Tripower,
I haven't read so much hogwash in a long time.
"it is really not that big a deal to hit a man sized target from 5 feet away."
Of course not. Just point the gun, pull the trigger, blast the hijacker's chest out - job's a good 'un. You can go home and sleep soundly in the knowledge of a job well done. And before any of you Yanks start yelping that they would rather kill a man than have your throat slit, stop and think about what you are saying. Soldiers in wars are trained, armed and ready to kill other men, and yet in the 20th century soldiers were shot for desertion rather than face combat. The proposal to arm pilots, even if it is 'only' with stun guns is something that will change the whole wolrd outlook on avaition. Which brings me to your next point.
"arm any pilots that had prior military or law enforcement training. As soon as the details could be worked out, train and arm the civilians that choose to do so"
Oh yes, I can just see Mr Bloggs the paranoid traveller. "Is my pilot armed? If not I'm not getting on." A 2 tier system is just about the most stupid thing you have propsed (after putting a gun on the aircraft at all, that is). The vast majority of pepole on this site arguing for guns are male Americans who have had some involvement in the military or law enforcement. Take a look at yourselves. Freedom for all is not all it cracked up to be. The children of numerous schools who have been killed by their classmates wouldn't say freedom to carry a gun is a good thing. And before you say I am anti american - I'm not. Just anti-stupidity.