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9/11 domestic conspiracy theory

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The 9/11 domestic conspiracy theory asserts that George W. Bush or American intelligence agencies knew, in advance, about the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks.

Theorists often go on to argue that Bush actually supported the attacks as they would provide an excuse to launch the War on Terrorism. (See also: Operation Northwoods). Immediately after the attacks, Donald Rumsfeld was seeking evidence to "pin it" on enemies which were already targets of the administration: Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden. Wesley Clark has revealed pressure on himself to participate in this effort.

Some advocates of this theory claim that, on the day of the terrorist attacks, Israeli workers were warned not to go to work at the World Trade Center and that key government officials were warned not to fly on aircraft heading through New York and Washington airspace. Suspiciously, these theories were "debunked" before even a cursory body count was available, statistics from which might credibly have done so. No analysis has been done of the number of Israeli citizens or government officials who died, at least not since the actual death toll (which t initially contained over 1000 additional names of persons later discovered to be alive).

Advocates also claim that Bush has not allowed a proper investigation of the attacks.

The theory is also supported by the story of Delmart Vreeland[?], a spy for the Office of Naval Intellegence[?]. While in Canadian custody on August 11 and 12 2001, Mr. Vreeland wrote a note which listed a number of targets such as the Sears Towers[?], World Trade Center the White House and The Pentagon. The note also said: "Let one happen. Stop the rest!!!" The notes which were in an evidence locker on the morning of September 11, can be seen at: http://www.guerrillanews.com/wildcard/thenotes

Like most conspiracy theories, this one is generally derided by authority as being unsubstantiated, and less credible claims are examined in depth as more credible ones go unexamined. This happens even on Wikipedia (see Talk:9/11_domestic_conspiracy_theory).

This theory is not unique - such struggles to write history are common. It parallels the more widespread belief that the US government had advance knowledge of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, which propelled the US into World War II, and the accepted historical facts that Winston Churchill knew about the attack on Coventry, and that Adolf Hitler approved the Reichstag Fire[?].

Distrust of authority plays a role in the propagation of any such theory.