Agreed. *But NORAD's response time also highlighted how porous our air
defenses had become with the post-Cold War draw-down in our Air Force.

The air defenses weren't porous at all. *The threat didn't come from
outside our borders and that was the primary threat that NORAD was
created to defend against. *It was never meant to defend from an attack
from within using commercial airplanes. *Sheesh.

Missed the point completely -- again.

The meager response to the scramble alert is the point -- not the
basis of the threat. Whether they're responding to a C-130 full of
midgets flying out of Oshkosh, or 10 SU-35s coming in at mast-top
level down the Potomac, the fact remains that NORAD could not scramble
more than a tiny handful of aircraft in response.

Do a little reading on the subject -- NORAD didn't have another
squadron of F-15s on stand-by. What responded was EVERYTHING we had
in the sector. And it was pathetic.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"