[Solson]

hmmm....

[Solson]

BTTT...

[hopespringseternal]

As long as the inmates are running the asylum, I will drive. When they stop talking about banning plastic knives, they may be serious about the problem. Until then, it is all useless political posturing for the stupid and cowardly.

[bloodmeridian]

Terrorists hijacked four airplanes Sept. 11, crashing two into the World Trade Center in New York and one into the Pentagon outside Washington. A fourth crashed in Pennsylvania, apparently after passengers struggled with the hijackers. U.S. air travel has dropped sharply since the attacks.

Hey, Scott. I think every person on the planet knows this by now.

[Daus]

Just took a jaunt through Houston, San Diego, Minneapolis via various airlines. Lines are short, hassles are few, and Cops, Sheriffs, Customs officers, Air Marshalls, rent-a-cops are EVERYWHERE. Especially in Houston, there must have been 15 guys in uniform standing at the metal detectors.

[Brian Allen]

The package includes putting the federal government in charge of airport security.

Just like it was in charge of security at Pearl Harbor, Ruby Ridge, Waco, the Oklahoma City Federal Building, the Pentagon, the WTC, the day President Reagan was shot -- and the day JFK was murdered!

Can't wait!

[Aurelius]

He's "cool to the idea" of arming the pilots? Is this guy a real Texan? For that matter, would a real Texan have stood for the singing of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" at a national memorial service?

[KirkandBurke]

Things to consider:

While we want good security and desire to "feel safe," we have to realize that there will be a price to pay for this. A hefty one. In 1999, when the airlines were running at about full capacity, there were over 8 million departures in the US. That includes mail, cargo and passenger. Do we only put sky marshalls on passenger flights? Wouldn't a cargo filled, transcontinental craft do as much damage? So how many skymarshalls will we need?

Eight million yearly flights amounts to about 22,000 flights a day. How many flights per day will a skymarshall fly on average? How many sky marshalls per plane? How many flying days per month will they be allowed to fly? (everyone has mandatory ground time)

We're probably looking at a force of about 25,000 (or more) skymarshalls and a bureaucracy to support them. I can't wait for the next tax increase and $1,000 domestic plane tickets to cover the cost. (We haven't even begun to consider the cost of increased ground security)

Don't get me wrong, I'm not against appropriate security measures, but once the air industry goes back to full capacity, we'll be picking up a mighty big tab.

[Dick Bachert]

(From boortz.com on 9-27-01)

We're getting some mixed signals from the White House.

On one hand, you have George W. Bush authorizing the military to shoot down hijacked airliners that might be headed toward targets in major cities. But on the other hand, Bush is apparently opposed to the idea of arming airline pilots. What's the deal here? Bush is perfectly willing to blow airplanes and the people in them out of the sky to protect people on the ground--but he won't give pilots a fighting chance to stop the hijackers from taking control of the aircraft? Does that make sense to anyone?

Let’s hope that Bush hasn’t been swayed by the anti-gun mania of the left? Has Bush fallen for the anti-gunners' lies that guns in the hands of civilians are a danger to all? If so, he may not realize that the majority of airline pilots are ex-military. They have a greater familiarity with guns than the average citizen. Under various proposals, pilots who want to arm themselves against hijackers would have to go through rigorous training similar to the training air marshals receive.

(Comment by Bachert: PARENTHETICALLY, I UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO BE THOROUGH, BUT WHY THE HELL MUST THESE AIR MARSHALS UNDERGO 32 WEEKS – 32 WEEKS -- OF TRAINING? IF IT TAKES THEM THAT LONG TO BE BROUGHT UP TO SPEED TO DRAW, AIM AND SQUEEZE OFF SOME BAD GUYS IN THE CONFINES OF AN ALUMINUM/TITANIUM TUNNEL, YA GOTTA WONDER ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THE RECRUITS COMING TO THE PROGRAM. WANNA BET THAT IF THE “AUTHORITIES” DO RELENT AND LET THE PILOTS ARM THEMSELVES – WHICH, BY THE WAY, THEY ALREADY CAN UNDER CFR14.108.11!!! – THEY’LL “CATCH-22” THEM OUT OF THE NOTION BY DEMANDING THEY TAKE THAT 32 WEEK COURSE! IF THAT HAPPENS, ASK YOUR ALLEGED REPRESENTATIVE “WHY?”)

Guns in the hands of civilians are used to stop crime more than 7,000 times every single day.

Is Bush concerned that the pilots' guns might be taken away from them in a fight and used against them? If so, he probably isn't aware that when guns are used defensively, they're taken away from the victim less than one percent of the time. Is Bush worried that a stray gunshot will cause rapid and catastrophic decompression in the aircraft, ripping the plane's frame apart? It's never happened in real life--only in movies like "Goldfinger." A spy thriller isn't exactly the best teaching tool for the physics of decompression.

Or is Bush worried about accidental discharges in the cockpit? They're really negligent discharges. Proper training will prevent pilots from discharging their guns negligently. Only a fool places his finger on the trigger when he's not ready to shoot. It's usually the leftist gun grabbers who support the notion that military and police authorities should be the only ones with the guns. They think government officials should be the only ones with the ability to use deadly force.

Think about it. Who would you rather have as the last line of defense against a hijacker who wants to turn an airplane into a flying bomb? A blank-faced, minimally-skilled airport security worker who couldn't get a job at the local McDonald's, or an armed pilot? Of all the security improvements that have been thrown around since September 11, armed pilots are most likely to have prevented the hijacking of four commercial airliners and the deaths of 7,000 people. The terrorists took advantage of the gun-free atmosphere. They achieved their mission--and they only needed to use knives.

Let's hope President Bush comes around on this issue.

[asneditor]

This is getting way out of hand
First we can't take pictures anywhere ner the WTC and now the Feds are going to control the airports.
Something is sure beginning to smell.

[Israel]

Guard Today, UN Tomorrow?

On June 28, 2001, Col. Cuppett was advised of, "a serious report of plans to allow UN police units to patrol US international airports in the event of an Arab-Israeli war in the Middle East." These troops will also be placed at nine European airports and will be used to derail an Israeli "call-up of reservists for military duty." Further, the UN will prevent ships carrying reservists from sailing for Israel.

"The UN shall soon declare Zionism to be racism...affirm that settlements are a crime against humanity and equate the Jewish people with the likes of Hitler and Stalin...When the war breaks out, Moslems will riot in the US, and Jews, trying to go to Israel, for any reason, including bringing funds to aid the besieged state, will be arrested at the airports.

"All the above information was relayed to me by a Field Grade US military officer, a US Army LTC and a USAF Major."
 

[TERMINATTOR]

>> -Putting the federal government in charge of airport security and screening, including the purchase and maintenance of all equipment. The government would supervise passenger and baggage security and perform background checks on security personnel. Uniformed federal workers would manage all operations; federal and nonfederal workers would share the security work.

If he's talking about having the feds make sure everyones gun is loaded, knives are sharp, etc., I'm all for it. They could open up a self defense/shooting range at the airport, and provide instructors too.

"A well-regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed." - Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

Thank you for flying Liberty Airlines
Have a safe flight.

To arms, to arms, the terrorists are coming!

America's Militia wants YOU!

We must be ever vigilant in protecting our inalienable rights as enumerated in the Constitution and BOR.

Congress has provided (Article I - Section. 8, U.S. Constitution) the Militia with the means to arm themselves: CMP (Civilian Markmenship Program).
Bible quotes in favor of annihilating jihadists
Poll: bin Laden's skull can be best used as an ....

Molon Labe !

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

FOXNEWS just reported that Governor Davis of California is calling up the National Guard here !

[CJ Wolf]

I remember when... an english speaking middle eastern looking metal detector guard in miami airport stopped me to look at my Video camera. He asked me to turn it on. I did. Then he volenteered his life story. "I got hired cause I used to make these into bombs. I know what to look for..." I said "really, that's comforting" (I don't think he could sense my sarcasm. he replied, "yep, I got busted when I was 16, lucky for me I was underage and got off easy, now I get to protect you"

I wonder if he is still manning the gates and protecting us now.

[eFudd]

The airlines better get charged back for this service.

[jwalsh07]

I have an idea on airline security. Generally, when the enemy gets to the last line of defense, ie: the pilots, the battle is lost. So when a hijacker exhibits a sharp object I would suggest shoving it up his or her behind prior to there heading towards the cockpit. Ergo, sharp object goes from on board to inboard.

[VietVet]

I would like to raise a completely different question, one which does not seem to have occured to any of the prior posters:

Where are all these National Guardsmen for airport security going to come from?

In my state, the Guard was *already* scheduled to be called up, about 6000 out of 8000 of them, for duty in Bosnia and Kuwait, in October. That doesn't leave a lot of them at home for airport security, not to mention the possible need for water supply security, bridge and tunnel security, disaster relief services, and civil disturbance duty (what with all the talk about "peace demonstrations").