It took about a year, but to my great relief I stumbled on something the other night that challenges head on the conspiracy theories presented by “Loose Change,” a doc first released in 2005 via the Internet that alleges the U.S. government planned the attacks of 9/11.

“The 9/11 Conspiracies: Fact or Fiction,” now airing on The History Channel, is a concise and direct investigative show that tracks down a variety of key witnesses and other sources to answer questions raised by “Loose Change.” I’ve seen parts of “Loose Change” (a third edition of the film is due this September) and several other 9/11 conspiracy documentaries. Each one of them planted in me disturbing seeds of doubt regarding the attacks of Sept. 11.

Why did World Trade Center Building 7 come down so suddenly? Where is the wreckage of Flight 93? How could a passenger jet leave a neat circular missile-like hole in a concrete wall deep inside the Pentagon?

“The 9/11 Conspiracies” tackles those questions. It also examines the circumstances in which conspiracy theories thrive and in turn creates some perspective and context for a situation that needs it. For months after “having my eyes opened” regarding 9/11 I scanned the Web for reasonable rebuttals from experts who know about all the issues being speculated about. I found nothing.
I know the debate about who is responsible for the attacks of Sept. 11 is far from over. “The 9/11 Conspiracies: Fact or Fiction” at least provides some starting counterpoints for the myriad of issues raised in documentaries like “Loose Change.”