FBI documents were obtained from the FBI after their Investigation called “VANITYBOM” [138 Pages, 46.34MB]

 FBI Response To October 2003 Vanity Fair Article (Re: ______ Family Departures After 9/11/2001) [ 40 Pages, 0.95MB ] – This document was obtained by Judicial Watch in 2005. I have requested a Mandatory Declassification Review (MDR) of this document, in hopes to get more released.

 FBI documents released to researcher Russ Kick, regarding “Saudi Arabian Elites” and the flights they took to get out of the United States shortly after 9/11 [215 Pages, 52.9MB] – These records were provided by the family of anthologist and transparency activist Russ Kick, from his papers, facilitated by the generous assistance of Dr. Susan Maret.  

The post Unveiling the Departure of Saudi Nationals Post 9/11: A Puzzling Chapter first appeared on The Black Vault.

In international relations theory, the term “new world order” refers to a new period of history evidencing a dramatic change in world political thought and the balance of power. However, in conspiracy theory, the term “New World Order” (the capital letters are distinguishing) refers to the advent of a cryptocratic or authoritarian world government.

Document Archive

Alternative World Scenarios for a New Order of Nations [144 Pages] – The author of this futures work presents scenarios appropriate for near- to long-range planning of the activities of the Department of Defense and its agencies out to the year 2020 and beyond. Additionally, the scenarios, because of their design, are useful to other departments of the U.S. Government, industry, business, and academia. Forecasts developed for this report use a technique created by the author for monitoring past, present, and future global trends and events, which he molds into plausible and thought-provoking scenarios of the United States in the world’s societies of tomorrow. These plausible scenarios are provided so that users can build policies and make decisions while anticipating and judging their consequences before implementation. Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Military environments, Alternative world scenarios, Active and reserve components, Long-range planning.

American Exceptionalism and a New World Order [23 Pages, 300 kb] – The United States has a long tradition of placing American values at the center of foreign policy. Establishing a new world order that is based on three cornerstones will begin to shape a new leadership role for the U.S. This involves a shift to soft power as the core competency of foreign policy. In addition, the U.S. needs to lead in developing key innovations and developing a global economic strategy. Also, the U.S. needs to maintain military might unequaled in the world. Achieving this new strategy rests upon international organizational change with the U.S. leading the way for a new world order.

An Analysis of the ‘New World Order’ and Its Implications for U. S. National Strategy [40 Pages, 1.91MB] – The Cold War is over and the result is a transition from a bipolar world of US vs. USSR to a multipolar world or New World Order where the US remains the only military superpower. However, this status is tentative for the United States. Like all the great superpowers in history, the US is about to let the weight of its military establishment, drag its economy into collapse. This paper looks at the implications of President Bush’s new world order, and the opportunities it presents the US to preserve a peaceful international environment with an open international market system while at the same time retaining its superpower status. The paper establishes that the new world order is more than just rhetoric or simple statement of fact, it exists but is ill- defined. As a result, the paper proposes to define the term as a democratic world where all nations join together in partnership and cooperation under the framework of the United Nations to establish peace, prosperity, and justice for all.

Arms Control and Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction: How Will They Impact U.S. Deterrence in the New World Order?, April 1996 [29 Pages, 1.1MB] – In the absence of a superpower balance, Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) are rapidly proliferating. As U.S. defense resources shrink, options to address the new WMD threat are also shrinking. These dynamics are changing the role of Arms Control (AC) and U.S. deterrent strategy. This paper analyzes the relationship between proliferation of WMD, AC, and the status of U.S. deterrent forces in the new world order. It argues that motives to proliferate are to strong to be overcome by AC, but that AC can play a positive role in improving U. S. and International security. Further it argues that regardless of its efficacy that AC is unavoidable; and that U.S force structure decisions are driven by our perception of the threat, not AC agreements or actions.

Back to the Future: The Role of the Founding Fathers in Shaping the New World Order [145 Pages, 5.67MB] (Master’s Thesis) – This thesis asserts that America bas a core set of values inherited from the Founding Fathers that should serve as an integrating mechanism for strategic planning. The author shows how American core values developed and were operationalized in the operational codes (paradigms) of the Founding Fathers, the policy makers of the Cold War era, and contemporary policy makers as they set out to define America’s role in the New World Order. The paper begins with an investigation of the role that paradigms play in science and asserts that operational codes serve the same purpose for nations. This parallel is investigated because it provides an insight into the nature of paradigm shifts. The United States has had two identifiable paradigms — isolationism and the goal of nation building of the Founding Fathers and the containment policy of the Cold War. From there, the nature of American values is investigated. Inheritance from Western civilization, the Enlightenment, the rise of Individualism, and the development of a unique American philosophy are all important elements in the nature of American values. The Declaration of Independence is shown to be an embodiment of these unique values. The best articulation of the operational code of the Founding Fathers is found in George Washington’s Farewell Address. The statements on foreign policy and articulation of values which lead up to and follow the Farewell Address are examined. The thesis then moves from the era of the Founding Fathers to the era of the Cold War. The operational codes of George Kennan and Paul Nitze are compared and contrasted. Nitze’s operational code as applied to Vietnam is examined through several presidential administrations, and lessons learned are offered. The author criticizes the National Security Strategy of August 1991 for its neglect of values. He contends that the Nation’s new operational code must be based on core values inherited from the Founding Fathers.

Beyond Stalemate: Deterrence and Nonproliferation in the New World Order, April 1994 [32 Pages, 1.7MB] – U.S. deterrence and nonproliferation policies need to be updated to meet the challenges of the new world order. To be effective, these new policies must be based on an understanding of potential proliferators motives for pursuing nuclear weapons, must be realistic, and must be implemented as early in the nuclear program as possible.

Building Order in The New World Order, 20 March 1992 [35 Pages, 1.2MB]  – ThiWith the end Or the Cold War and the shattering or the Soviet Empire to pieces smaller even than that ruled by Peter the Great a recurring theme or the defense debate is that the world is too uncertain, that invisible dangers lurk behind every bush, and that we must retain a huge military presence to protect against instability and potential threats. Our grand strategy, once easily articulated by the single word, containment, has been superseded and the lack of an unambiguous threat has prompted a fractious debate. Whether the size or our military forces are be based on what is necessary to protect our interests, or on what our politicians deem is affordable depends on our ability to look ahead to see a clear path tor our nation, and define the role the military will play.

Bush’s New World Order: The Meaning Behind the Words [74 Pages, 0.4MB] – The phrase new world order has been widely used on the political scene since first publicly coined by former president, George Bush. Although quickly adopted as the catch phrase of the 1990s, few people actually agree on what new world order really means. Since new world order, while elusive in definition, is most frequently used to describe aspects of the post Cold War international scenario, understanding the true meaning of that phrase is critical to projecting our future strategic environment and prospects for the new millennium. The attempt of this paper is to reveal that true meaning. Historical analysis will be the primary methodology used to reveal the meaning of George Bush’s specific terminology describing his concept of new world order. In a January 16, 1991 speech, he identified the opportunity to build a new world order where the rule of law governs the conduct of nations, and in which a credible United Nations can use its peacekeeping role to fulfill the promise and vision of the UN’s founders. These words will be dissected and historically analyzed to develop a clear picture of new world order. Additionally, the primary mechanisms for implementing new world order will be addressed; and finally, specific strategic environment and national security implications will be drawn from those conclusions.

Changing the Acquisition Process for a New World Order, April 1993 [46 Pages, 1.8MB] – The Chinese blessing (or curse?), ‘May you live in interesting times’, is certainly applicable in today’s world. The crumbling of the Berlin wall and subsequent end of the Cold War prompted former President Bush to proclaim a ‘new world order’ had arrived. Unfortunately, the new world order is more a world of disorder. This paper explores the ramifications of these profound changes to the Department of Defense’s acquisition process. The changes are a result of the shift in national military strategy from reliance on forces- in-being to a reliance on military potential. The following changes are discussed in the paper: (1) A More Flexible Acquisition Process; (2) Fewer New Starts/More Existing Program Upgrades; (3) Decrease in the Number of Production Programs; (4) Increased Focus on the Ability to Reconstitute; (5) Increased Emphasis on Four ‘ … ilities’; and (6) Increased Reliance on Prototyping. Because of its importance, the subject of prototyping is examined in detail. But a prototype in and of itself does not represent a warfighting capability. A strategy must be devised to take a system that has been developed through low rate production and then ‘shelved’, through production restart. The following recommendations are then discussed: (1) Design Producibility In From the Start; (2) Increase Manufacturing Technology and Process Investment; (3) Develop ‘Smart’ Shutdown Technologies; (4) Develop a Long Lead Procurement Strategy; (5) Increase Reliance on Government/Commercial Integration; and (6) Increase Use of Lean Production Techniques. If the United States is to remain the leader of the ‘new world order’, the DOD acquisition process must change to adjust to the ‘interesting times’ in which we live.

China’s Response to the ‘New World Order’ [35 Pages, 1.3MB] – As world change swept the globe over the very recent past, U.S. President George Bush described an emerging ‘new world order.’ He stated a belief that the American system should form the basis of a new international system. He further stated that the U.S. must seek to take the lead in the new order forming such an international system. China is the largest of the very few remaining Marxist-Leninist states. As the third leg of the former world strategic triangle, China remained a challenge to U.S. foreign policy throughout the Cold War. Now that the Cold War is over, China is integral to the formulation of any new order. China’s long history and cultural background differ significantly from America’s. It is important that the U.S. understand, to the extent possible, how those differences will be reflected in China’s response to the new world order. A review of Sino-American relations since normalization in the early 1970’s shows reform that brought China increasingly closer to the U.S. until the Tiananmen Square tradegy in June, 1989. Since then, world events such as the collapse of Communism in Eastern Europe, the Unification of Germany, U.S. dominance in Operation Desert Storm and the Soviet Coup have had great effect on China’s leaders and the course of reform.

Deterrence for World Peace: A New World Order Option [41 Pages, 1.3MB] – The recent collapse of the former Soviet Union has brought an end to the Cold War and a beginning to change and uncertainty. The shift from a bi- polar to a multi-polar world has uncovered trends that make the future of the new world order complex and dangerous. The rise in regional conflicts, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, accelerated worldwide technology transfer, and the disposition of some 30,000 nuclear warheads in the Commonwealth of Independent States are but a few of the major trends that can have a profound effect on world peace if not controlled. To solve this problem of control will bring a new emphasis to the word ‘deterrence.’ For 45 years the word ‘deterrence’ has been most commonly used to describe the justification for a nuclear arms race between the United States and the former Soviet Union. Now, the global community of nations can ‘deter’ further proliferation of weapons of mass destruction by using the recommended three-part solution of a global nuclear test ban, worldwide acceptance of the Global Protection Against Limited Strikes (GPALS) system, and arms control enforcement using embargoes and economic sanctions by an international system like the United Nations.

Disorder in the New World Order [53 Pages, 2.34MB] – The phrase ‘New World Order’ has, over the last four years, become a much overused and relatively meaningless cliche. Its original intent was to provide a conceptual illustration of a tortured world community scintillatingly close to creating a new international order in the aftermath of the Cold War. This new international order would make possible a world without conflict, pain or hunger, where people of all regions could live in freedom as equals. This concept, and its attendant utopian condition, brings tears of hope from that portion of humanity which has the time to spend thinking on such things. However, in reality, thus far in our international devolution from 40 years of Cold War, we have made little, if any, progress toward realizing a New World Order. In fact, not only have we yet to decide upon what course we should take in pursuit of this new order, we have not even decided that this new order should be. In the interim, conflict, tension and war continue to expand around the globe while the major powers of the world, those with the potential to control global events for the betterment of the world community, continue in their intellectual struggle to determine a role for themselves.

Explaining the New World Order of the 1990’s, 2003 [32 Pages, 1 MB] – The decade of the 1990s dramatically altered the Cold War international order in two fundamental aspects. In the political-economic sphere, the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 shattered the ideological divide that had driven much of the policy-making during the Cold War. The new Russia and its former eastern European client states rushed to adopt Western economic and political models, albeit with varying degrees of success. The handful of avowedly Marxist states, such as Fidel Castro’s Cuba and Kim Il Sung’s Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, remained mired in despotism and economic ruin. The People’s Republic of China gradually became Communist in name only as it sought to adopt market capitalism and limited democratic reforms to modernize its moribund economy. The two books I review in this paper attempt to explain why these tectonic changes occurred in the international order during the 1990s and what implications these changes herald for the future. In Empire, authors Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri propose a new emerging system of international order based on an ultimately successful Marxist theory. In Culture and Carnage: Landmark Battles in the Rise of Western Power, Victor Davis Hanson proposes that the West’s hegemony is derived from its cultural vibrancy which produced political, economic and military institutions far superior to anything in the non-Western world. Hardt and Negri have the much harder task. Despite their enormous efforts, they ultimately fail to validate Marxist theory as a viable predictor of the evolving world order. In contrast, Hanson has an easier job explaining why the West has won. His work convincingly shows that the West’s military proficiency is directly attributed to its unique culture.

Grand Strategies for Dealing with Other States in the New, New World Order [14 Pages, 110kb] – The art of statecraft has often involved efforts to improve the security of one state by taking advantage of the power and influence of other states. This is, for example, why a state typically seeks to forge military alliances with others. It is also why some states provide economic and military support to client or dependent states and why some advocate the formation of multistate trading blocs. The theory behind the trading-bloc strategy is that cooperation on security matters is more likely when there are strong economic and other mutually beneficial connections among the members of the bloc. Among the tools that have been and are being used to influence other states are trade preferences, loans, loan guarantees, concessionary pricing for military sales, export-import financing, technical assistance, foreign aid, and international disaster relief. While humanitarian altruism is a major factor in foreign aid and disaster relief, statesmen often see the reduction of suffering as a method of improving the stability of a recipient state or as an inducement for a recipient state to cooperate more fully on security matters. Many ideas for making American foreign policy more effective have been offered in recent years. Some of them involve ways of prioritizing all forms of official, state-to-state assistance on those states whose stability or cooperation will most benefit the national interests of the United States. Obviously, there are many states that are already stable and already do generally cooperate with the United States. Canada, Japan, and the states of Western Europe (disagreements over the second war with Iraq notwithstanding) fall into this category. Certainly the economically advanced and politically stable states of the collective West have a common interest in suppressing the signal threat- global terrorism- of the new, new world order that sprang from the rubble of the World Trade Center and Pentagon on 11 September 2001.

Gunboat Diplomacy in a New World Order: Strategic Considerations for U.S. Naval Intervention in the Twenty-First Century [94 Pages, 4.64MB] – With the dissolution of the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact, the threat of global war has all but been eliminated. At the same time, the Third World is experiencing a rising tide of instability, brought about by economic and social inequities, religious fundamentalism, and resurgent ethnic and political rivalries, and fueled by increasing military capabilities caused by the proliferation of advanced-technology weapons. As a result of these changes, U.S. security strategy is turning from its Cold War focus on global containment to the protection of U.S. interests against regional instabilities. The most dramatic confirmation of this change in direction was the announcement by the President on 2 August 1990 of a new National Security Strategy which would focus on maintaining stability and responding to regional crises, rather than on preparing for a global conflict against the Soviet Union. The past decade offers numerous examples of U.S. intervention in regional instabilities and crises that achieved varying degrees of success. Many of these interventions provide important lessons for the future in terms of how and when to use naval forces, and what the risks are to the national interest if a given mission fails to achieve its military or political objectives. This study is an examination of U.S. naval strategy and its evolving focus on crisis intervention, and how recent uses of U.S. naval force illustrate the need for a reevaluation of naval intervention and its implementation in a “new world order.” To this end, three specific uses of U.S. naval power in the last decade are instructive: the U.S. intervention in Lebanon from March 1982-March 1984; U.S. naval operations off Libya from August 1981-April 1986 (including the 1986 air strike on Tripoli); and the Persian Gulf tanker escort operation of 1987-1988).

The Mexican Military Approaches the 21st Century: Coping with a New World Order [35 Pages] – The author’s discussion of the roles and missions of the Mexican forces has special salience in this era of ‘alternative missions.’ Since the U. S. Army has had to deal with the same missions of civic action and counternarcotics, this study provides a timely and instructive lesson on how the Mexican military has wrestled with these challenges. North American Free Trade Agreement(NAFTA), Civic action, Counternarcotics, Mexico, Mexican army

Military Diplomacy in the New World Order, 25 April 1993 [58 Pages, 2.69 MB] – The New World Order–that articulated by former President Bush at the end of the Cold War era–remains yet unsettled and, in fact, undefined. It is filled with uncertainties and instabilities caused by traditional enmities now reemerging. This reemergence is a result of a world shift from bipolarism to polyarchism. The leadership role of the United States in this new era will, it is predicted, involve selective engagement. Additionally, the U.S. will exercise the role of a grand facilitator. In this altered security environment, this paper argues that coercive and cooperative military influence–especially that defined as military diplomacy–has a continuing place in the exercise of U.S. global leadership. This study reviews the historical record of military diplomacy and examines the past use of the four services individually and in joint operations. Particular analysis is given to the current adaptive planning construct established by the Joint Staff with regard to the employment of flexible deterrent options as an aspect of military diplomacy.

Military Operations Other Than War in the New World Order: An Analysis of Joint Doctrine for the Coming Era [71 Pages, 2.5 MB] – The United States has experienced numerous eras of distinct international systems which governed its relationship with other nations. The end of the Cold War symbolized a transition point between such systems. Historically, the nature of a new order as well as the transitional point between orders is fraught with uncertainty. Nonetheless, instruments of national power such as the military must respond to the changing system to remain effective. The post-Cold War era has been characterized by an increased use of the military for operations short of war to include humanitarian operations, peacekeeping, sanction enforcement, etc. Although these missions are not new to the Armed Forces, military doctrine has only begun to address the unique challenges involved in executing operations short of war. Joint Publication 3-07, Joint Doctrine for Military Operations Other Than War (MOOTW), lists six fundamental principles for MOOTW. This research applies the concepts embodied in the principles of MOOTW with three MOOTW models; the Range of Military Operations Model developed by the U.S. Army, the Crises and Lesser Conflicts Model developed by Rand researchers Carl H. Builder and Theodore W. Karasik, and the MOOTW Characteristics Model developed by RAND researchers Jennifer M. Taw and John E. Peters.

Military Review, September 1994. Volume 74, Number 9 [92 Pages]

National Missile Defense Strategy for the United States Post 11 September, 2001 – A Search for Security in a New World Order, 9 April 2002 [39 Pages, 2.1MB] – This paper examines the history of the ABM Treaty as it relates to missile defense and postulates strategic options as they relate to the U.S. strategic linkage to the treaty itself. This review includes 2nd and 3rd order effects for the U.S., as well as an assessment of strategic risk. Key nations included in this analysis include the U.S., Russia and China. In light of the current geo-political situation, the paper concludes with a recommended course of action and challenges for the future.

The New World Order: A Second Look. A Selected Bibliography. [43 Pages] – Partial contents of this report pertain to: U.S. National Security; the U.S. Military; U.S. Foreign Relations; International Security; North Atlantic Treaty Organization; International Relations; World Economic Order; and Specific Countries and Regions.

The New World Order: A Vision and Its Dimensions [46 Pages, 2.06MB] – The Cold War is over. The Soviet Union has been dissolved. The United States is no longer the world’s preeminent economic power. Both Europe and Japan are enjoying a greater share of the world’s resources. Still, from the perspective of combined military, economic, political, and diplomatic power, the United States has no equal. President Bush suggests that a ‘New World Order’ has emerged. Principles of democracy, shared responsibility and mutual cooperation among nations are the hallmarks of that new order. He recommends that the principles of the New World Order guide the foreign policy of the United States throughout the decade of the nineties and into the twenty-first century. This paper probes the dimensions of that New World Order. It discusses the likelihood of a unipolar or multipolar world, and concludes that a stratified world order might be a more apt description. It explores the role of international organizations within the new order. It examines implications for U.S. foreign policy, the Department of Defense, and the U.S. Army. The paper concludes by revealing why President Bush’s vision is compelling.

Nuclear Strategy in the New World Order [19 Pages, 0.4MB] – For 50 years, the US depended on its nuclear arsenal to provide the underpinning to the deterrent aspect of its military strategy. However, on September 11, 2001, three of four hijacked civilian aircraft successfully completed their suicide missions against high value targets in the United States-the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. US military might, to include its overwhelming nuclear arsenal, failed to deter the terrorists who killed nearly 3000 people, most of whom were Americans. Although the US nuclear force structure, policy and strategy have thus far deterred a nuclear attack on the US, it is not properly postured as a viable deterrent against asymmetric attacks. However, given the proper force structure, policy and strategy, the US nuclear arsenal could provide a greater degree of deterrence against such attacks in the future. This paper will first briefly describe the strategy of deterrence and its underpinnings in basic psychology. Second, it will briefly overview the deterrence strategy of the Cold War and highlight the findings of the Nuclear Posture Review that will serve as the foundation of the Bush nuclear strategy. Next, this paper will consider the ethical issues surrounding the use of nuclear weapons, as both a deterrent and a combat weapon. Finally, the paper will analyze US nuclear strategy and make policy recommendations for using nuclear weapons as part of a deterrent strategy against future asymmetric attacks.

Peace in the Middle East: How It Will Impact the New World Order and the American Strategy [52 Pages, 1.91MB] – The historical events of the last decade have shifted the world system from the traditional West-East competition to cooperation and exchange of interests between the East and the West. Security and stability of the world has emerged as a very important element of the new world order. Since anything happening in any part of the world affects and gets affected by what happens in the other parts of the world, achieving peace and stability in the Middle East is important for the peace and stability of the world. Since the US is considered the leader of the new world system, the protection of international security and stability has become its responsibility. This paper begins with a description of threats and challenges to the peace of the Middle East, then discusses the bases of peace in the region, the impact of the regional peace on the new world order and the American strategy and ends with recommendations for achieving and keeping peace in the region.

Policing the New World Order: An Alternative Strategy. [32 Pages] – The United States responded decisively in the recent Persian Gulf crisis. The Bush Administration considered successful resolution of this crisis a precursor to the “new world order.” Many questions now confront policy makers as America approaches the 21st Century. A pressing question is the following: Can America continue to serve as the world’s policeman? America’s challenge for the 1990s is to avoid the trappings of world policing that past superpowers have experienced throughout history “a la Pax Britannica.” The United States can achieve this by, first, formulating its national security strategy to elevate the role of the United Nations as the world’s policeman. Second, the United States’ national security strategy should support the establishment of a United Nations standing peacemaking force. This force would provide the United Nations and international community a short-notice military employment capability during the early “warning period” of an impending crisis. Such a force would ultimately lower the United States’ profile as the world’s policeman in the emerging new world order. This essay addresses in five parts the establishment of a standing United Nations peacemaking force. First, it analyzes the circumstances and the international implications of America’s involvement in the Persian Gulf War. Second, it discusses the resultant new world order and the United Nation’s inability to enforce world order. Third, it highlights a deficiency in America’s emerging defense strategy for the new world order. Fourth, it presents a proposal for a standing United Nations peacemaking force that the United States would support in the 1990s. And finally, it concludes with a view of America’s future in policing the new world order.

Security Challenges for Small States in the New World Order: Options for Nepal [44 Pages, 1.9MB] – The post cold war period is marked by a new multi-dimensional strategic environment giving new focus to international relations and security of small states. Though the US is the only superpower, the world is moving to multipolarity and interdependence where regional powers and international systems have an increasingly powerful role. In such an environment small states are finding themselves even more vulnerable. This paper analyzes the security challenges small states face in the evolving new world order and suggests viable security options for small states in general and Nepal in particular. It analyzes the special characteristics of small states and their vulnerability to both traditional and new forms of threats. It relates national interests with world order and makes an in depth study of the security systems of balance of power and collective security from the perspective of a small state. It analyzes Nepal’s regional and internal security environment as well as her historical setting and national interests. The paper then applies the concepts of security systems in the context of Nepal to determine viable security options.

Strategy and Logistics for the New World Order [138 Pages, 5.79MB] -An interdisciplinary analysis of the post-Cold War world to determine the optimal strategy to attain the national interests of the United States, and the requisite logistic structure to support that strategy. The optimal solution is found to be a strategy based on multinational defense centered on a permanent force of United Nations garrison port complexes. This multilateral force would be augmented by as small a national defense force as necessary to ensure national security. The thesis endeavors to reconnect the cultural and philosophical past of the United States with its immediate future. National interests are identified through examination of American Pragmatism and the philosophies of John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. To determine the current status of common defense, based upon the Foreign Military Sales system, and analysis of current data is accomplished. Future threats to the United States are examined with special emphasis on nuclear terrorism. The ability of Islamic nations in North Africa and the Middle East to produce significant quantities of uranium is demonstrated. The grave political as well as ongoing environmental consequences of this recent capability are discussed in detail.

Technology Security Policy: From the Cold War to the New World Order [122 Pages, 5.42MB] -This thesis examines U.S. technology security policy in a transitional period marked by a rapidly changing security environment and an era of economic globalization. It provides an historical analysis of this policy since the onset of the Cold War and a financial analysis of the $40 million budget request for technology security, counter-proliferation, and export controls in the Clinton Administration’s FY 1994 defense budget presentation. The historical analysis is based largely on the evolution and roles of two multilateral control regimes — CoCom and the MTCR. The crux of this analysis is a detailed examination of the fate of the $40 million request as it moved through the congressional budget process. This analysis identifies problems and policy issues surrounding resource allocation for technology security. Based on the treatment of the budget request by the defense committees of Congress, a number of conclusions were drawn. Although technology security is considered a high priority item by both the executive and legislative branches of government, Congress appropriated funding for only 20 percent of the Administration’s request. Significant decreases are attributed to inter-agency turf struggles, the slowness with which DoD policy-making positions were filled, and an initial spending plan that was perhaps overly ambitious and prematurely presented. Ultimately, two reviewing bodies were born out of legislative compromise; however, potentially redundant reporting likelihood of a decisive review of current proliferation policy.

Toward A Dangerous World: U.S. National Security Strategy for the Coming Turbulence [336 Pages]

Training Tactical Level Leaders in the United States Marine Corps: Meeting the Challenges of the New World Order [58 Pages]

Turkey’s Role in the New World Order, Feb 1998 [7 Pages, 0.6 MB] – Turkey faces new challenges as the result of the political, military and economic developments we have been witnessing over the past decade, not the least of which is finding Turkey’s role in the new world order that is now taking shape. If we were to make a brief evaluation of the present environment it would be correct to characterize it as a period of transition and transformation that calls for reorientations and new architectures.

The U.S. – Japan Security Alliance: Will it Survive in the New World Order? 1 April 1991 [126 Pages, 5.3 MB] – When George Bush took office in January 1989, he spoke of a new world order. The characteristics of this new world order may be more physical than the ideological Cold War. Some characteristics are emerging–resurfacing of old rivalries, greater interdependence between major powers, more weapons of mass destruction, information revolution, and the ascendancy of mass destruction, information revolution, and the ascendancy of economic power over military power to name a few. These changes mandate a review of old alliances designed to implement a national security strategy of containment. One candidate is the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan commonly referred to as the U.S.-Japan Security Alliance. Now that the Cold War is over, is this treaty still relevant? Given Japan’s economic miracle, should the United States continue to provide Japan’s national security and protect Japan’s vital interests? This paper examines the treaty from three perspectives: Is the U.S.-Japan Security Alliance still relevant in the emerging world order from a military perspective? Is the U.S.-Japan Security Alliance still relevant from a political perspective? What roles should the United States and Japan undertake to promote stability in the emerging world order?

U.S. Strategic Maneuver: A New World Order Requires Some New Thinking, Not Reorganization, 21 June 1991 [39 Pages, 1.1 MB] – The current changes in the kinds of world threats we face and the requirement to downsize U.S. forces pose as significant challenge to the military as significant as those confronted at the end of World War II. The concept of Strategic Maneuver within the military, accompanied by a focusing process of (areas-to-threats-to-interests-to-resources-to-requirements) using the current organization, will allow a smaller force to operate effectively. The Persian Gulf War proved that the concept of Strategic Maneuver, formed by prioritizing and combining the individual and unique capabilities of each military services, is the best method to meet the future defense needs. The alternative plan of service reorganization and downsizing within compels the planners to unlearn all of the post-Viet Nam lessons. New mobility concepts such as the C-17’s, for more efficient air lifting, and SL-7’s for faster shipping cannot by themselves form the mindset needed to maintain efficiency. This paper argues that the wheel does mot have to be reinvented in order for a smaller one work as well.

The United Nations Security Council Veto in the New World Order [183 Pages, 6.01 MB] – The United States should move to replace the Security Council veto with a double majority voting method. United States’ national security will improve as international security improves. International security will improve as the Security Council acts effectively. The Security Council will act more effectively as it becomes more authoritative. Promoting respect for the Council and a veto alternative are necessary to make the Council more authoritative. The double majority voting method best promotes Council authority.

A World 2010: A New Order of Nations [127 Pages, 5.69 MB] – In this book, A World 2010: A New Order of Nations, the author describes the decline of the influence of the 20th century superpowers. He explores the notion of a devolution of political and economic world power and forecasts a rise of a new order of nations. Further he advances the concept of a rise of 21st century postindustrial states to preeminence. These new realities could usher in a new era of relative world peace brought about by the crumbling of the Soviet Union, the formation of new global economic interrelationships and coalitions, and the advancement of former Third World nations to become competitive industrial states. The author concludes by forecasting the notion of a U.S. national requirement for a subdued worldwide military presence that serves a passive role, deterring conflict and preserving peace.

The post New World Order first appeared on The Black Vault.

This is the summary of the Final Report of the Special Counsel into Donald Trump, Russia, and Collusion by Attorney General William Barr. It was released on March 24, 2019, and contains only a brief overview of the full report. As of the writing of this page, the full report has yet to be released.

Document Archive

Summary of the Final Report of the Special Counsel into Donald Trump, Russia, and Collusion (aka “The Mueller Report”) by Attorney General William Barr, March 24, 2019 [4 Pages, 2.7MB]

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The post Summary of the Final Report of the Special Counsel into Donald Trump, Russia, and Collusion (aka “The Mueller Report”) by Attorney General William Barr, March 24, 2019 first appeared on The Black Vault.

Entwined in the many conspiracy theories that state 9/11 was something other than what we were told, there is a story about 5 Israeli men that were arrested on the George Washington Bridge, who had a van full of explosives and were going to detonate it.

Here is one example of the report that ran on the mainstream media, reported by Dan Rather on the night of September 11, 2001:

Admittedly, this story by Rather did not label them as “Israeli,” but many “conspiracy theories” linked these men to Israeli intelligence known as Mossad. None of these claims really had much evidence, and the tie in was linked largely to conspiracy sites and those attempting to advanced the 9/11 “inside job” conspiracy. It is interesting to note, that shortly after many of the stories appeared about these men on the bridge — no follow up reports were ever made.

What does this prove?  Many claim that allegedly, Israel (an ally of the United States) had foreknowledge of the attack, and may have even played a role in the events.  The public story we were told, which led to the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan, was that it was Al-Qaeda.  Of course, this all would contradict that narrative.

This story also relates to what has been dubbed the “Five Dancing Israelis” who were found to be videotaping the aftermath of the attack on 9/11, and were shouting joyous praises and dancing in the streets, but that story is also highly controversial on whether or not it ever occurred.

I filed a FOIA request to multiple agencies regarding the above, to see if they may have anything specifically on the explosive found on the George Washington Bridge. To be blatantly honest, I did not expect to find much about this, at all.  Most agencies denied that documents existed, but the NSA produced a very interesting result.

Below, you will find the results.

Document Archive

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Records

 FBI Response – No Records October 2014 [ 2 Pages, 0.3MB ] – The FBI claims that they have no records pertaining to this incident.

National Security Agency (NSA) Records

 NSA Response – Glomar Response November 2014 [ 2 Pages, 0.2MB ] – In a bit of a surprise, the NSA gave GLOMAR response to this request, meaning, they will neither confirm nor deny anything exists.  Having so much time pass after this alleged incident, and the fact that it apparently didn’t happen, wouldn’t they just say they had “No Records”?

Shortly after receiving this response, I filed a FOIA request for all case processing notes, emails, and other documents generated during the processing of this request. The NSA has released many times in the past, these notes and messages that give an inside look at the process of filing FOIAs. It shows how the FOIA request progressed, and sometimes, offers insight to how the final decision was reached. Frequently, there are redactions, primarily due to FOIA exemption (b)(5), which deals with the “deliberative process” of how agencies work/make decisions. It is noted, that (b)(5) is the most controversial FOIA exemption, because it is widely used and overly broad.

That said, the response came in for these notes on my FOIA request, and 100% were denied as being classified TOP SECRET.  This was a VERY strange result, as I have yet to find a request for case processing notes, on a FOIA request that received a “GLOMAR” response, that were 100% considered TOP SECRET.

I waited a few years, and filed again on March 30, 2018. In short, after a two year period, documents can then be requested to be reviewed again (either by a FOIA or an MDR, which is a lengthy explanation in itself). In this particular case, I filed a FOIA (and not an MDR) because the NSA would not even acknowledge documents existed, so I did not feel my MDR would have any positive results, since I couldn’t cite any documents for review.  Sure enough, I received another GLOMAR response to my 2018 request, and everything could neither be confirmed nor denied.

I appealed on May 2, 2018, and by June 1, 2018, less than a month, the NSA denied my appeal.  However, the story got even more strange.  They split my appeal into two parts in order to respond properly. The first, was the documents I was requesting regarding the unidentified men on the bridge. They said they supported and agreed with the GLOMAR response, and that was it.

The second part of my request was for the FOIA Case Files / Processing Notes that I asked for that were classified TOP SECRET.  They retracted the claim they were classified TOP SECRET, but then still exempted them 100% under FOIA exemptions (b)(3) and (b)(5).  So, therefore, they changed the reason for their answer, but their answer was the same none-the-less.

I believe the reason they did this, was based on the root of my appeal. In my official appeal, I stated the following (in part):

“Given also the fact that ‘item 1’ of my request 103943 (FOIA request for case processing notes) yielded documents that were entirely exempted under the FOIA as being TOP SECRET, this strengthens the belief that responsive documents do, in fact, exist. There would be no reason for (what I assume are case processing notes withheld) to be TOP SECRET on a topic with no responsive records.”

In short, what I was saying, was that if they will “neither confirm nor deny” records exist, but then classify my FOIA Case Processing notes as TOP SECRET across the board, there is something there.  I believe this part of my appeal may have influenced the NSA to say they were “incorrect” in that assessment, but then gave other reasons for a denial which would not allow me to draw that same conclusion.  Was this truly a mistake? Or is this an attempt to cover-up the fact that I pieced together the evidence to prove documents exist in a case where they did not want to admit to that?

The  official denial is here:

Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI)

 ODNI Response – No Records November 2014 [ 2 Pages, 0.3MB ] – The ODNI claims that they have no records pertaining to this incident.

The post 9/11/01: Israeli Men Attempted to Explode George Washington Bridge? first appeared on The Black Vault.

In September of 2014, InfoWars.com published an article which stated that the FBI listed ZERO as the number of people killed in Newtown, Connecticut in 2012. This fuels the conspiracy that the Newtown shooting was a “false flag” operation, and that no one died. Here is an excerpt from the article:

Recently released FBI crime statistics curiously appear to show that no murders occurred in Newtown, Connecticut, in 2012, despite reports that numerous schoolchildren and faculty members were slaughtered during a shooting rampage in December of that year.

In contrast to the Connecticut report, the 2012 FBI crime report for the state of Colorado shows that 29 murders occurred in the town of Aurora that year, a figure which takes into account the number of people who died in the Century Theater during the premiere of Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight film.

Although The Black Vault is not one that alleges “false flag” operations for every tragedy, it is something of interest when the document really showed the FBI claimed no deaths, so this is either a) a mistake b) lazy research on the part of the FBI or although highly unlikely, c) proof of a cover-up / conspiracy.

So, in September of 2014, I filed a FOIA request to the FBI, and requested the following:

Recently, the FBI published their “Crime in the United States 2012” statistics. Specifically, at the URL of: http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2012/crime-in-the-u.s.-2012/tables/8tabledatadecpdf/table-8-state-cuts/table_8_offenses_known_to_law_enforcement_by_connecticut_by_city_2012.xls#disablemobile, the FBI posted statistics for NEWTOWN.

I respectfully request a copy of records, electronic or otherwise, pertaining to the research, data etc. that pertains to the listing of zero “Murder and nonnegligent manslaughter” statistics for 2012. Please include all records that may pertain to this request, which may include, but not be limited to: memos, letters, reports, inter-agency communications, emails, etc.

My aim is the find out what happened and why this report was so blatantly wrong.

In November of 2015, The FBI released the following documents to me, as responsive to my request. I offer them here for those who are interested in deciphering what may have happened, and why the FBI put “0” for the number of deaths.

Declassified Documents

 All Emails Regarding FBI Statistics of ZERO for killings in Newtown, Connecticut [526 Pages, 170MB]

The release of information shows the public confusion over the report. You can also see, that the FBI pretty much had a “copy and paste” answer, which read as follows:

The Sandy Hook shootings were all reported under CT State Police and not Newtown, CT. They can be found in the Uniform Crime Report- Crime in the United States 2012 .by visiting our publication at http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-inthe- u.s/2012/crime-in-the-u.s.-2012/tables/11tabledatadecpdf/table-11-statecuts/ table 11 offenses known to law enforcement by connecticut by state tribal and other agencies 2012.xls (Table 11, in Crime in the United States at www.fbi.gov) and it can also be found in the NIBRS publication at www.fbi.gov, stats and services, UCR, NIBRS 2012, data tables, CT, excel, scroll to the bottom of Offense Type Table by Agency 2012.

The link referenced by the FBI is now defunct, but their response is clear.

In addition, it is very telling about how internally, the FBI reacted to word from USA Today, that they were writing a story on the inaccuracies of the report. The email, in part, reads:

I’m following up on the SHR and UCR data provided to us earlier this month. I am working on a short story about how a number of mass killings, including Newtown and Aurora, aren’t reflected anywhere in the SHR data, and how even the UCR data includes crime rates for places such as Newtown that are incorrect (0 homicides, for instance).

The responses, include the following (note: this is a sample, there are many more responses, some of which heavily redacted, in the .pdf available for download above):

The post FBI Crime Report shows “0” Killings/Death in Newtown, Connecticut in 2012 (What happened to Sandy Hook?) first appeared on The Black Vault.

This is the final report on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) investigation of the collapse of the World Trade Center (WTC) towers, conducted under the National Construction Safety Team Act. This report describes how the aircraft impacts and subsequent fires led to the collapse of the towers after terrorists flew jet fuel laden commercial airliners into the buildings; whether the fatalities were low or high, including an evaluation of the building evacuation and emergency response procedures; what procedures and practices were used in the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the towers; and areas in current building and fire codes, standards, and practices that warrant revision.

Extensive details are found in the 42 companion reports. (The final report on the collapse of WTC 7 will appear in a separate report.)  Also in this report is a description of how NIST reached its conclusions. NIST complemented in-house expertise with private sector technical experts; accumulated copious documents, photographs, and videos of the disaster; established baseline performance of the WTC towers; performed computer simulations of the behavior of each tower on September 11, 2001; combined the knowledge gained into a probable collapse sequence for each tower; conducted nearly 1,200 first-person interviews of building occupants and emergency responders; and analyzed the evacuation and emergency response operations in the two high-rise buildings.

The report concludes with a list of 30 recommendations for action in the areas of increased structural integrity, enhanced fire endurance of structures, new methods for fire resistant design of structures, enhanced active fire protection, improved building evacuation, improved emergency response, improved procedures and practices, and education and training.

1. Final Report of the National Construction Safety Team on the Collapses of the World Trade Center Tower

NIST NCSTAR 1-1: Design, Construction, and Maintenance of Structural and Life Safety Systems

The collapse of World Trade Center (WTC) 1, 2, and 7 resulted from structural damage from direct and indirect effects of aircraft impact and the ensuing fires. Thus, for collapse analyses of these buildings, knowledge of the physical state of the structural and fire safety systems prior to the aircraft impact is essential. To obtain information for the collapse analysis of the buildings, National Institute of Standards and Technology reviewed design and construction documents, correspondence, and memoranda related to the building projects; interviewed individuals involved in the design, construction, and maintenance of the buildings; obtained information from regulatory and emergency services agencies of New York City; and reviewed books and published journal and magazine articles related to the WTC building projects.

Information obtained from various sources are synthesized and summarized in this report. Specifically, this report presents (1) provisions used to design and construct the structural, fire protection and egress systems of the buildings; (2) tests performed to support the design of these systems; (3) criteria that governed the design of the structural and fire protection systems; (4) methods used to proportion structural members and other components of the buildings; (5) innovative features, technologies and materials that are incorporated in design and construction of the structural and fire protection systems; (6) details of deviations to the contract documents granted by Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; (7) fabrication and inspection requirements at the fabrication yard; and (8) inspection protocols during construction.

NIST NCSTAR 1-1: Design, Construction, and Maintenance of Structural and Life Safety Systems

NIST NCSTAR 1-1A: Design and Construction of Structural Systems

1-1A appendixes A & B

1-1A appendixes C-G

NIST NCSTAR 1-1B: Comparison of Building Code Structural Requirements

NIST NCSTAR 1-1C: Maintenance and Modifications to Structural Systems

1-1C appendixes

NIST NCSTAR 1-1D: Fire Protection and Life Safety Provisions Applied to the Design and Construction of World Trade Center 1, 2, and 7 and Post-Construction Provisions Applied after Occupancy

NIST NCSTAR 1-1E: Comparison of Codes, Standards, and Practices in Use at the Time of the Design and Construction of World Trade Center 1, 2, and 7

NIST NCSTAR 1-1F: Comparison of the 1968 and Current (2003) New York City Building Code Provisions

NIST NCSTAR 1-1G: Amendments to the Fire Protection and Life Safety Provisions of the New York City Building Code by Local Laws Adopted while World Trade Center 1, 2, and 7 Were in Use

NIST NCSTAR 1-1H: Post-Construction Modification to Fire Protection and Life Safety Systems of the World Trade Center Towers

NIST NCSTAR 1-1I: Post-Construction Modifications to Fire Protection, Life Safety, and Structural Systems of World Trade Center 7

NIST NCSTAR 1-1J: Design, Installation, and Operation of Fuel Systems for Emergency Power in World Trade Center 7

NIST NCSTAR 1-2: Baseline Structural Performance and Aircraft Impact Damage Analysis of the World Trade Center Towers

The baseline structural performance and aircraft impact damage analysis of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Investigation of the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster had two primary tasks: (1) to develop reference structural models of the WTC towers and use these models to establish the baseline performance of each of the towers under gravity and wind loads, and (2) to estimate the damage to the towers due to aircraft impacts and establish the initial conditions for the fire dynamics modeling and the thermal-structural response and collapse initiation analysis. This report provides the technical approach, methodology, and results related to both tasks.

The focus of the analysis was to analyze the aircraft impacts into each of the WTC towers to provide the following: (1) estimates of probable damage to structural systems, including exterior walls, floor systems, and interior core columns; (2) estimates of the aircraft fuel dispersion during the impact; and (3) estimates of debris damage to the building nonstructural contents, including partitions and workstations. The results were to be used to estimate the damage to fireproofing based on the predicted path of the debris field inside the towers. This analysis thus estimated the condition of the two WTC towers immediately following the aircraft impacts and established the initial conditions for the fire dynamics modeling and the thermal-structural response and collapse initiation analysis. The impact analyses were conducted at various levels of complexity including: (1) the component level, (2) the subassembly level, and (3) the global level to estimate the probable damage to the towers due to aircraft impact.

NIST NCSTAR 1-2: Baseline Structural Performance and Aircraft Impact Damage Analysis of the World Trade Center Towers

NIST NCSTAR 1-2A: Reference Structural Models and Baseline Performance Analysis of the World Trade Center Towers

NIST NCSTAR 1-2B: Analysis of Aircraft Impacts into the World Trade Center Towers (Chapters 1-8)

NIST NCSTAR 1-2B: Analysis of Aircraft Impacts into the World Trade Center Towers (Chapters 9-11)

1-2B appendix

NIST NCSTAR 1-3: Mechanical and Metallurgical Analysis of Structural Steel

This report is an overview of the results of the mechanical and metallurgical analysis of structural steel from the World Trade Center (WTC), part of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Investigation of the WTC disaster of September 11, 2001.  The goal of the study was threefold: Determine mechanical properties of WTC structural steel, Determine the quality of the steel and if design requirements were met, and Analyze the recovered steel to provide insight into failure mechanisms to guide and/or validate models of building performance.  Structural steel recovered from the WTC site was analyzed for composition, microstructure, and mechanical properties, including room temperature properties (for modeling baseline building performance), high temperature properties (for modeling structural response of the building to fire), and behavior at high strain rates (for modeling airplane impact). Failure analysis of the recovered steel, complemented by pre-collapse photographs of the damaged building, was used to establish failure modes and temperature excursions experienced by the steel. In addition, documents from the construction era covering issues ranging from steel specifications to engineering design drawings were used to help interpret the results and supplement models of mechanical properties used in the models of building performance.

NIST NCSTAR 1-3: Mechanical and Metallurgical Analysis of Structural Steel

NIST NCSTAR 1-3A: Contemporaneous Structural Steel Specifications

NIST NCSTAR 1-3B: Steel Inventory and Identification

NIST NCSTAR 1-3C: Damage and Failure Modes of Structural Steel Components

1-3C appendixes

NIST NCSTAR 1-3D: Mechanical Properties of Structural Steels

NIST NCSTAR 1-3E: Physical Properties of Structural Steels

NIST NCSTAR 1-4: Active Fire Protection Systems

The National Institute of Standards and Technology investigation of active fire protection systems in World Trade Center (WTC) 1, 2, and 7 included the design, installation, capabilities, and performance on September 11, 2001, of the automatic fire sprinkler, standpipe, standpipe preconnected hoses, fire alarm, and smoke management systems. The purpose and normally expected performance of each active fire protection system in the buildings are described, as well as details about the systems installed in WTC 1, 2, and 7. Using fire protection engineering methods, the capabilities of the installed systems to respond to various fire threats from normal office fires up to and including the extraordinary challenge of the fires ignited by the aircraft impacts on September 11, 2001, were assessed. Information from The Fire Department of the City of New York records was used to document the history of significant fire events in WTC 1, 2, and 7. Findings of the investigation are presented with regard to the fire suppression, fire alarm, and smoke management systems installed on the day the buildings collapsed.

NIST NCSTAR 1-4: Active Fire Protection Systems

NIST NCSTAR 1-4A: Post-Construction Fires prior to September 11, 2001

NIST NCSTAR 1-4B: Fire Suppression Systems

NIST NCSTAR 1-4C: Fire Alarm Systems

NIST NCSTAR 1-4D: Smoke Management Systems

NIST NCSTAR 1-5: Reconstruction of the Fires in the World Trade Center Towers

The collapses of the World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001, resulted from a combination of aircraft impact damage and the ensuing fires.

NIST NCSTAR 1-5: Reconstruction of the Fires in the World Trade Center Towers

NIST NCSTAR 1-5A: Visual Evidence, Damage Estimates, and Timeline Analysis (Chapters 1-8)

NIST NCSTAR 1-5A: Visual Evidence, Damage Estimates, and Timeline Analysis (Chapters 9-Appendix C)

1-5A appendixes D-G

1-5A  appendixes H-M

NIST NCSTAR 1-5B: Experiments and Modeling of Structural Steel Elements Exposed to Fire

NIST NCSTAR 1-5C: Fire Tests of Single Office Workstations

NIST NCSTAR 1-5D: Reaction of Ceiling Tile Systems to Shocks

NIST NCSTAR 1-5E: Experiments and Modeling of Multiple Workstations Burning in a Compartment

NIST NCSTAR 1-5F: Computer Simulation of the Fires in the World Trade Center Towers

NIST NCSTAR 1-5G: Fire Structure Interface and Thermal Response of the World Trade Center Towers

NIST NCSTAR 1-6: Structural Fire Response and Probable Collapse Sequence of the World Trade Center Towers

One of the four main objectives of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) investigation of the collapse of the World Trade Center (WTC) towers was to determine why and how the two towers collapsed. Events that played a significant role in the structural performance of the towers were the aircraft impact, the rapid ignition of fires on multiple floors, the growth and spread of fires and the structural weakening resulting from effects of high temperatures. The passive fire protection applied to the steel structural components in the WTC towers was investigated to provide information on the in place condition of the fire protection before and after aircraft impact. Standard fire resistance tests were conducted to establish the appropriate classification (fire resistance rating) of the original design of the WTC floor system and to develop insight into the structural performance of the composite steel and concrete floor system under exposure to a standard fire. Results of simulations of the aircraft impacts were used to predict damage to the structure, fire protection, and partition walls in the path of the debris field. Characterization of the temperatures of the structural components, determined from simulated WTC fires, allowed the calculation of the performance of major subsystems constituting the structural system of the towers including the core framing, the exterior wall (columns and spandrels), and full tenant floors. Insights gained from these analyses were used, in turn, to formulate and execute nonlinear, temperature-dependent finite element analyses of global structural systems to predict the collapse sequence of each tower. The structural analyses were guided, and where possible validated, by observations made from the review of thousands of photographs and video recordings. This report covers the characterization of the conditions of the WTC towers before the attacks, their weakening due to the aircraft impacts, the response of the structural systems to the subsequent growth and spread of fires, and the progression of local failures that led ultimately to the total collapse of both towers.

NIST NCSTAR 1-6: Structural Fire Response and Probable Collapse Sequence of the World Trade Center Towers

NIST NCSTAR 1-6A: Passive Fire Protection

NIST NCSTAR 1-6B: Fire Resistance Tests of the Floor Truss Systems

NIST NCSTAR 1-6C: Component, Connection, and Subsystem Structural Analysis

NIST NCSTAR 1-6D: Global Structural Analysis of the Response of the World Trade Center Towers to Impact Damage and Fire

NIST NCSTAR 1-7: Occupant Behavior, Egress, and Emergency Communication

This report describes the occupant evacuation of World Trade Center (WTC) 1 and WTC 2 on September 11, 2001. Multiple sources of information were collected and analyzed: over 1,000 new interviews with survivors (including 803 telephone interviews, 225 face-to-face interviews, and 5 focus groups); over 700 published interviews; 9-1-1 emergency calls; transcripts of emergency communications, historical building design drawings, memoranda, and calculations; formal complaints filed with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration; and other relevant materials. The egress system, including stairwells and elevators, was described and compared to requirement of both contemporary and current code requirements. This report documents the emergency procedures, both as they were designed to be implemented, as well as how they were actually implemented on September 11, 2001.

NIST NCSTAR 1-7: Occupant Behavior, Egress, and Emergency Communication

NIST NCSTAR 1-7A:  Analysis of Published Accounts of the World Trade Center Evacuation

NIST NCSTAR 1-7B: Technical Documentation for Survey Administration: Questionnaires, Interviews, and Focus Groups

NIST NCSTAR 1-8: The Emergency Response Operations

The September 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center (WTC) caused the deaths of 2,749 people.  Included in the group were approximately 421 emergency responders from The Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY), The New York City Police Department (NYPD), the Port Authority Police Department (PAPD), The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ), from WTC security firms, and volunteer emergency responders who were in the WTC area of the city when the attack occurred. This report addresses the operations of these emergency responders, the technologies used during WTC operations, and the guidelines and practices that governed these operations. The objectives of this study were to 1) fully document what happened during the response by the emergency services to the attacks on the WTC, up to the time of collapse of WTC 7; (2) identify issues that need to be addressed in changes to practice, standards, and codes; (3) identify alternative practices and/or technologies that may address these issues; and (4) identify R&D needs that advance the safety of the fire service in responding to massive fires in tall buildings.

NIST NCSTAR 1-8: The Emergency Response Operations

NIST NCSTAR 1-8:  Appendixes A-L

NIST NCSTAR 1A:  Final Report on the Collapse of World Trade Center Building 7

This is the final report on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) investigation of the collapse of World Trade Center Building 7 (WTC 7), conducted under the National Construction Safety Team Act.  This report describes how the fires that followed the impact of debris from the collapse of WTC 1 (the north tower) led to the collapse of WTC 7; an evaluation of the building evacuation and emergency response procedures; what procedures and practices were used in the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the building; and areas in current building and fire codes, standards, and practices that warrant revision.  Extensive details are found in the companion reports, NIST NCSTAR 1-9 and NIST NCSTAR 1-9A.

Final Report on the Collapse of World Trade Center Building 7 * [130 Pages, 5.8MB]

NIST NCSTAR 1-9: Structural Fire Response and Probable Collapse Sequence of World Trade Center Building 7 (two volumes)

This is the primary technical report on the investigation of the collapse of World Trade Center Building 7 (WTC 7), providing technical details of all aspects of the investigation.  This report also contains five appendices, which provide supporting background information on the Con Edison substation in WTC 7, analysis of the September 11, 2001 seismogram data recorded near the WTC site, video analysis of WTC 7 building vibrations before its collapse, analyses of hypothetical blast scenarios, and plasticity and creep models for WTC 7 steels.

NIST NCSTAR 1-9:  Volumes 1 & 2 [797 Pages, 50.3MB]

NIST NCSTAR 1-9A: Global Structural Analysis of the Response of World Trade Center Building 7 to Fires and Debris Impact Damage *

The post Federal Building and Fire Investigation of the World Trade Center Disaster by the National Institute of Standards and Technology first appeared on The Black Vault.