US: Take armed marshals or else

Citing the high risk of another Sept. 11 attack, the US government has notified other countries their airlines may be ordered to place armed sky marshals aboard flights taking or landing in the US. Government officials said effective immediately they are reserving the right to deny landing or take-off rights to any foreign airline if it refuses a US request to place armed enforcement officers on board designated flights. Exactly which flights will require armed ski marshals will depend upon US intelligence of threats, officials said. Plain-clothes sky marshals are already assigned to some domestic flights in the US. The reaction to the announcement was not all favorable. The International Air Transport Association opposed the decision, according to news reports.