On Sun, 1 Feb 2009 04:43:59 -0800 (PST), Jack Linthicum
wrote:

On Feb 1, 1:16*am, T.L. Davis wrote:
On Sat, 31 Jan 2009 06:32:20 -0800 (PST), Mike
wrote:

...By 1997 officials

had suggested a "four corners" defense, maintaining alert sites in
Massachusetts, Oregon, California, and Florida. By September 11,
2001,only 14 interceptor aircraft were sitting alert in the United States.

Unbelievable, isn't it? *14 aircraft to protect the entire continental
United States... *This was what NORAD was reduced to?? *Pitiful.
What was the defense budget in 2001?? *Who got all the money?

What if Russia had launched an old style attack with waves of Bears
and long range escorts?

Just incredible. *I had thought that we had all of 16 aircraft
available on 9/11. *I overestimated. *This is what happens when a
country becomes grossly overconfident in its own defenses, and it's
happened before.

At times we are truly "The United States of Amnesia".

And the best is too good for America. *F-35s are good enough.

TL

I think the early-warning radar still works. Those waves of Bears are
about gone. Total 64 in service, guess 40 would be the most they could
muster for waves, 15 hour plus flight time, I think we might be able
to handle them. You don't?

The 14 aircraft do not include those in Alaska and the Canadian
Forces aircraft. In other words, they don't include the folks
tasked with providing defense against the threat he's ranting
about.


Peter Skelton