The arming of pilots is in addition to skymarshalls..pilots will remain pilots but they will have the means to defend themselves,their crew and passengers.No one is saying that they would leave the cockpit and do battle.Skymarshalls will be the front line of defense.
Julian,
Your comments are typical of someone who is totally detached from the problem,and quite frankly naive.When it rains more than just H2O in Berkshire,then you might be in the correct mindset to suggest something that makes sense.The only solution is to do what it takes to stop this thing happening again,however draconian.