September 11, 2001 : Vice President Dick Cheney Did Give Orders For US Military To Shoot Down Aircraft

From the New York Times :

10:32 AM : Mission Crew Commander (M.C.C.) gives the fighter pilots permission to shoot down civilian planes, an order relayed from Vice President Dick Cheney.

Voice One : You need to read this, Region Commander has declared that we can shoot down tracks if they are not responding to our, uh, directions.

MCC Position : O.K, I’ll pass that to weapons.

Voice One : O.K.

MCC Position : The Region Com, the Region Commander has declared that we can shoot down aircraft that do not respond to our direction. Copy that? Weapons Copy that sir.

MCC Position : So if you’re trying to divert somebody and he won’t divert

Fox : D.O. is saying no.

MCC Position : No? It came over the chat. Foxy, you got a conflict on that? You got a conflict on that direction?

Fox : Right now, no, but keep checking.

Voice One : You read that from the vice president, right? The vice president has cleared —

MCC Position : Vice president has cleared us to intercept tracks.

Voice One : Of interest.

MCC Position : …And shoot them down if they do not respond, per CONR CC (Norad Continental U.S. Command Center).

You Can Hear The Audio At The New York Times 9/11 Tapes