Security for Bush will shut centre of London

[DogPoundPup]

About 2,000 police - including hundreds of armed officers - will be deployed for the US president's brief visit. Parts of Whitehall between Trafalgar Square and Parliament Square will be shut to traffic for more than 24 hours as the huge land and air operation swings into force.

Hundreds of demonstrators from the Stop the War Coalition will converge on Parliament Square from 5pm on Sunday to protest against the president, who is visiting London as part of a farewell tour of Europe before he leaves the White House next January.

About 1,000 Met police officers will be deployed each day during the twoday visit. A Met spokeswoman said there would be a highly visible uniformed presence as well as a "large amount of covert work".

She said police had been in discussions with organisers of the Stop the War protest over their plans for Sunday. There will also be vehicle restrictions around the US Embassy in Grosvenor Square and police helicopters will be used as part of the operation.

Scotland Yard would not reveal the cost of the security operation, but it is believed to be over £1million. It rivals the £746,000 police operation around the Olympic Torch relay in April.

Today it emerged that hundreds of thousands of air passengers face delays because of the president's arrival at Heathrow. Disruption is likely to begin today as staff prepare for the arrival of Mr Bush and his entourage of seven aircraft on Sunday.

Yesterday, passengers were delayed for up to an hour after air space over Heathrow was cleared to allow a military cargo plane carrying armoured cars to land at nearby RAF Northolt.

Today four helicopters will land as part of a major rehearsal. Sources at the airport said the aircraft "flow rate" would be reduced from the usual 42 planes an hour to 24, causing an aircraft backlog of up to seven hours. On Sunday delays will be worse
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23494613-details/Security%20for%20Bush%20will%20shut%20centre%20of%20London/article.do?expand=true#StartComments

One miserable, murderous man causing this kind of disruption to good, decent people is OUTRAGEOUS!

[DS1]

1. My mind thinks forward to the next evolution, where Dignitaries have to board

Air Force one in-flight like in Executive Decision. But Steven Seagal has to go first every time.

This is ridiculous.

[jimshoes]

2. Jeez oh whiz , is he really worth all that

effort to protect him from seeing a few thousand protesters? I don't think so, that's for sure.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

3. How utterly mortifying

Well, Europeans have known for seven+ years that our "President" is a jackass, so this sort of over-the-top nonsense fits right into their already scalding perceptions of our Fearless Leader. They really despise him.

Fuck his "Farewell Tour." I wish he'd make one in this country. Without all the bullshit security.

[givemebackmycountry]

4. But, But...

Today it emerged that hundreds of thousands of air passengers face delays because of the president's arrival at Heathrow. Disruption is likely to begin today as staff prepare for the arrival of Mr Bush and his entourage of seven aircraft on Sunday.

But, But, 'member when CLINTON got that haircut and shut down LAX?

Jesus...they hate us worldwide.

We are the drunk ass brother in law, who comes into your country and pisses all over the bathroom floor and falls through the glass sliding door.

I hate this monkey... can he just leave NOW?

[eppur_se_muova]

9. **SEVEN** aircraft? **SEVEN** ? WTF?

Is he carrying the bombs to Iran himself?

[DogPoundPup]

10. Bush trip to Israel: Thousands in security detail for Bush trip to Israel, Mideast

TEL AVIV — The U.S. military has arrived in Israel to prepare for the visit of President George Bush.

The sources said Bush would be accompanied by a huge military force during his visit to Israel and tour of the Middle East. They said the president would be supported by at least four air transports that would contain special equipment as well as nearly 2,000 troops and bodyguards.

Officials said police would deploy 3,500 officers and army troops to protect Bush, Middle East Newsline reported. They said large areas of Jerusalem would be closed to traffic during Bush's visit.
http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2008/ss_israel_01_03.asp

[supernova]

5. Sorry to our UK DUers

Moron will soon be gone .

[Joanne98]

6. Does this mean the Queen will miss her soaps again?

BWHAHAHAHA!!!!!

[Greyhound]

7. Why does anyone even offer him security?

I mean what will they get out of a visit from this aberration? More death? Hoping that he can demolish their economy as well?

I wouldn't spit on this piece of shit if he were on fire, let alone, disrupt the lives of thousands just so he can pretend to be human with a foreign backdrop.

[Duer 157099]

8. JFC, can't he just use email like the rest of us??? n/t

[acmavm]

11. He's our national disgrace. An embarrassing burden. A buffoon.

Before the SCOTUS gave him the keys to the kingdom. I NEVER thought he could really ever end up in the White House. The info about the true character of the guy with the 'aw-shucks' attitude was available to anyone who really wanted it. And millions learned enough about this guy to know that he was a cowardly lying thieving burden to the taxpayers of the State of Texas and the American taxpayer. But we got robbed. And we just sat still for it.

Like any banana republic.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

12. 1 million British pounds = $2 million US dollars

Each time the Chimp lands his ass in a foreign country, it costs over $2 million just in security costs? That's got to be the biggest waste of money ever.

[Hippo_Tron]

13. Wouldn't it be smarter to put important personnel in ordinary cars and have them blend in?

Obviously they can make the cars bulletproof and all of that and have ordinary looking cars to follow them. But it seems like secrecy would be a much better and easier defensive tactic than blocking off the roads.