Generals Get Power to Shoot Civilian Jets

Sept. 27 -- ABCNEWS has learned that President Bush has given two regional Air Force commanders new powers to order the shooting down of commercial airliners without presidential authorization, if the situation warrants such an attack on a civilian aircraft.

The Pentagon is refusing to comment on reports that President Bush has given two Air Force generals newly authorized power to order the shooting down of commercial airplanes.

"We would not want to give that kind of information to anyone that might plan such attacks," a Pentagon public affairs officer told ABCNEWS.

But officials at the North American Aerospace Defense Command — the military installation charged with overseeing protecting the United States against aircraft attack — have confirmed to ABCNEWS that such orders in fact have been given.

‘Most Extraordinary of Circumstances’

"Due to the extraordinary situation on September 11th, we have streamlined our process and our rules of engagement," a senior NORAD official told ABCNEWS. "But the newly granted authority would only be used under the most extraordinary of circumstances."

The senior official says the new powers rest with the regional air commanders in the United States — posts currently held by Maj. Gen. Larry K. Arnold, a two-star officer at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida, who has authority for the continental United States, and Lt. Gen. Norton A. Schwartz, a three-star general at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, Alasksa.

"We have put these new orders into effect, under orders of the president, because we're trying to do the best we can to prevent future incidents like those that occurred on September 11th," the NORAD official told ABCNEWS.

The official says such orders were never previously contemplated.

"This is all a result of the tragedy and wanting to do the best we can to protect the American public," the official said.