Hopefully it never comes to this, but...

[sq764]

I was reading the other day about the fighter jets readily poised to not only shoot down enemy planes, but also shoot down a commercial flight that has been hijacked, if needed.

Can you imagine making the decision to actually shoot down a plane with hundreds of innocent Americans to save possibly thousands? The justification may be there, but to actually make that decision would be sickening.. Do you think this would ever happen? Should we, as Americans, be prepared for this each time we hop on a flight anymore?

Just a very difficult situation that I hope never arises..

[Buddha]

I think I read or heard something about that that says they need the president's ok. I personally would feel sick to do something like that if I were an American fighter pilot, but what are you going to do, say no?

Do I ever think it would happen? Very slim chance. I mean if there was a hijacked plane heading for Vegas, or another big city, sure, save thousands of lives, but I doubt that it would happen anytime soon. But then again, I could be way off.

[doophus]

As memory serves....

On 9/11, after not landing and making a (180), wasn't the 3rd plane, the one that crashed in Pennsylvania, already on "special watch/alert?" Had that one continued on a DC heading that particular day, is there any doubt that some pilot would have been ordered to bring it down? Also, I never met an ex-jock who wouldn't have followed those orders. Today's active-duty pilots....I think they are no different.

Also, wasn't consideration given to intercepting Paine Stewart's plane, but once determining that Chicago wasn't endangered the "powers that be" decided to allow Dubuque and Omaha fend for themselves?

Now, if the discussion is whether the "powers that be," uno those gutless groupies who inhabit our nation's capital, would have the intestinal fortitude to order such an act, that could be an indepth study in "political correctness." Would we need UN approval 1st? Of course, I think that GWB wouldn't hesitate.


George in Baton Rouge
Home of the National Champs

[Tom]

They are prepared to SHOOT DOWN my airplane if need be, but inside the plane, they REFUSE to serve peanuts anymore becasue about .05% of the population are alergic to them!?!

I tell you this, if it ever comes to my plane being shot down, I am definatley grabbing the other half of the can of Coke and chugging it down! And I am leaving my damn tray DOWN AND IN ITS UNLOCKED POSITION!!!!!!

Anyone who flies NorthWest must always be prepared for the worse....and generally, you get it ;)

[lsbets]

Tom,

The only thing I would add to your post is I would lite up a cigarette, and maybe even smoke it in the bathroom.

[kingfin66]

Don't forget about joining the Mile High Club.

[lsbets]

If I'm flying with Tom, I would have to pass.