London Olympics Preparation

[Tess]

SAM may be overkill. I'd like to think so.

But after rewatching "One Day in September" the other night, and being reminded of all the stupid, inept things the German govt/police did at Munich, I can understand why London is taking no chances.

Cool, but the govt is placing scuds on top of public housing.
That is beyond the pale, IMO. Put them on a gas station or bank or whatever, I don't care.

But, not on top of poor people's homes. Over and out.

[Ian]

So we'll err toward the side of fear and reduction of property rights

I get what you're saying, but property rights are generally the province of those who own the property.

[Raincrow]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18804547

The security contractor would appear to be hiring. Recent South College grads, take heart!

(These guys bought Wackenhut which you'll remember from the sleeping watchman in Oak Ridge a couple of years ago.)

[Keef Riffers]

I am sure there are commercial buildings in the same proximity, such as banks or brokerage companies, that would offer the same 17 story height and visibility in case of terrorist attack. It seems odd to me that they would be willing to draw counter strikes on an apartment building full of civilians.

IF...on the other hand...we were to immediately launch an all out and coordinated attack on all their airfields and missile bases we stand a damn good chance of catching em with their pants down!"


Plan R! Who's with me??!!

[Scott Barker]

The apartment building isn't the only missile site around London for the Games (and there are probably some permanent ones as well -- this is London, after all). And the Brits have a good reason for picking this particular site.

Here are some excerpts from the AP article Tess linked to in her first post:

The missiles will be installed within days on the 17-story tower, one of six sites around London where surface-to-air missiles will be stationed as part of a vast security operation for games that run through Aug. 12. Rapier or smaller high-velocity missiles also will be located atop another apartment building, at a reservoir and on farmland in east London, and along hillsides in the south of the city.

......

Fred Wigg Tower is one of two 1960s public housing towers on an otherwise low-rise street, and its appeal to the Ministry of Defense is obvious. The upper floors and roof offer an unimpeded view over east London, the Canary Wharf business district and the Olympic Park, about 2 miles (3 kilometers) away.

.......

Local lawmaker John Cryer has suggested the residents—many of them recent immigrants who speak English as a second language—are being pushed around because they live in public housing. He said he wondered whether a similar deployment would take place in "a leafy, middle-class area."
Yet leafy, middle-class Blackheath in south London is getting missiles on its common, and another building whose roof is being used is a gated development full of young professionals.

[bird jam]

Local lawmaker John Cryer has suggested the residents—many of them recent immigrants who speak English as a second language—are being pushed around because they live in public housing. He said he wondered whether a similar deployment would take place in "a leafy, middle-class area."
Yet leafy, middle-class Blackheath in south London is getting missiles on its common, and another building whose roof is being used is a gated development full of young professionals.

Duckie's making laws now? Good for him!

[Keef Riffers]

The apartment building isn't the only missile site around London for the Games (and there are probably some permanent ones as well -- this is London, after all). And the Brits have a good reason for picking this particular site.

Here are some excerpts from the AP article Tess linked to in her first post:

The missiles will be installed within days on the 17-story tower, one of six sites around London where surface-to-air missiles will be stationed as part of a vast security operation for games that run through Aug. 12. Rapier or smaller high-velocity missiles also will be located atop another apartment building, at a reservoir and on farmland in east London, and along hillsides in the south of the city.

......

Fred Wigg Tower is one of two 1960s public housing towers on an otherwise low-rise street, and its appeal to the Ministry of Defense is obvious. The upper floors and roof offer an unimpeded view over east London, the Canary Wharf business district and the Olympic Park, about 2 miles (3 kilometers) away.

.......

Local lawmaker John Cryer has suggested the residents—many of them recent immigrants who speak English as a second language—are being pushed around because they live in public housing. He said he wondered whether a similar deployment would take place in "a leafy, middle-class area."
Yet leafy, middle-class Blackheath in south London is getting missiles on its common, and another building whose roof is being used is a gated development full of young professionals.

And what is the big deal anyways?! It's for the good of the something AND it's for the good of the Olympics!!

AND it's only temporary like the TSA.