Let’s share 9/11 stories here

[UncleMark]

They spent a lot of time on chemical and biological too. Turns out the WMD intel was wrong but it was about chemical, biological and nuclear. Nuclear was the weakest case they had really.

It was the "impending" nuclear capability that GWB used as his "red line" that Saddam couldn't be allowed to cross.

 

[Rockfish1]

Do you really wanna think there was no larger and strategic reason why the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor? Big objectives are pretty normal in Wars. All I’m asking is what might be AQ’s larger and strategic goal when they attacked us. Your suggestion that they followed “ideology” is no answer.

There’s no reason for you to be confused about this. There’s a veritable library of reporting and scholarship on this. Anyone who’s interested knows why al Qaeda attacked us. There’s no mystery here.

 

[Aloha Hoosier]

My brother and I were still in school but it's the day we both vowed to join the military. Now my brother is a SEAL and can retire in less than 5 years and I'm in the Air Force and over half way to a retirement. Time is flying.

I had just transferred from my 5th ship and had just pinned on silver oak leaves! Time does fly.

 

[CO. Hoosier]

There’s no reason for you to be confused about this. There’s a veritable library of reporting and scholarship on this. Anyone who’s interested knows why al Qaeda attacked us. There’s no mystery here.

There is a plethora of opinions and scholarship about that. I’ve read a lot of it. “Mystery” is not the issue. The issue is lack of a uniform credible opinion from people who know more than me. This is in stark contrast to the consensus about the Japanese objectives.

 

[anon_mlxxvlbug9dpa]

There’s no reason for you to be confused about this. There’s a veritable library of reporting and scholarship on this. Anyone who’s interested knows why al Qaeda attacked us. There’s no mystery here.

Correct. Like I said, I’m out.

 

[Marvin the Martian]

Since I am the one that brought up Pearl, Pearl was not really part of a long term plan. Yamamoto famously said that he could put up a tough fight after Pearl for 6 months, but had no idea how the war would go if it lasted longer. Japan's strategy really consisted of us surrendering because our battleships were sunk. Not an unconditional surrender, but a surrender that gave Japan her other conquests from the December attacks.

 

[Noodle]

Since I am the one that brought up Pearl, Pearl was not really part of a long term plan. Yamamoto famously said that he could put up a tough fight after Pearl for 6 months, but had no idea how the war would go if it lasted longer. Japan's strategy really consisted of us surrendering because our battleships were sunk. Not an unconditional surrender, but a surrender that gave Japan her other conquests from the December attacks.

I know that at the time of the attack battleships were seen as far more important targets than carriers, but didn't the Japanese also assume they would catch our aircraft carriers in port?

 

[MrBing]

I had just transferred from my 5th ship and had just pinned on silver oak leaves! Time does fly.

You old!

 

[Marvin the Martian]

I know that at the time of the attack battleships were seen as far more important targets than carriers, but didn't the Japanese also assume they would catch our aircraft carriers in port?

They hoped to. It certainly was their plan. But I am not sure that changes much, in the long run. Aloha may have better handle on it, but we obviously would have struggled more in year 1. But we were capable of building a fleet. Japan built the Taiho in 32 months, our Essex carriers came off in 20 at that point in the war. Japan wanted to build some small carriers, like we would, but they really only got 3 built. They had few resources (ore or oil), the vast majority of her skilled workers were in the military, and her building space was totally insufficient. It took 24 months for one of those small carriers to be built put into action (Unryu was started in fall of 42 and her first combat mission was fall of 44). By the time it came off line, our Essex carriers were down to 16 months and were FAR better. And Japan wasn't able to build the other ships that should go with her (destroyers to protect her mainly).

So from Pearl on, Japan built one fleet carrier and 3 small carriers (one was converted to a transport) and converted one Yamato class battleship to a carrier. We built 14 Essex class, about 50 Casablanca class, and 10 or so Commencement Bay.

It would be like me walking up to Mike Tyson and thinking "Hey, he's not paying attention, I can get one good hit in". That may be true, but that isn't a strategy.

 

[Hoosier_Hack]

You must’ve been a terrible combat leader and planner if you think what he said is wrong.

Actually very efficient at killing the asses. Not very efficient at making friends with them. Never been asked to make friends. But the fact Marines and Army have a different approach is not surprising. There is a huge difference of how the two branches interact with locals in the field. We kill. Don’t ask us to make lemonade.