Airline Security
The government has announced that it's going to start requiring armed guards on foreign airlines travelling in the US. Which seems to strike some people as good news, but which has me wondering, "You mean they weren't doing that laready?!?" Ye Gods, talk about a security hole.
Actually, Dean, I'm not sure how many domestic flights are now carrying armed pilots. I know the TSA is dead set against them...
This is why anyone who travels to and from Israel should fly on El Al. The Israeli sky marshals are very good.
Casey you are extremely smart. Think about your statement. That is exactly how our safety is kept domestically after 911. There was an over abundance filled for positions. We are a good nation, a great nation.
Explain to me what's good about bringing armed personnel on an airplane? Do you really think that a determined terrorist will be scared by a few armed officers on a plane? You've got to be kidding!
And the reason why El Al is good is not their sky marshals, but because they never negotiate with terrorists. You mess with El Al, they mess with you, that simple.
Janelle, I'm not sure I see your point? Are you saying we are safer because we don't have armed pilots on all flights, or that we do? Or that we're safer because the number is uncertain? Really; I'm not being sarcastic. :)
I almost didn't reply regarding the troll's question, but then I decided that an actual human being might ask the same question.
It's really very simple, and has nothing to do with "scaring" would-be hijackers. It has everything to do with kililng those same people. Recall that on 9/11, the only thing that the 14 attackers had were box-cutters, and perform a simple mental experiment: one man with an automatic vs. a half-dozen with box-cutters...
Having an armed man on board makes it very difficult to hijack a plane. In fact, Dr. Jerry Pournelle suggested over 20 years ago that we should require every law enforcement and combat arms officer to carry their side-arm while flying.
Except for suicide bombers, NOBODY messes with Israel anymore. After winning, what? 4 wars against the Arab states around them since 1948, they operate from a position of moral and historical superiority IMHO. As for the measures they take to keep their small national airline operating safely, if you wish to take a ride with EL AL, you will submit to the most strenuous interrogation and search of any air passenger in the world. Their air security is provided by trained government agents who interview EACH passenger intensively. If there is any doubt whatsoever about you as a security risk, you stay on the ground and maybe get arrested to boot if you exiting the country. And, as I understand it, each flight is secured by at least one armed agent or maybe more. Keep in mind, there are only a handful of flights in and out of Israel each day.