9/11 Inc.

How a national tragedy became a business.

BY SUZANNE MERKELSON | SEPTEMBER 10, 2010

Red, white, blue, and green: In 2000, Americans bought about 40 million U.S. flags. In 2002, that number spiked to 100 million, according to the National Flag Foundation. In 2005, an eBay seller allegedly auctioned off a flag that survived the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon for $371,000 to an anonymous buyer in Minnesota.

Getty Images

 

Suzanne Merkelson is an editorial assistant at Foreign Policy.


GUYVER

11:57 AM ET

September 11, 2010

You missed the big ones

Military and security contractors, the entire Department of Homeland Security, and schools offering "Homeland Security" degrees. Thousands of white collar jobs have been created and careers have been made as a result of 9-11.

 

APPRXAM

4:34 AM ET

September 13, 2010

Benefit

Heritage Foundation
AEI
Xe (formally known as Blackwater)
NeoCLownZ
Bill Kristol
NYT
Haliburton-KBR-Xe & No hide, no bid contracts (RePugZ simply didn't care)
BP/Exxon/Mobil/ExxonMobil
Poland air space and landing fee increases
Russian pride
Israeli itoldyousoinstituteofsharedpain&airportlogistics
Home Depot / Lowes increase sales of waterboards
Tony Blair......book sales
New and improved "yellowcake"; just when chocolate was taking over
Rudy "nineeleven" Giuliani. (Until Florida) Jeb & Susan Harris left the house
Country music
American Muslims: Finally.....attention from incurious christian preachers
Darwin. Spencer, too.
Ken Lay...........some say NW Spain

 

APPRXAM

4:23 AM ET

September 13, 2010

Oh....

Five dollar foot longs.

 

JANEFONSTAD

4:48 PM ET

September 27, 2010

Candid photo essay

Thanks for your candid photo essay on how businesses has profit off from a national tragedy. Not something of an expose, but just a candid show of how some businesses had actually make money. I am sure there is the other side of the equation where businesses had lost lots of money such as financial trading firms, insurance companies and the like - jane

 

HELLEHOU503

3:17 AM ET

October 10, 2010

9/11 Inc.

How a national tragedy became a business. Thanks for your candid photo essay on how businesses has profit off from a national tragedy. Not something of an expose, but just a candid show of how some businesses had actually make money. I am sure there is the other side of the equation where businesses had lost lots of money such as financial trading firms, insurance companies and the like - jane. "Red, white, blue, and green: In 2000, Americans bought about 40 million U. S. flags hp deskjet 870c printer color ink. In 2002, that number spiked to 100 million, according to the National Flag Foundation. In 2005, an eBay seller allegedly auctioned off a flag that survived the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon for $371,000 to an anonymous buyer in Minnesota. "..

 

HAMDU

1:40 PM ET

October 10, 2010

Thanks for your candid photo essay

How a national tragedy became a business. Thanks for becertubeyour candid photo essay on how businesses has profit off from a national tragedy. Not gztlrsomething of an expose, but just a candid show of how some businesses had actually make money. I am sure there is the other side of the equation where businesses had lost lots of 7ramoney such as financial trading firms, insurance companies and the like - jane. "Red, white, blue, and green: In 2000, Americans bought about 40 million U. S. flags hp deskjet 870c ucakbiletitcprinter color ink. In 2002, that number spiked to 100 million, according to the National Flag Foundation. In 2005, an 31cilereBay seller allegedly auctioned off a flag that survived the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon for $371,000 to an sinemaanonymous buyer in Minnesota. "..