Originally Posted by misd-agin
Terrorists have never threatened anyone in flight, have never used deadly force or tried to force their way into a cockpit? Whew, I don't know where to start.
You apparently think I was trying to imply terrorists have never threatened a flight. That is just a really, really dumb (perhaps deliberate?) misinterpretation of what I was saying.
I'd hope an average person would have realised that I was specifically referring to the post-9/11 era with post-9/11 security measures which apparently have been extremely effective in curtailing potential terrorist threats and plans BEFORE they get onto the plane. You may correct me at any stage by providing
recent examples of successful Al Qaeda aircraft hijackings among nations who have implemented these heightened security measures, if you wish.
We are, after all, debating a post-9/11 US security procedure aren't we, and a post 9/11 incident? Honestly, I didn't think it was all that hard to understand what I was saying.
Anyway, despite 25 years in military and civil aviation I can see that this is now infringing on the "more guns are the obvious solution" and "guns aren't dangerous, people are" points of view (see my analogy to sulpuric acid and scientists with slippery hands), so I see no further point in responding to nonsense. You keep your guns, I'll stay gun free. In 5 years we'll see whose airline has had the least amount of gun incidents and/or terror attacks onboard. At least one is lagging behind already, and they have guns in the cockpit!
Originally Posted by Wino
But even so, if you are pointing the gun away from you and your copilot (as this captain apparently was, which you should ALWAYS be doing when handling) the risk is ZERO.
I'm rather surprised, for a "gun educated" person, that you apparently believe no-one has ever been killed or injured by a gun not pointed directly at them, especially in confined areas and at close quarters. Silly French. Always coming up with pointless words like "ricochet". This makes your mathematical concept of "ZERO" intriguing.
Edit: BTW, none of this detracts from my support of sky marshalls, which is a different concept and principle from arming the pilots.