Bush travels to London with 700 (!) own bodyguards!

[Haltickling]

I just heard this bit on the radio news: President Bush takes 700 own bodyguards with him on his state visit to London, to "help" the huge amount of UK security forces. London has been transformed to a fortress. He must have a lot of enemies in the UK... 🙄

Do you find this ridiculous, too? Surely you know who pays for that: The American tax payer!

On a more amusing sidenote, the media here also report that the Queen is annoyed because Bush brings his own radar station with him, and the vehicle-mounted radar will interfere with her satellite TV. She'll miss three sequels of her favorite series "Coronation Street"... 😛

 

[grippedchimp]

Makes J-Lo's entourage look like small fry. And the demands he and his aides to London and the Queen? Gee, he's probably a political diva! Blair must really be infatuated with licking up to that Bush... While he has enemies and protesters here, they aren't likely to kill him, they want him to bugger off. That said, we can't risk terrorist attacks being made to a terror magnet like Bush...

 

[red indian]

All fine and dandy I,m sure but...............

......can anyone tell me where all these "anti war protestors" were during President Putins state visit to the U.K.? why is the U.S. war against terror a bad thing, while Putins ruthless, bloody campaign in Chechnya is apparently not worth a single banner or protest marcher?...........(sorry, severe syntax problems with that post but, I am sure you get my meaning!)

 

[qjakal]

Protesters...

That's an easy one red...no cameras = no protesters. Personally in these times, I have no issue with what appears on the surface to be excessive security. Cheap enough at the price if it prevents an incident that could lead to yet another confrontation with the latest terrorist haven. One crazy Syrian and we're off and smiting again...sigh. Q

 

[BOFH666]

The bit that got me was wanting to give the US security force diplomatic immunity so if they mistook a protestor (or group thereof) as terrorists and shot 'em their responsibility ends at 'Oops'. Wonder how long it took the Met to say no to that request?

While we're on the subject, I have a question on the whole terrorist thing and maybe someone can shed some light on this. I grew up in Wales and therefore far away from any potential terrorist threat. About four years ago I moved to London which is pretty much the exact opposite. Since I've been here there's been a handful of bombs go off, the nearest one about a mile west albeit a very small one. We've got a subway system to attract nerve agent attacks, big tower blocks in the financial districts for an air strike, basically we're a big and tempting potential target. Yet I know of no-one in the capital who's actually concerned about this. While they acknowledge the possibility it's seen (rightly in my opinion) as so remote it's not worth worrying about.

Yet time after time I see people on the news who have not been within a thousand miles of an incident of any sort saying they're afraid to go out, worried about whatever the threat of the week is etc etc etc and I just don't get it. I haven't done the legwork to back this up, but it seems to me far more likely that you'll die going to work in the morning, be it by train, bus, car or whatever, than by a terrorist action, so why not stay at home all day?

As far as I'm concerned the ONLY way the terrorists win is if we let them. The way to beat terrorism isn't grand gestures or huge military campaigns but by not being intimidated, not letting it affect our lives and with small-scale strategic strikes when there is absolutely concrete proof that we can hit an organisation hard enough to do something worthwhile without innocents getting caught in the crossfire. Yes, I could die in a, hang on let me check the newspapers, ah yes, a dirty nuclear bomb this week with Mr Bush in the neighbourhood but I somehow doubt it will happen. That said, I wonder what Ladbrokes would give me on a *boom* bet?

Or am I wrong on this? As I said I really don't have an answer to that question so any help would be appreciated.

 

[Knox The Hatter]

I caught a snippet or two on Sunday of Bush's interview with David Frost. Man, ol' Dubya looked like he wanted to reach across the way and rip the friggin' gizzards out of his throat!
I'm waiting for the McCarthy/Welch moment to occur. I am wondering if any journalist has the guts to finally ask this president, "what do 9/11 and the Iraq campaign have to do with each other, Mr. President, after all there was never any conclusive proof. Why, when anyone asks you about your policy in Iraq, do you wave 9/11 as some kind of magic talisman?"
Man, that would be something. He'd sit there, wondering where Karl or Condie are, and why aren't they deflecting this?

 

[Haltickling]

The bit that got me was wanting to give the US security force diplomatic immunity so if they mistook a protestor (or group thereof) as terrorists and shot 'em their responsibility ends at 'Oops'. Wonder how long it took the Met to say no to that request?

Why do you think Bush refused to accept an international court for war crimes? IMO, he had the whole war plans at that time already... 🙄

As for your other topic: well, there are medical hypochondriacs, and there are political hypochondriacs. Most of this panic is induced by the media, and the general impact of propaganda on gullible people. See the "Duct Tape Campaign"!

Terrorism is a real threat, of course. But quite obviously a full war doesn't take care of that problem. You said it right from my heart, BOFH660. 😎

 

[BOFH666]

It must be done:

Ex-con Security Guy: We'd recommend sealing all the doors and windows with bullet-proof Lucite
Marge: But wouldn't we all suffocate?
Ex-con security guy: Well I should hope not.
Homer: Ohh, let's get that! The suffocation thing.

(Quote from memory so sorry if it's not quite right)

Wait, there was a war plan? You're kidding right? I thought this was all a spontaneous thing, at least judging by the superbly subtle way *cough* the occupati..ummm, liberation has been handled.

Oh, and for anyone that's revving up the "You're a supporter of Saddam" argument - no, that's certainly not the case. Yes, there was a tremendous amount of suffering happening in Iraq and yes something needed to be done about it, but forcibly removing a regime, no matter how corrupt or immoral, that was the only thing holding the country together wasn't the way to do it as the total lack of law and basic amenities has shown.

 

[sushi854]

From what I understand, the Bush Administration's initial security demands would have pretty much shut down the city of London, and that the British response was pretty much "um, no." And diplomatic immunity for US security? US forces will never live down the shooting of protesters in this country, let alone the UK. What the hell does he expect? And people wonder why the US is losing favor globally. Is this really the image we as Americans want to portray? If Bush cannot represent our nation any better than this I suggest he just stay home.

As much as I complain about Bush and his antics, I do agree that war protesters probably don't realize how hypocritical Putin is being over the Chechyna situation.

 

[JoBelle]

Considering a journalist *aka, devil spawn* was able to get at a job that gave him acccess to President Bush and the royal family, I'd say he was on spot for bringing some extra cover with him~! The guy faked the resume, and worked for 2 months unnoticed? And managed to take pictures of himself inside of the presidents room during his visit.

Yeah, that security staff was on the ball! They were sure covering his back....along with their own, eh? 🙄

I just might bring a Jo-guard when I visit! 😛


hehe,
Joby

 

[sushi854]

Yeah, I recently heard about this guy after posting the first time in the thread, but does anyone have more details? Did he do anything to arouse suspicion during these two months? Are employees searched before entering? Was he able to smuggle contraband into the palace that could have been used against the president, or did he simply just get a job. I realize he made it into the president's room, but all he had with him were chocolates. Granted, the chocolates could have been poisoned or something, but for all we know he got them from someplace within the palace. Besides, American college kids are still able to sneak weapons onto US planes, so I wouldn't consider security breaches to be strictly a UK problem. I'll bet this could just as easily have happened at the White House. I still think that 700 security guards are plenty to protect the president while he is in London.

 

[Shem the Penman]

I think it says all you need to know about Bush that he canceled his proposed speech to Parliament because anti-war MPs might have heckled him. I sometimes regret we don't have anything like "Question Time" in the US -- given how defensive and bitchy Bush gets when confronted with someone who might disagree with him, it'd be endlessly entertaining.

And as for Chechnya, that question cuts both ways. Why aren't Bush and Blair, defenders of freedom and democracy that they are, doing anything to dissuade him, other than occasionally murmuring, "You really shouldn't do that"? At the very least, they might object to his trying to pretend that his butchery is part of the war on terror.

Edited to note that the "him" in the second paragraph refers to Putin. Sloppy writing there, sorry.

 

[Rapid Assassin]

So, THAT'S where all my money went...



I want my taxes back, damnit!

 

[red indian]

I agree with Shem...........

.....I think the U.S. legislature should incorporate something like PMQ,s I think it a valuable tool for the voters to judge their president by. Its not the whole story by any means but important none the less. Some folks will say that he faces a similar kind of inquisition from the democrat leaning press, but I have never noticed any particularly agressive questioning from that quarter.

What Bush needs is to have to face geniune political oposition, from proffesionals in the same way Blair has to every week for half an hour. Bliar does not know what he is going to be asked, and he can be asked any question the opposition want to put to him.

I think Bush would be slaughtered in this kind of environment, but I think Clinton would have relished it.

 

[JoBelle]

I totally agree on that last round of topic!

I learned more about Blair and Eglish politics while watching just ONE question session than I know about Bush after years of his being in office. 😉

I don't think Bush would be comfortable in a session like that with my son's first grade class!🙄

Joby

 

[Strelnikov]

As a public service, I'll give you the headline for the real news of Bush's trip to the UK :

50 Million Brits Avoid Anti-Bush Rallies

Except for a few noisy protestors - probably the Usual Suspects - it appears that UK citizens either (1) favor the US/UK invasion of Iraq, or, (2) oppose it but not passionately enough to get out and march.

But you'll never see that in the left-wing media.

Strelnikov

 

[Haltickling]

Brits strictly avoid pro-war and pro-Bush rallies

Except for a few noisy politicians - probably the usual suspects - it appears that UK citizens either (1) oppose the US/UK invasion in Iraq (see the huge anti-Bush demonstration), or (2) favor it but not passionately enough to get out and march.

To see it, just tune in to BBC, a world-wide renowned reliable media!

----

Looks like a déjà-vue, Strelnikov, doesn't it? 🙄

 

[Strelnikov]

Hal, I suppose it depends on what spin you want to put on the news. Most of the American Left (including the establishment media) want the US-UK effort to fail, because that would validate their world view. It's reflected in their reporting. That was the point I was trying to make.

Strelnikov

 

[red indian]

While I,m at it..........

......how about these protestors take a trip to Zimbabwe where President Mugabe is very busy deliberately starving to death those portions of his population who did not vote for him in the rigged elections. If that does not work he sends out his gangs to chop them in to little pieces.

Surely thats reason enough for a fun day out in Zimbabwe with all those machete weilding thugs? maybe they could erect a cardboard statue of Mugabe and pull it down just like the Bush one in London......mmmm.....what do you think?.....not quite so appettising is it?