFascist]

15. Focus on the mainstream media's story...

They seem to be pushing the meme that he did this as a way of testing an anthrax vaccine/cure that was in development. I always judge potential government plots by the number of goals that are simultaneously achieved. This one shut down Congress at a crucial time while evaluating 9-11, intimidated liberal powers (both in Congress and media), and provided justification for war with Iraq while stirring up fears of domestic Muslim terror.

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[fasttense]

6. High government officials knew anthrax attacks were coming.

"he was told before the anthrax attacks happened by a "high government official" to take cipro."

So how could Dr. Ivins have acted alone?

[KharmaTrain]

7. And Has Brian Ross Spoke Up Yet???

Methinks he has a bunch of 'splainin' to do on this. He just didn't make those words up...where did they come from?

The other morning C-SPIN had Eric Lichtblau on...he's the guy, along James Risen, who broke the FISA and DOJ scandal stories...and I was astonished when he said he didn't recall the Bentonite claim...or even an attempt to pin the attack on Iraq. Hell, the corporate media kept showing the letters and the anti-American and anti-Israeli wording of the letters and there were talking heads all over the teevee saying it was either from Iraq or Al Queda (including Gramps). This gets even more confounding considering he worked in a building that was attacked...ya mean he didn't think about where it had come from?

One last thing to remember...in the wake of 9/11, the corporate media went goofy...especially those who worked in New York. The media was full of speculation and fact free "reporting" in those days that amped up the fear. IMHO, there were those who willingly took the bait on stories to get them out there with little concern to check where the information came from and then moved along.

I'd like to hear from Mr. Ross about where he got his information...and any follow-ups he might have done. Yes, I'm highly suspicious of ABC...but have been for years. But also, remember that this regime has played the media as much as the American people when it came to putting out misinformation. So was Ross complicit or just a dupe?

[annabanana]

8. "the corporate media went goofy...especially those who worked in New York"

Not that this wouldn't be a fertile ground for mischeif, but everybody in NY "went goofy". If you were withing smelling distance of the pile, you were "off your game" at the very least...

[KharmaTrain]

9. Remember Who Pushed the "9/11 Changed Everything" Mantra

Fortunately I wasn't in lower Manhattan that day, but by niece was...had to walk from near Houston Street to Times Square to catch a train to get out. Also while this was going on, I was IMing with a close friend who was watching the smoke outside his window from across the East River in Brooklyn. Damn right people were freaked out that day...and for weeks and months ahead. Damn right there was a lot of mischief that could have and probably did go on...remember, the corporate media reports first and then fact checks when they get around to it. The fact that New York and Washington were the targets was meant as much a shot at the media as it was at the government or "Wall Street"...those were the two cities that most of their reporting is based out of.

Cheers...

[defendandprotect]

14. You're pointing out something we should reflect on . . .

The fact that New York and Washington were the targets was meant as much a shot at the media as it was at the government or "Wall Street"...those were the two cities that most of their reporting is based out of.

There has, of course, been longstanding GOP hostility for NYC going back decades and - IMO -
jealousy over the financial centers -- as well as disdain for DC ---

I was surprised that we didn't actually see "Wall St" moved to Austin ---

This goes back at least to Nixon and his practices of doing harm to those areas voting against him.

[Junkdrawer]

11. I THINK YOU GOT IT...K&R

Hatfill and Ivins smack of a desperate attempt to repair a botched Black OP.

[Junkdrawer]

12. Betcha someone in the chain that was supposed to put the bentonite in...

was afraid to touch the stuff and, not knowing just how important it was, chickened out and lied.

[Edweird]

13. I haven't heard the story, but anybody that claims bentonite is nefarious or unusual

or even uncommon is dishonest. It is used in construction EVERYWHERE and is commonly referred to as "drilling mud". I have a line truck (used to drill holes in the ground and set poles for power companies) with 5 bags of bentonite on it at work right now. And I only have that "just in case". They were borrowed from another infrastructure contractor and they go through pallets of it at a time. What is the big deal?

[Junkdrawer]

16. Technical details on the use of bentonite in weaponizing anthrax...

...

But dried spores tend to form larger particles, with a static electric charge that makes them cling doggedly to surfaces rather than floating through the air where they can be inhaled.

Fluidising agent

The Soviet Union got around this by grinding dried cultures along with chemicals that cause the particles to remain separate. Iraq is the only other state known to have tried making such a weapon, and it dried anthrax cultures along with bentonite, a clay used as a fluidising agent in powders. But last week the White House said there was no bentonite in the Daschle letter.

...

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn1490-anthrax-preparation-indicates-homegrown-origin.html

[mopinko]

22. it is in the glaze room of every pottery on the planet.

it has a unique particle size, smaller than any other clay, and is used in clay mixes and glazes ALL THE TIME.

[IggleDoer]

17. Want to tie it all together

There is a web site for the US manufacturer of Bentonite (www.bentonite.com). At the bottom of the home page is an interesting little line:

Copyright ©2008 Halliburton. All rights reserved.

That about sums it up!

[adamuu]

19. wow n/t

[jmowreader]

20. Well, why not?

One of bentonite's uses is in drilling mud. Why wouldn't Halliburton want to own a company that makes that?

[leftchick]

21. what a shock!!!!!!

dick's company is involved?!?

[defendandprotect]

23. Maybe they also had a small stash of anthrax . . . ?

The Ames strain at Ft. Detrick has been destroyed ---

but they matched it all before they destroyed it ---

I read they thought that the main supply had been separated from what was used in

the letters . . . and could have been as much as 2-3 years before it was used!


They say that only 4-5 people knew how to mix up a batch of weaponized anthrax ---

and Ivins wasn't one of them!!!



Also start thinking of the logistics of putting this stuff together --- !!!

And look at this funny end bit on the Wiki thread . . . !!!

About 3/4 way down the page . . .

2003-2004: The investigation continues
2003-2004: The investigation continues
May 11, 2003: Ponds on the north side of Catoctin Mountain, near Gambrill Park Road and Tower Road in Frederick, Maryland, are under investigation by the FBI, in connection with the 2001 anthrax attacks. Divers reportedly retrieved a "clear box" with holes that could accommodate protective biological safety gloves, as well as vials wrapped in plastic from a pond in the Frederick Municipal Forest. A new theory has been developed suggesting how a criminal could have packed anthrax spores into envelopes without harming himself.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2001_anthrax_attacks

Camp David is in the Catoctin Mountain National Park --

I've just started looking at some of this info --- many other websites, as well ---

[JCMach1]

24. Here is a useful Anthrax timeline

Just how many 'suicides' are on the list? hmmmmmmmmmm


http://www.heartson.com/Politics/anthrax_research_timeline.html