9-11/Pentagon

In September of 2001, a few days prior to the "9/11" event, the History Channel presented a show in which the Pentagon was a main focus. During the hour-long program, mild-tempered issues were raised related to the quickly deteriorating conditions plaguing the buildings’ structure—outmoded materials used in the initial construction now demanding renovations. However, the fear of astronomical costs for these renovations was put forth as a questionable deterrent for the American public: considering the age of the building (1941-2001), would the facility be relegated to sit as some type of museum and relic of a war-time era gone by, or would it receive the necessary attention to reclaim its glory and dominance over the global stage of military force and strategy? At the end of the program, while the credits were displayed, a narrator was making statements and asking questions about the uncertain fate of this American icon; among the rhetorical questions asked, the option of bomb-proof reinforcement was posited, considering the martial status the Pentagon represents.

Too many years after the event, I tried to acquire a screen-shot of the listing of programs scheduled on that day (most likely the 6th, a Thursday, but certainly before the weekend). However, the History Channel web site would not allow gleaning of the shows for that date. If anyone reading has further or more in-depth insights into this particular confluence, please share! In all of my years of “9/11” research, I have not heard a single statement from a television viewer or researcher in reference to this perspective, but it is certain that such persons are indeed out there. I mention this issue because as the spectacle unfolded, my immediate thoughts were continually revisiting the (now considerably strange) show I had watched recently. I do not know if this is a relevant piece of the puzzle, but it served as the catalytic issue for my continued interest in what happened that day.