Boston Globe Online: Failsafe, by Elaine Scarry, 9/22/2002

American Airlines Flight 77 was originally scheduled to fly from Washington to Los Angeles. The plane approached the Pentagon at the speed of 500 miles per hour. Two million square feet of the building were damaged or destroyed. One hundred and eighty-nine people died - 64 on the plane, 125 working in the Pentagon. Many others were badly injured.

While we continue to lament the deaths and injuries, one key fact needs to be held onto and stated in a clear sentence: On Sept. 11, the Pentagon could not defend the Pentagon, let alone the rest of the country.

let alone the whole entire rest of the country.

read the article; it's good although sobering.

(thanks to vicki at redbird.org and tony vonkrag at mnstf's natter list for the pointer.)