[patton]

I do not understand this conversation.

The vast majority of american commercial pilots are prior-service military; that is how they got their training. Flying military aircraft, equipped with guns and bombs.

And a large percentage are military reservists - listen to the airlines scream every time the pilots are called up.

So - we can trust them to fly $300 million airplanes, loaded to the hilt with ordinance, or carrying 300+ civilian passengers, but not to carry a pistol?

This is stupid beyond any measure.

[Daus]

So - we can trust them to fly $300 million airplanes, loaded to the hilt with ordinance, or carrying 300+ civilian passengers, but not to carry a pistol?

The kicker to all of this is that if Flight 93 hadn't been brought down by the passegers it would have likely been up to a reservist in an F16 (who is more than likely a commercial airline pilot) to shoot down the entire plan before it reached DC.

Take your pick Cookie.... A commercial pilot taking out the individual terrorist or one taking out the whole airliner...

[raygun]

I don't think that was stupid at all. In fact you made lots of sense. Its the liberal's feelings that are stupid.

But look, nowadays thinking about it is as good as doing something about it. In fact just feeling bad about something is as good as thinking about doing something about it. In fact that would be cultural imperialism to imply that the person who accomplishes something is in anyway better than the person who thought or felt about what that person did. I wonder if we can now make it a crime to merely think bad thoughts or feel evil.