This is a great quote:

"I was not going to stand by and simply wait for another attack -- more attacks. I was going to go to the source, Hussein, and get him before he could get us." -- Cohen

You'd think he was informing us of the emotions that drove him to volunteer for a lone nighttime parachute drop into Baghdad.

And then we learn how he actually channeled all that outraged macho bravery -- by hoarding Cipro without alerting the rest of us!

check my signature ... it will take you to the story Emptywheel wrote 3 weeks ago or so ... sorry it took so long to get back to you

If we're talking about Sept 11 and the events leading to the War on Iraq, don't forget the two planes which collided over Queens (?) NY, and the "DC sniper"! While not as well-remembered, as I remember it, they helped, by providing plenty of speculation on how they might be Al Queada bound. Not link 9-11 and the anthrax, but they helped.

And don't forget how gloriously we won Gulf War 1, all by ourselves. How could the War on Iraq not be a repeat of that?

Oh, those were heady days! A new Century, our century, and new wars, wars we couldn't lose. Those were the days.

I suggest extensive research on the post-Sept-11 period, and then more heavy drinking. If you were, even for a brief period, in favor of the War on Iraq, you can chug from the bottle. No, really, just go ahead, I'm sure you need it more than me.

A very important piece and a bunch of great comments. Thanks Glenn!

Meanwhile in alternative universe.....

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The son of a Saudi construction magnate who apparently committed suicide this week was about to be indicted in connection with the 9/11 attacks that killed almost 3000 people and terrorized the country, according to two sources familiar with the investigation.

Prosecutors were considering whether to seek the death penalty against Osama bin Laden, 51, who was involved in the fight against the Soviet Union’s invasion and occupation of Afghanistan, the sources said.

In the last few weeks, Paul F. Kemp, an experienced death penalty attorney, had been appointed to represent bin Laden at public expense because bin Laden was in danger of losing his inheritance upon indictment, one source said.

Bin Laden died Tuesday at Frederick Memorial Hospital, according to an obituary published in the Frederick News-Post. The Los Angeles Times first reported in today's editions that a federal grand jury in Washington had been gathering testimony about bin Laden's alleged involvement in the attacks, and that bin Laden had been notified that criminal charges were looming.

Justice Department spokesman Peter Carr declined comment early this morning. Debbie Weierman, a spokeswoman for the FBI's Washington field office, said, "We are not making any public statement at this time or any public comment regarding the 9/11 investigation."

President Bush "was aware there had been developments" in the 9/11 investigation, according to White House press secretary Dana Perino. But Perino declined to comment about the reports of bin Laden's suicide, and whether there was any connection to the 9/11 probe.

"I have nothing for you on that report," Perino told reporters in Kennebunkport, Maine, where Bush was spending the weekend at his father's Walker's Point compound. Perino said that Bush "over the years has maintained an interest in this case, and has periodically been updated by the FBI director."

Rep. Rush Holt (D-N.J.), a persistent critic of the 9/11 investigation whose office played a key role during the attacks, said "of course we would all hope the case is closed. ...But it doesn't change the fact that this investigation was not well-handled."

Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.), a former FBI agent, said that "if this is the guy, it provides some sense of relief that we know how he did it and who he was. We may never know what his motivations were. But it would be a relief to know that this chapter is closed."

A memorial service would be held Aug. 9 at The Hussein Mosque, where bin Laden was a parishioner and a musician who performed at some of the worship services. Bin Laden was also a member of his local chapter of the International Islamic Relief Organization, which will receive the proceeds of a memorial fund established in bin Laden honor at the Carlyle Group. Bin Laden and his wife of 33 years, Najwa Ghanem Bin Laden, had two grown children.

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This satire. In no way am I implying the guilt or innocence of any named or unnamed person.

911 was more consequential because it was more devastating physically and mentaly and in any other manufactured ways you can conjure up.

First, its "9/11". "911" is what you call on the phone when you have an emergency and need assistance. A small but significant point you should take to heart.

Second, and speaking as a NYC resident who (but for a quirk in my morning's schedule) would have been in Tower Two when it hit, please don't think you can lecture on how devastating the Twin Towers' collapse was. I work not four blocks of Ground Zero and need no such reminders.

Third, Glenn's point wasn't a comparison of how much physical damage the two attacks caused, but how the anthrax letters solidified the atmosphere of fear we as a country have only just started to wake from.

To suggest the antrax attacks were more consequential is just another tact to diminish what happened on 911.

You're treading on dangerous ground here, son. Back away before you say something you'll live to regret.

You've clearly proven with your writings that that is one of your agendas.

Your crap may be brilliant to the sheep here but in the real world it's just crap.

Odd that I see no agenda in Glenn's work. Just solid analysis back by clear facts.

You, on the other hand? Go shovel it somewhere else before someone turns you into mulch.

Glenn, a truly riveting story with nasty, gut-wrenching implications. Terrible times do sometimes at least yield superior journalism. You are a national treasure. Stay safe. (But keep sticking your neck out.)

Joelhb53's reference to "Christian terrorists" got me to thinking about one alternate version of events.

Ivins sends out the anthrax acting alone, out of some self-indoctrinated, apocalyptic private version of Catholic theology, crudely targeting liberals he sees as obstacles to a coming Holy War. He is well-placed, when the anthrax is sent to his lab for analysis, to add a "bentonite/Iraq" spin that others in his department eagerly embrace, further adding to his good works in trying to speed up Armaggedon.

The Bush Administration and their enablers and fellow travelers in the media jump on the attacks and the lab analysis for their own purposes.

At some point, Ivins' culpability becomes apparent. However, this is doubly embarassing: not only does he work in a highly sensitive Government laboratory (which would prompt questions like "How could such a wacko get a job like that and then pull something like this off?"), but he is a (dementedly) devout Christian (leading people to wonder if maybe some home-grown Christian fanatics are as, if not more, dangerous to our national security as Muslim extremists, especially ones in high and sensitive places in government.).

These are not conclusions an administration known for zealously employing religious fundamentalists would want to encourage.

Accordingly, there are multi-year attempts to direct attention elsewhere, which ultimately fail. The investigation finally turns to Ivins, but the wheels of justice move extremely slowly, but with an inevitability that Ivins can't ignore. He finally self-destructs under the pressure (not an unpredictable outcome for an unstable, homicidal religious fanatic probably torturing himself with his own guilt).

Case closed. Files filed. If only that pesky Glenn Greenwald would just go back to defending the Constitution...