How do you know that the President of China is in town?

Martian said:

Unfortunately, I'm locked in a far more serious debate. I'm fighting for my thread. The charge has been made that my thread is not the spectacle that I expected. The claim is that extremely long convoys and extreme bodyguard protection are typical.

Click to expand...

Re: How do you know that the President of China is in town?

Large crowds of protesters outside his hotel or to wherever he's going. To be fair the same thing happens when the Pres. Of the USA. visits. (George Bush)

Click to expand...

solarz said:

That, and the Falun Gong banners. :rofl:

Click to expand...

Martian said:

Unfortunately, I'm locked in a far more serious debate. I'm fighting for my thread. The charge has been made that my thread is not the spectacle that I expected. The claim is that extremely long convoys and extreme bodyguard protection are typical.

If Spartan95 can prove that the Queen of England receives similar treatment as the President of China then my thread is indeed "toast" and I will owe him/her a humiliating apology. It would also mean that I wasted hours on YouTube to select the best videos.

Click to expand...

I watched the video. I counted seven bodyguards around President Obama and the First Lady as they walked down the street. I still have not seen proof to justify the claim that President Obama has a "similar" number of bodyguards in comparison to the President of China.

Click to expand...

After the assassination of President William McKinley in 1901, Congress directed the Secret Service to protect the President of the United States. Protection remains a key mission of the United States Secret Service.

Authorization
Today, the Secret Service is authorized by law to protect:

* The president, the vice president, (or other individuals next in order of succession to the Office of the President), the president-elect and vice president-elect
* The immediate families of the above individuals
* Former presidents and their spouses for their lifetimes, except when the spouse remarries. In 1997, Congressional legislation became effective limiting Secret Service protection to former presidents for a period of not more than 10 years from the date the former president leaves office
* Children of former presidents until age 16
* Visiting heads of foreign states or governments and their spouses traveling with them, other distinguished foreign visitors to the United States, and official representatives of the United States performing special missions abroad
* Major presidential and vice presidential candidates, and their spouses within 120 days of a general presidential election
* Other individuals as designated per Executive Order of the President
* National Special Security Events, when designated as such by the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

HOW PROTECTION WORKS
Protective Operations

The Secret Service is world-renowned for the physical protection it provides to the nation's highest elected leaders and other government officials. To safeguard Secret Service protectees, the agency does not generally discuss the specific types and methods of its security operations.

In general, permanent protectees, such as the president and first lady, have details of special agents permanently assigned to them. Temporary protectees, such as candidates and foreign dignitaries, are staffed with special agents on temporary assignment from Secret Service field offices. All current former presidents are entitled to lifetime Secret Service protection. However, as a result of legislation enacted in 1997, President George W. Bush will be the first president to have his protection limited to 10 years after he leaves office.

The protection of an individual is comprehensive and goes well beyond surrounding the individual with well-armed agents. As part of the Secret Service's mission of preventing an incident before it occurs, the agency relies on meticulous advance work and threat assessments developed by its Intelligence Division to identify potential risks to protectees.

Advances in technology and the world's reliance on interdependent network systems also have changed the Secret Service's protective responsibilities. No longer can law enforcement rely solely on human resources and physical barriers in designing a security plan; agencies also must address the role and inherent vulnerabilities of critical infrastructures upon which security plans are built.

Protective Visits

In general, for protective visits, teams of Secret Service personnel travel in advance and conduct site surveys, which assess needs for manpower, equipment, hospitals and evacuation routes for emergencies. Fire, rescue and other public service personnel in the community are alerted.

Before a protectee arrives at any site, a lead advance agent coordinates all law enforcement representatives participating in the visit. Intelligence information is discussed and emergency options are outlined. Prior to the arrival of the protectee, checkpoints are established and access to the secured area is limited.

The assistance of the military, federal, state, county and local law enforcement, and the public safety organizations is a vital part of the entire security operation. During protective visits, Secret Service and local law enforcement personnel form a network of support for members of the detail working in close proximity to the protectee. A Secret Service command post acts as the communication center for protective activities, monitors emergencies and keeps all participants in contact with one another. After the visit, agents analyze every step of the protective operation, record unusual incidents and suggest improvements for the future.


Protective Research

Protective research is an integral component of all security operations. Agents and specialists assigned to conduct protective research evaluate information received from law enforcement, intelligence agencies and a variety of other sources regarding individuals or groups who may pose a threat to Secret Service protectees. These agents review questionable letters and e-mails received at the White House and maintain a 24-hour operation to coordinate protection-related information.

Click to expand...

bladerunner said:

They certainly add a bit of color. but ......ummh, Sorry Martian I would have to give the title of "Meanest Baddest and Ugliest VIP in town title to George, by a whisker.

Click to expand...

vesicles said:

This is like defending a fortress with absolutely no strategic importance, you are wasting your time and energy. A man should know when to walk away...

Click to expand...

Quickie said:

Alright, I was just joking. :nana: :nana: :nana:


But I do agree that the importance of a VIP, as accorded by his or her own country, can be measured by the number of bodyguards that he or she has. So, the key here is in relation to one particular nation.

Click to expand...

On the day that a KwaZulu-Natal magistrate was lambasting the police's VIP protection unit for "terrorising road users and having no regard for the law" it was reported that ANC president Jacob Zuma's 33-vehicle motorcade ripped through Limpopo, often travelling three times faster than the speed limit.

Click to expand...

The French economy remains in a parlous state, and while the President goes on exotic foreign holidays with a 26-car motorcade and a beautiful Italian-born heiress, French people are feeling poorer than at any time since the early 1990s.

Click to expand...

By midmorning Monday, reports placed a Kim's 35-car motorcade in Dalian, a port city in China's industrial northeast, about five hours from Dandong.

Click to expand...

A 40-car motorcade took the party from the air base, in suburban Maryland, to the Soviet Embassy in downtown Washington where Mr. and Mr. Gorbachev will be staying.

Click to expand...