Re: Waco: Govt Set Fire

Robin Hanson (rhanson@gmu.edu)
Thu, 09 Sep 1999 10:49:22 -0400

On 9/9/1999, Ian Goddard wrote:
> The report at the following URL presents evidence
> never before seen on the Internet from the much-
> discussed FLIR video taken over Waco, Texas.
>
> http://users.erols.com/igoddard/wacofire.htm
>
> This evidence, covered briefly in Mike McNulty's
> award-winning documentary "Waco: The Rules of
> Engagement" and corroborated by expert testimony,
> establishes beyond a reasonable doubt that the
> fire that engulfed the Mount Carmel Center in
> Waco, Texas, was started by the U.S. Government.
> This evidence is not being discussed on TV, but,
> thanks to the Internet, everyone can see it now!

A few weeks ago I rented that video, and it convinced me that the FBI was lying about at least some things. In particular, I was persuaded that the FBI was shooting at the compound from close range at just the time and place you would expect people to be trying to escape the fire. I think they said 27? bodies were found with bullets in them.

The FBI is shown on the tape repeatedly claiming that no shots were ever fired at the compound at anytime during the siege. So they claim that the people there shot themselves. (Did anyone ever try to match the bullets to guns?) An FBI agent is also heard on the tape admitting to Koresh that they did shoot at them.

Regarding who started the fire, I'm less sure. I'd want to study the tape Ian gives clips of in more detail to be as sure as he seems to be. But given that the FBI has lied about at least two things, Ian's claim is (in this case) quite plausible.

I wish I had bothered to mention the video before the recent info came out; I missed my chance to say that the FBI was lying about one thing just before they were shown to have lied about something else related.

Robin Hanson rhanson@gmu.edu http://hanson.gmu.edu Asst. Prof. Economics, George Mason University MSN 1D3, Carow Hall, Fairfax VA 22030
703-993-2326 FAX: 703-993-2323