And while we're on the subject ... The Cash of Civilizations Part 2

Damian Thompson's Counterknowledge makes a big fuss about the public's appetite for 9/11 conspiracy theories. A couple of weeks after his brave and impressive denunciation of such feeble-mindedness, the Saudis slightly spoilt things by apparently threatening "another 7/7" if the Serious Fraud Office didn't back off. This from the Guardian -

"Saudi Arabia's rulers threatened to make it easier for terrorists to attack London unless corruption investigations into their arms deals were halted, according to court documents revealed yesterday.

Previously secret files describe how investigators were told they faced "another 7/7" and the loss of "British lives on British streets" if they pressed on with their inquiries and the Saudis carried out their threat to cut off intelligence.

Prince Bandar, the head of the Saudi national security council, and son of the crown prince, was alleged in court to be the man behind the threats to hold back information about suicide bombers and terrorists. He faces accusations that he himself took more than £1bn in secret payments from the arms company BAE."

Take one transnational arms company, one hereditary ruler, mix in some illegal payments, doubtless a spook or two, and then ... threats of another 7/7 ...

So how many spooks, arms companies and dollars would it take to have yourself an actual 7/7? And how many of the above would you need to have an actual 9/11?

I have been drinking coffee all day, and it's been a long week, but I don't think it constitutes a flight from the values of the Enlightenment to notice the fact of state-sponsored terrorism and to adopt an attitude of curious agnosticism on topics where we essentially know fuck all.