Missiles on the roof.

[andy at handiwork]

Can any official tell us under what circumstances these missiles might be used? Does anyone really believe that a fully laden jumbo jet would be brought down whilst over the city, or that the snipers we are told will be in helicopters will be given permission to shoot in the time that would make any difference? God help anyone who takes a wrong turn in the area and gets a bit lost 'cos from several hundred feet up you'll look like someone up to no good and be fair game. Small price to pay for some running round a track in skimpy shorts. That and the huge fucking cost we'll be paying for years.

[David Johnson]

If you want to scare yourself or indeed be amazed, here's a rather earnest, seemingly bonkers, military chappie holding forth whilst according to the article, "the MOD showed off the Rapier system".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17943864

Re the jumbo jet, I would guess that the military view would be "unfortunately in a war situation, there can always be the possibility of collateral damage".

Apparently the first, residents heard about it was when a leaflet was shoved through the door telling them they would be having a surface to air missile on their roof.

A bit like being told that the day your bins are collected is changing!

Best to leave town for the duration, I would have thought.

[bamboo]

I would have thought that the missile battery deployed on the roof of the water tower, is one of the last lines of defence.

The RAF have the fast jet option, with which to take out any aircraft that are taking a 'run up' to a target in the area.

The missile battery also acts as wee bit of a deterrent.
The nutty wankers that may be thinking of killing innocent people, will now see, that with all these countermeasures in place, there's not much point in going through the hassle and planning of hijacking a plane.

My money is on a couple of gun toting wankers doing a Mumbai.
Less planning involved than most attacks, therefore less open to thwarting.
Flexible to attack at anytime/anywhere. Wait for the optimum time and attack.

Of course, with all the world's attention on London, the nutters may go for a softer target, say...Brum, Manc, etc.

The attack doesn't really have to be near the Olympic area, or even London, to have the desired effect. i.e. mass panic, chaos, overshadowing the event etc, etc.

[Sam Slater]

I remember the days when it was just fiddlers.

[Arginald Valleywater]

No doubt our bosses in the White House and NSA told us to put them up....

[jimslip]

It is to firstly placate the cowardly Yanks, who in spite of the macho image they love to project through Hollywood, are actually terrified of leaving their shores. My only surprise is Blair didn't do a deal with Bush to allow the US Army to occupy London and police the Olympics for us!

Secondly it is to spook us all and remind us that we are forever in danger of that CIA created bogey man, "Al Queda" who is waging a never ending war on us all and also to be in abject terror of any Muslim looking "type" who might get on a train and sit next to you!

Remember this is the evil dude who wants to party poop the Olympics for us!

[img]http://www.anorak.co.uk/wp-content/uplo ... hamza2.jpg[/img]

And his evil pals:

[img]http://images.sodahead.com/blogs/000232 ... large.jpeg[/img]

[spider]

Isn't great that London won the prize of holding the Olympic games?

The East Enders must be really proud that they have this once in a lifetime chance to hold such a prestigious event.

? 9 billion pounds to hold a glorified egg and spoon race but no money to build social housing.

[Peter]

jimslip wrote:


> Blair didn't do a deal with Bush to allow the US Army to occupy
> London and police the Olympics for us!


I think there's around 1000 'unspecified' US security personnel involved in the olympics.

[Arginald Valleywater]

Good call Spider, vanity project for the South East. I live Oop North and know precisely 2 people going to the games. One is marshalling and the other won the tickets in a comp.

[Peter]

And neither of them will be able to tell of their experiences, as social media posting is banned as a condition of employment and spectating.

Welcome to London 2012