Those fighters are NOT, I repeat NOT, I tell you this three times, NOT up there to "protect US flights". If you are flying and sitting towards the back, and you notice some minor commotion up front and a bit later look out your window and find an F-16 or F-18 sitting on your wing, you need to fold your paper, make sure your tray is in the stored and locked position, your seat is in the up and locked position, assume the water ditching position, and kiss your @$$ goodbye because your plane has deviated from his assigned path....

Those guys and gals have very SPECIFIC rules of engagement which start out at "Hey You what the F#$K are you doing?" and if the answer is accented, and they don't return to the assigned plan, poof a shot across the nose and BLAM your plane is history.


They're up there protecting FIXED ASSETS on the ground, and don't mistake this.

Yes chem11, not a good time to be flying soon.

I heard late last night that the black box from Flight 93 had been recovered. Today's going to be a busy day for me, so if anyone hears anything about whether this flight was downed or not, feel 'free' to post an update... TIA..

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In the moments after it became apparent that the United States was under attack Tuesday, President Bush authorized the military to shoot down any unauthorized civilian aircraft that might have been heading toward the White House or the Capitol, Vice President Dick Cheney said Sunday.

"We decided to do it," Cheney declared on NBC's "Meet the Press."

The chance never materialized.

An American Airlines flight with 64 people on board slammed into the Pentagon before military jets had a chance to intercept it. And another jet -- United Airlines Flight 93, with 45 on board -- crashed in western Pennsylvania. Authorities believe it may have been headed toward the White House or the Capitol, and it crashed during an apparent struggle between the passengers and hijackers.

None of the four flights that were hijacked and deliberately crashed -- two others slammed into the World Trade Center in New York -- were hit by military fire.

Cheney said the decision to shoot down any civilian military aircraft was the "toughest decision" the administration faced in those early moments, but one it felt was justified.

"The president made the decision. ... I concurred ... that if the plane would not divert, if they wouldn't pay any attention to instructions to move away from the city, as a last resort, our pilots were authorized to take them out," Cheney said.

The vice president acknowledged that it was "a horrendous decision to make" because the plane was full of "civilians captured by terrorists and -- are you going to shoot it down and kill all those Americans on board?"

chem11, think the airlines are going to go
belly up? I sure don't want to fly.

"Take 'em out " has been around for more years
than alot of people realize. Started with the
russians in the early 1960's.

Too bad small twin engine planes don't get better
fuel ratios, or I'd charter one for my trip.

Or geez..... maybe I'll take a limo from california
to the east coast.

Creepy isn't it?

Chem11, you stay away from boeing there in your
area. They also could be a target from rogue
terrorists.

I'd say something else, but I need to maintain
my lady like decorum.