Washington, D.C.
For two years before Sept. 11, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) practiced responding to terrorist attacks in which hijackers tried to fly airliners into U.S. targets, USA Today reported this week. In one drill, the target was the World Trade Center. In another, it was to be the Pentagon, until Defense officials scratched that scenario because it was “too unrealistic.” NORAD spokesmen said none of the exercises matched 9/11 exactly; for instance, the fictional terrorists took off from abroad, while the real ones hijacked domestic flights. President Bush has said that prior to 9/11, he never envisioned airliners being used as missiles. The White House said it had not been aware of the tests by NORAD, a joint U.S.-Canadian operation.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
One great cookbook: Joshua McFadden’s ‘Six Seasons of Pasta’the week recommends The pasta you know and love. But ever so much better.
-
Scientists are worried about amoebasUnder the radar Small and very mighty
-
Buddhist monks’ US walk for peaceUnder the Radar Crowds have turned out on the roads from California to Washington and ‘millions are finding hope in their journey’
