It astounds me. An American medical doctor has lectured me on how the U.S. government "was behind 9/11", needlessly multiplying entities, and boldly assuming competence and perfect secrecy on the part of the U.S. Government (the one that can't even cover up mislaid nukes...). I got so fed up with his self-congratulatory nonsense and proud prounouncements that he was privy to the 'real' story that I lost my temper a little. I looked him square in the eye and asked him why he couldn't accept that three dozen third-world scumbags with box cutters and bad personal hygiene changed the Manhattan skyline.

The reaction was remarkable. He started howling that there was no way this could be the case.

<sigh> I fear for the Republic.