Part 8/11:
Throughout the day, numerous aircraft were reported as hijacked, creating a whirlwind of false responses that left military commanders scrambling. Reports of “phantom flights” suggested multiple hijacking attempts taking place across the skies, complicating responses and overwhelming air traffic control systems.
An Opaque Response to Tragedy
The official response to the events of 9/11 has since been criticized as slow and disorganized, exacerbated by the pre-existing military drills. Officials have insisted that these exercises enhanced the military’s ability to respond; however, evidence and recorded conversations suggest otherwise.