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“Some London residents are getting troops and surface-to-air missiles on their rooftops for the Summer Olympics,” the AP reports. “British security officials identified potential sites for the missiles on Monday and announced plans for security tests during the week.” A journalist dropped the dime on the missile sites after finding a flyer from Her Majesty’s Government informing residents that they’d just become a terrorist target. “From the few people I’ve spoken to, and the security we have here, they’re not happy about it,” said scribe Brian Whelan. “I don’t think it needs to be here at all.” Yeah, well, tough titties . . .
In the leaflet, the defense ministry said the venue offered an uncluttered “view of the surrounding areas and the entire sky above the Olympic Park.”
Troops plan to conduct tests this week at the building to determine if the high velocity surface-to-air missiles will be stationed on a water tower attached to the site’s roof.
“The majority of this exercise will be played out in full view of the public and I hope that it will have a secondary effect of reassuring the British people that everything possible is being done to ensure this will be a safe and secure Olympic and Paralympic Games,” said Defense Secretary Philip Hammond.
So let me get this straight: subjects who aren’t “allowed” to own firearms for their personal defense have no choice but to put up with a surface-to-air missile (or two) on their rooftop. Not to mention the rest of London’s [perhaps] temporary militarization. Oh what the heck, let’s mention it.
Britain has previously confirmed that up to 13,500 troops are being deployed on land, at sea and in the air to help protect the Olympics alongside police and security guards. Typhoon fighter jets, helicopters, two warships and bomb disposal experts will be a part of the security operation.
So if London is attacked, can the terrorists say that the Brits were using human shields?
Nostradamus ain’t got nothin’ on George Orwell.
Definite +1.
Ironically, “1984” was a critique of post WW2 England. Despite high talk of victory the empire collapsed and the English suffered food shortages.
Just ban terrorism, then none of this will be necessary. After all, bans have eliminated violent crime, right?
nicely put.
What exactly are they expecting?
Hey, if this happened in the US would it be a rare example of someone getting to use the third amendment? “No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.”
Just what I was thinking.
They would just declare a temporary state of emergency and have a government lawyer say it was Constitutionally-equivalent to a “time of war”. By the time you could litigate it the event would be over.
Luckily in the US we have the Avenger system, they can just park the Humvee on the street in front of your house.
The London flat-dwellers should be happy the UK isn’t putting a C-RAM on top of their building. That would wake you up if it went off for sure, a six-barrel 20mm cannon going off at 6,000 rpm will get your attention. In fact, considering the easiest-to-launch threats against something like Olympic Park, putting a Rapier launcher up is defending against the wrong threat profile. What they should be defending against from a rooftop close to a venue is the mortar/Katyusha-type threat, and C-RAM is the only thing other than Iron Dome that does that.
It could be like the movie “1941” where Dan Akroyd puts a AT gun into Ned Beatty’s yard along with ammo, and no training for Ned on how to use it. The Brits should do the same. Give the locals the SAMs, and not tell them how to use it.
I like this. I’m thinking of a punker with spiked red hair and leather belts around his neck swilling a beer and loading up a box of ammo.
As bad as the UK is, it is NOTHING compared to the big brother-ness of Singapore.
Just look up what the Singaporean government does. At first you’ll think it’s a 1984 inspired satire, but it’s all true.
I keep reminding myself of them everyday, as it makes me feel better about life in the nation with an economy that’s 7 times the size of #2 (hint: #2 is China).
Makes me feel lucky everytime I go to the range, chew gum, or eat excess fast food, or write something critical of the government.
I got a friend in Singapore. I’m astonished as to all the shit he puts up with there without complaining.
Well, the threat of getting the knock on the door at night is probably a damn good motivator to not complain.
None of you who have not lived life in a third world country will understand to what extent people will sacrifice personal freedom in exchange for three square and a roof over their head.
I was born and spent my childhood in China (I don’t care what the media puts out, it is 3rd world to me) and my mom grew up during the cultural revolution and was there at Tianamen. So I do think I have a certain perspective on how people behave under a dictatorship.
Nothing succeeds like excessive excess. Nothing like a heavy weapon system on your rooftop.
They can put a SAM launcher on my roof if it comes with free HBO.
Suddenly the 3rd Amendment sounds less anachronistic……
My thoughts exactly. And remember, it was the British Army that inspired the 3rd Amendment. The fighting force that’s been unwelcomly occupying peoples’ homes for over 250 years.
No kidding. I love how the 3rd amendment is used to point out how outdated the constitution and it’s parts (such as the 2nd) are. Turns out there might be modern examples of why we need it after all.
We can make fun of it in America because due to its existence we’ve never needed to use it.
+1000
Or you could just do what many parts of the world do w/ terrorist attacks . . . Just keep going on like nothing happened. No billion dollar counter measures just the necessity of daily living. Personally, I would go for less “security” if it meant more freedom.
Amen to that!
I’m gonna get death anyway, so at least give me freedom first!
My concern is that they are saying the missile battery will be guarded by ‘up to ten’ soldiers. I hope nobody leaves the keys in the thing.
It’s fantastic what British are doing with guns, hopefully it will spread ..
Cheers
They were prepared tho. Wonder if any terrorists took a look and said, “Bump this”.