Obama to attend summit in Colombia, 10,000 troops to stand guard

[Judi Lynn]

Obama to attend summit in Colombia, 10,000 troops to stand guard
Friday, 13 January 2012 07:16
Miriam Wells

Cartagena authorities have announce stringent security plans for the Sixth Summit of the Americas, after U.S. President Barack Obama confirmed he would attend.

It will be Obama's first visit to Colombia since President Juan Manuel Santos took office.

More than 10,000 troops from the Marine Infantry and National Police will be on guard during the two-day conference in April bringing together 34 heads of state from across the continent.

Political issues and challenges facing the region will be discussed, and shared commitments made to take action.

More:
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/21502-obama-to-attend-summit-10000-colombian-troops-to-stand-guard.html

[grasswire]

1. couldn't they just skype?

It would save a LOT of money.

[freshwest]

2. 10K troops to guard him is excessive. But I was thinking make a holographic appearance, not Skype

CNN Hologram TV First

[Judi Lynn]

3. Colombian Pres. Uribe provided 15,000 security force people for George W Bush

during his visit to Cartagena, Colombia:

Bush Stops In Colombia, Pledges Aid For Drug War
By Mike Allen / The Washington Post
Tuesday, November 23, 2004

CARTAGENA, Colombia--President Bush pledged more funding to support Colombia's fight against drugs and violence during a visit Monday to the world's cocaine capital, telling Colombia's president that his success in defeating cocaine traffickers was essential for U.S. security.

#Bush met with Alvaro Uribe, the president, during a four-hour stopover in this resort city on the Caribbean coast, protected by 15,000 troops, two submarines and an array of battleships, combat helicopters and warplanes.

http://dailyuw.com/news/2004/nov/23/bush-stops-in-colombia-pledges-aid-for-drug-war/

Here's his rather large motorcade in Bogota, Colombia. As you can see, they wanted to be prepared for anything which might break out!

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~ ~ ~ ~ ~

They're actually cutting back for President Obama!

[freshwest]

4. Yes. One wonders if world leaders are expecting an outbreak of peace and love any time soon...

I remember the tasteless military display at Bush's coronation and wondered why the media didn't comment on the stage being set for the world that day. It was a warning of the incoming Bush reign.

Ignoring the parallels to banana republics and the Stalin era as the band played on, Peter Jennings was clutching his pearls and bemoaning the impoliteness of the protestors...

Our leaders seem so clueless, and are less able to convince us all the time. At least things are slowing with Obama.

OWS could never create more chaos than all the wars have.

n/t