April 7, 2007: Iraq War and 9-11 - Michael Shrimpton

Art Bell interviews British national security consultant Michael Shrimpton about the Iraq War, the 9/11 attacks, and Middle Eastern geopolitics. Shrimpton, who has briefed staffers on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, argues that Iraqi intelligence was heavily involved in planning and executing the September 11th attacks, citing meetings between Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden dating back to 1989. He explains that an internal conflict between loyalists of the first President Bush and the current administration has paralyzed efforts to communicate this intelligence publicly.

Shrimpton firmly rejects 9/11 conspiracy theories alleging U.S. government involvement, stating that President Bush and Vice President Cheney were clearly taken by surprise. He criticizes the administration for failing to counter these theories effectively, noting that simple engineering explanations for the building collapses have gone largely unarticulated by officials. He also discusses the growing Iranian nuclear threat and the diplomatic crisis surrounding captured British sailors.

The first two hours feature open lines and extensive coverage of the contaminated pet food crisis, with Art reading an investigative article revealing that nearly 39,000 pets were sickened or killed rather than the 15 initially reported. Art passionately calls for a national reporting agency for animal health emergencies.