G.Bush visit - What do you think

[jjcollins]

President Bush and his wife are due to stay at Buckingham Palace, there has been speculation much of the Mall and Whitehall will be closed off along with parts of the City. From what i've heard the FBI have asked can the British close much of inner London down for the 3 days he's here And to keep out Peace protesters away out of sight.

Do you think that everyone should be allowed to have a peaceful protest ? - or is the terrorist threat so high that we should grant the U.S their wishes to close London down?



I don't fancy being in London next week


jj.........

 

[Dimplenose]

I'm not concerned about Bush visiting - what really worries me are the 250 secret service men he's supposed to be bringing with him.

Libby

 

[Olaf]

Is that what's being planned? Oh brother. How to make friends and influence people.

 

[Mike Jones]

.. I think that times are sufficiently awful now that, if any head of state wants to visit another country, there will always be a very high potential for terrorist attack, asassination etc. I have no strong feelings about Bush's visit either way, but it would NOT happen if the Americans couldn't virtually control the whole schedule and security. I'm glad I don't live/work around London, though.. I can imagine the disruption.

Mike

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

Security is one thing (although query whether he should visit at all if SS feels that much of London should be shut down for reasons of security) but shooing the protesters out of sight? Here in the US we pride ourselves on free speech and peaceful protest is certainly the hallmark of that freedom. To hear that my president's people are asking that protesters in another country be forced out of sight makes me mad. I'm sorry.

 

[Beejayjay]

I very much agree with ImGonnaBe40. I welcome Bush's visit as a sign of good relations between the UK and USA, but would be concerned if the right to freedom of speech and protest was to be quashed to the extent being suggested as a result, for however long.

Yes prudent security is called for in the circumstances and times we live in, but not at the cost of treading on peoples rights to live their everyday life.

And if the problem is about Bush not wanting to face possible protest and criticism, well, as the saying goes, he'll just have to suck it up. As someone who actually felt the UK and USA probably did the right thing on Iraq - if not for all the right reasons - I would always defend the right of those who disagreed with that decision to publicly voice that dissent.

Besides, British police and security are far more used to dealing with the type of terrorism the Bush people would be concerned about and are, dare I suggest, rather more adept at it too.

Let's hope it's all a storm in a Starbuck's coffee cup...

 

[Olaf]

There are demonstrations virtually every weekend in downtown Washington DC. Some of them are absolutely huge--drives me nuts. I doubt this is the reason.

It sounds more like the Secret Service being in hyper mode. We've lost 4 presidents to assassinations. I can tell you that nobody wanders into the White House for conversations with the President or crashes any parties.

I question the wisdom of a state visit at this time. I know it's probably been on the calendar for a long time, but it doesn't sound like a particularly good idea to me.

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

This visit was agreed 18 months ago. While it may or may not be a good idea, I think cancelling it because there are likely to be many people who want to protest against Bush/America would certainly send out the wrong signals.

Hopefully a sensible compromise will be found between ensuring the security of a visiting Head of State, while not overly compromising the right of people to mount a peaceful protest.

I'm glad I don't work in Parliament any more: next week's security will be a complete nightmare for anybody working around Westminster/Whitehall!

Regards

Rob

 

[Mike Jones]

..Stephanie.. there probably isn't a good time for a state visit anymore.. I reckon the world's become a much more uptight place since 9/11 and, sadly, I can't see it cooling down in the forseeable future. Let's hope Mr Bush and co. don't try to repeat the Afghanistan and Iraq experiences in Iran... they didn't respond too favourably (understatement?) to the latest assessment of their nuclear ambitions this week.

Trying to think disney thoughts,

Mike

 

[KayleeUK]

President Bush and his wife are due to stay at Buckingham Palace

really????

 

[jjcollins]

Well that was reported on the news ( and i saw it )

Hope he doesn't drop his bar of soap lol


jj........

 

[steve_rob]

I've got to admit I'm a tad p.o'd about his visit. Firstly, I don't like the guy or his politics, but that's not the reason.

My other half works in a shop, and over the Christmas period (mid-November onwards) no-one is allowed to take any annual leave. However, they do give everyone one half day off (randomly allocated) so you can do Christmas shopping without having to deal with the weekend crowds, and so we normally head to London on the train. Typical that her day this year falls next Thursday when the demonstrations are going to be at their height and the most bits of London are going to be closed off so Mr. Bush can wander around more freely without his 500 security guards having to panic.

So the chances of us getting around the city is slim. We'll probably end up in Milton Keynes instead. Oh well, it's London's loss.

 

[profdsny]

I'm sure this won't make you feel any better, but in the US now the Secret Service has been instructed to keep demonstrators as far as possible from the president also. Btw, when is he coming? Hope it doesn't spoil our trip there. Of course, we won't be passing in the halls of Buckingham palace either.

 

[Olaf]

Originally posted by Mike Jones
..Let's hope Mr Bush and co. don't try to repeat the Afghanistan and Iraq experiences in Iran... they didn't respond too favourably (understatement?) to the latest assessment of their nuclear ambitions this week.

Sit tight Mike. We're not going into Iran. We've got more than enough to keep us busy in Iraq for a long while.

 

[Sunseeker]

Would be interesting to know how many protestors are muslim or communists.

 

[rob@rar.org.uk]

Strange question! Do you think that the opinions of muslims or communists don't really count?

I would say that the current march in London is more representative of the cross-section of the British population than most demonstrations. Anybody who tries to write off the feelings being expressed today as those of 'special interest groups' or extremists is mis-reading the situation.

Regards

Rob

 

[jjcollins]

Or Americans Sunseeker -- or they allowed to think for themselves????



jj.......

 

[Dimplenose]

Did you see the TV coverage of last night's banquet? I had to smile as George W. was obviously thrilled to be there. His eyes were taking in everything and he had what looked like a surpressed smile on his face - a bit like me at WDW (only the smile's not surpressed).

Libby

 

[Olaf]

He's always got that goofy look on his face.

 

[kazzie]

A farce

My DD went to the demonstration yesterday and if I could have made I would too.

I did not like the scenes of people burning the US flag or the British one.This should never turn into an anti-American feeling nor should they take it as this,well from me anyway.There were many US citizens opposed to the war in the US too although on these boards this wasn't reflected in the almost wholehearted support of the war.

I loath and despise Tony Bush as much as George Bush for making the world a less safe place for my children

I'm not sure if either man could sleep at night if they realised the enormity of what they have done,their decisions have affected the safety and security of humankind,this I truly believe.