I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say that our thoughts and prayers are with all who have been injured or lost loved ones in the apparent terrorist attacks on our country.

Well put Nicole.  I can only think of how my parents felt when they heard about Pearl Harbor. But television didnt exist back then, and now we have all seen tape of that plane flying into that tower. I feel that whoever did this views us as a weak divided nation. They have no idea how much this has brought us all together. I was talking to people in the grocery store this morning sharing with total strangers the horror we have all witnessed. This is one time I am glad that I was at home and not working out of state as I usually am. We will never have the same freedoms in travelling that we had yesterday.

The unthinkable has happened, planes were hijacked and turned into missles. The nerve center of our military intitutions has been severly damaged. Who ever is responible for this act of war should find a very deep hole to hide in, because Americans will not be satisfied until they have been found and punished. I remember reading Tom Clacy's book and how horrific it was to read about a airline pilot with an agenda slamming his plane into the capital building in D.C., that fiction was so small compared to this reality.

As someone who is an uncle to a NYPD cop, a S.O. who manages executive aircraft, and another relative who is a officer on a navy carrier, I can see the ripple effect this horrific act has caused. All of our lives have changed dramatically.

Thank you for the thoughtful message. Our prayers are with all those who have lost so much on this tragic day in American history.

Until we have all the details, we will not know
for sure, but there was an obvious security
problem with airlines.  I don't know what
these terrorists did, but one scenario is
that 3-4 strong thugs (maybe less) entered
the cockpit and took over the controls (1 or
more trained pilots in the thug group).  This
doesn't require detectable weapons.

If the above scenario is true, the airlines
will really beef up the protection of the
cockpit and separate it from the rest of
the aircraft (e.g., "bullet" proof and heavy
doors, separate bathrooms for pilots, etc.).

I would like to add my condolences to everyone who has lost frends or relatives today. And, I wish a speedy recovery to anyone who has suffered injuries.
pt

This is about more than just peope dying our entire way of life will be changed because of this.. This isn't just about New Yorkers.. We need to think and pray for the USA

I would like to give everybody a briefing from the Mexican boarder the two close to my home have closed and rumor has it that they will open soon, however they are a min. of 5 officers that will be inspecting all cars comming into our country.
I have friends in New York and all I can say is Thank God for the internet! I hope everybody is safe and your families are well.
Mara

As one post said, this is Pearl Harbor revisitted.
This is the Pearl Harbor of this generation.

We, the USA, can not let this pass.  Wether it was an act of international terorism or domestic.  The US and it's citizens must not forget this action.....EVER.

Our world changed today.  The possibilities that follow this are emense. (sorry if my spelling is wrong)

We need to pull together and let the world and know, that the US will not stand for this sort of action.

I feel, once we determine who is responsible for this, we must retaliate with the full ability of our country.

Just my opinion.

Indeed this scenario seems plausible. I don't know if they will ever get all the details, hopefully the "black boxes" will be found in all of that rubble. It would also seem likeley that the terrorist would have to be trained pilots as well. Logic would seem to dictate that most normal airline pilots threatened with death would choose to ditch into the ocean rather than injure innocent civilians. Put a gun to my head tell me to commit suicide, why would I follow those directions and hurt more people on the ground? These "thugs" as you aptly put it seemed way too organized and methodical to allow for the posibility that a pilot might disobey their wishes.

I am still in shock, I watch the video and it feels like a special effects movie. My heart goes out to the people in the Pentagon area and also the residents and relatives of the New Yorkers involved.

I certainly don't mean this to digress at all from the words of concern being expressed for those directly affected by today's cowardly acts.  My own son works only a couple of miles from the Pentagon, & his wife works in the West Wing of the White House.  I cannot imagine the depth of the grief I would feel if anything had happened to them, so my sympathy also goes out to all those who lost anyone close to them.

But I too thought of Pearl Harbor when I heard this news.  The Japanese Admiral Yamamoto who planned that attack is supposed to have done so somewhat reluctantly & only because he was under orders.  In the aftermath, amid all the accodlades he was receiving for the success, he said "I fear we have awakened a slumbering giant."  History certainly proved him right.  

Does this current generation of Americans have the same kind of resolve, or have we somehow become too soft as many of our enemies want to believe??  I would hope we aren't soft at all, & that public opinion demands truly appropritate action & not something merely done for show.  If this is not the last straw I shudder to think what it will take to jolt us enough that we start doing something!

The Japanese, the Germans, and Iraq have already made this mistake. I continue to be confident that we have not turned soft when duty calls.

I was in Iran twice during the revolution in 1978, and understand these people very well.  They are fanatics and can't be trusted under any any circumstances.

This a time for us to be calm and present a united front by calling about our daily lives as the British did during WW II.

"As we forgive those who have trepassed against us..." You're asking a lot this time, God...."

True words NOSC. Though there are more involved too. Not all of us are citizens of the US but we still love her and stand ready to support and defend her. Throughout history America has served as a beacon of freedom to humanity. As was said earlier tonight, Freedom was attacked today, but while attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, they cannot touch the foundation of America.

We will go to bed tonight, we will go to work tomorrow and we will mourn. But we will not forget and when the time comes, neither will the people who did this.

In any case I suspect you intended citizenry as "us" rather than a specific category of resident.

This is an act of war against all of the civilized world.  I am confident the ameriacan people will rise to the occcation although it's not going to be pretty and we may take additional hits in the process- we have to eliminate these people who some how feel it OK to take such measures just becaust the don't agree with some of our international policies.

Those who choose to think in more complex terms, and thereby exercise the primary difference God has bestowed upon humans over animals, will always be vulnerable to those who think in simple-minded, bumper sticker slogans and who are willing to sacrifice themselves to satisfy their singleminded passion.  It's about powerless losers trying to puff themselves up by destroying everyone else's lives so they can have their minute of feeling almighty.

Be assured that our government will do what's necessary to close off this avenue of destruction.  And along the way, we will have to give up a little more of the freedom we have known, which, sadly, is the intent of these terrorists.

With respect to the transponders, they are not key to the events that transpired.  The only information that was lost was altitude reporting, radar screen enhancement, and the pilot's ability to squawk 7700 (the hijack code).  The controllers knew they had a hijack in progress and primary radar was reporting path information.  Even with altitude reporting, in the short time available to them no one would have figured out what the terrorists intentions were even that would have supported a shootdown of a civilian airliner, which is the only way this terrible event might have been aborted.

We all share your pain and grief over the senseless loss of so many innocent lives to the evils of fanaticism.  Let us now have the courage to respond in a well-reasoned, swift, and effective manner.

Back to TER after a couple days of trying to deal with these horrible events.

John, I've lived in Cleveland, Detroit and Boston prior to Los Angeles.  So I've known a great many Canadians over the years both through proximity and through work with the Canadian subsidiary of the company for which I worked.

In all those years and all those aquaintances, I've never met a Canadian I wasn't proud to call friend, colleague or neighbor.  Many Americans overlook the fact that part of the credit for what we have achieved can be attributed to having a friendly neighbor across a 3000+ mile border (the opposite is almost too terrible to contemplate).  This good fortune is more than just historical accident, it is a reflection of the values of the Canadian people and their shared belief in freedom that is as strong as our own.

Many Americans are also unaware of the great sacrifices Canadians have made as allies fighting along side Americans in the battles of WWII and others (as you know, Canadians were in it first and took some terrible loses.  They were also right there in the first wave of D-Day).  Through all these circumstances, I've also never known an American of any generation who wasn't proud to call a Canadian ally as well as friend.

Sometimes when I visit Canada I feel inferior, I know that's funny, because sometimes Canadians feel a little intimidated in the US also.  But the reason I feel this way is that I'm embarrased by my deficiencies in comparison to the greater sense of civility, humanity and kindness that I experience when in Canada.  I come home feeling like I'm hardened and coarse, and the evidence is easy to see.   It's like looking into a mirror and seeing a better version of yourself than the one you know to exist.   To conclude, I'm glad you are with us on TER and also glad to include you in the "citizenry" of this country as well as to once again, call you and your fellow Canadians "friend," (even if you do say your "O's" funny).

G2,

As always it seems, your post is right on point & very well said.  While I have not had quite the extensive contacts over our northern border as you, there have been a few over the years & there has never been a hint of anything but brotherhood & solidarity expressed towards the U.S. & its citizens.  I attempted to verbalize this in another post, but I feel my words may have fallen short of what I had intended to convey.  

I still have Canadians whom I am proud to call friends, as I have friends in other countries throughout the world...Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain, Hungary, Pakistan, the Ukraine, Russia, the Philippines, Dahran (sp?).  The very first to be in contact were those in Canada.  Surprising?  Not at all...there is a reason we have always been able to maintain an open & safe border.  I would hope that's something obvious to us all, Canadian & Yankee alike.