This is on one of the news threads on the ar15 hompage....read the 2nd paragraph   [:D]

Editorials - August 16, 2002

Air marshmallows:
Marshals no substitute for armed pilots


AIR MARSHALS are unable to defend America’s airlines against terrorists, and the program is becoming a laughingstock, according to current and former marshals interviewed by USA Today. Yet the Bush administration maintains its head-in-the-sand opposition to arming airline pilots.
One of the primary reasons given for not allowing armed pilots is that fighting terrorists should be left to marshals, who are supposed to be highly trained law enforcement and firearms experts. Yet there have been at least two incidents in the past year in which air marshals accidentally discharged their firearms. One marshal left his gun in the plane lavatory.

Marshals interviewed by USA Today said the training has become “like security-guard training for the mall.” The very tough marksmanship course once required to become a marshal has been dropped. Three sources, including a manager of the program, told the paper that the marksmanship course was dropped after too many recruits started failing it.

The dress code for marshals is so rigid that it makes them easily identifiable to terrorists, some say. “This is really dangerous,” one marshal told the paper. “We are so obvious, the terrorists don’t need to bring guns on the planes anymore. They just need to gang up on us and take our guns.”

Still worse, marshals are not on every flight, so depending on them to stop terrorists is even more of a risky gamble. The Bush administration should reverse its opposition to armed pilots at once. It’s the only way to guarantee that each cockpit is protected by an armed defender.