Posted on 09/13/2001 8:52:24 AM PDT by oxi-nato
WASHINGTON, Sept 13 (AFP) - The US authorities plan to draft in elite Delta Force commandos to help protect civilian planes, Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta said Thursday.
"We are asking for expeditious treatment and action by the Department of Defense to give us some Delta Force folks," he told a news conference, announcing a reopening of US airspace from 1500 GMT.
"They are already trained on high-risk situations and it would not take that much more training to put the Delta Forces on the airplane," he added. "We are hoping to augment federal air marshals with Delta Forces."
That sacred concept died at Waco, and our nation took one more giant step toward not existing as it was meant to exist.
It’s probably time to train and ARM the cockpit crews of US carriers who agree to the program. Pilots and FOs who do not want the responsibility can be exempted. It was, after all, the folks controlling the aircraft who were the targets on Terrible Tuesday.
During the rash of hijackings of a few decades ago, the feds put armed “AIR MARSHALS” on many flights. While some correctly argued that a fuselage punctured by a bullet at 35,000 feet MIGHT – repeat MIGHT bring the plane down – hijackings fell off.
One thing we know for sure about the four craft hijacked on 9/11: They ALL CAME DOWN and THEY ALL DIED!!
And to those who will inevitably – and stupidly – argue that pilots and FOs just cannot be trusted with the decision about when it’s time to pull a trigger, better tell the up to 400 folks sitting in the back that the guys up front are judgment-impaired!
Personally, I’d prefer to take my chances with a rapid decompression than watch some madman take MY flight into a building or the ground at 500 mph. That was the final experience of 266 fellow humans on 9/11. I KNOW I – like they – won’t survive that!
It’s again the old, old story: There aren’t TOO many weapons out there. It’s that the touchy-feely, warm-fuzzy PC crowd now sees to it that ONLY THE WRONG PEOPLE HAVE THEM!
I am against that. Concealed carry is great for personal protection on the street. The tactical situation is simple - if someone tries to mess with you, you shoot them. Tactics in a hijack situation are vastly more complicated, with hundreds of people in an enclosed space, possible hostages and the itty bitty problem of depressurizing the plane if you don't have the right ammo and the proper shot. I think this is a stopgap measure until a full complement of sky marshalls can be put together. But it's better than nothing.
No doubt. That is going to be really crummy duty for the poor guy that gets it. It's not like he can even bring a book or something to keep him occupied.
Good point. I hope you are right! However, it will not stop suicide nuts who don't care how they die.
I can't imagine a job where you have to watch airline passangers! What a waste of time and resources and good training. Arm the flight crews, stupid! (not you....I'm just venting).
Second that. Been there, done that.
What you should do next:
1. Take Tonkin gulf post and make SIGNATURE FILE OF YOUR EMAIL PROGRAM out of it !!!
EVERY MESSAGE YOU SEND will be branded
2. Ask from your correspondents to do the same and make signature file.
Message will spread like bushfire.
3. It is not only WHAT you write, but WHEN you write on the internet.
During NATO terrorist bombing of Serbia, people were frantically sending messages after the raids. Although many messages used pre-aranged associations as codes, THE TRAFFIC VOLUME AND ITS PEAKS was telling everything.
So, if anything of any military importance happens, DO NOT RUSH to the keyboard. DO NOTHING, BE QUIET,send message later.
Radical islamic Terrorism is global evil and all Freepers should join in fight to weed out Radical islamists and their supporters. From Langley,VA to Afganistan.
September 11 was 911 call. it's ours to answer.
I know that the politicians have to do SOMETHING, but this is not a good use of these troops.
However, simply allowing sworn law enforcement officers, certain former military Special Ops people, and a few other categories of people with the necessary traing and initiative to be armed on commercial aircraft could almost immediately put enough "acting Sky Marshals" on planes to cover every flight in the U.S., at least.
Bert, the skymarshals dress normally and occupy passenger seats -- they are disguised.
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