PRESIDENT BUSH ARRIVES IN LONDON!

Sky News ^ | 11/18/03

[areafiftyone]

President Bush has landed at London Heathrow to begin his controversial state visit.

His arrival with Lady Bush on Air Force One triggered the start of the biggest security operation ever mounted in Britain for a visiting head of state.

The pair were being met by the Prince of Wales before a flight to Buckingham Palace in the presidential helicopter, Marine One, where they will be greeted privately by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh.

The number of police officers in the capital has been trebled for the duration of Mr Bush's visit. Half of all London police - 14,000 officers - will be working solely to protect the president.

But despite the heavy policing, a lone woman protester has raised fears about the effectiveness of security.

Veteran peace campaigner Lindis Percy, 61, managed to scale the railings at Buckingham Palace and stay there for two hours before coming down of her own accord.

She told Sky News: "There was very little security, which was deeply concerning.

'Insensitive visit'

"It is quite incredible that the British government has invited him especially at this difficult time of the conflict. So many people are against this war and against this visit," she added.

Mr Bush's three-day state visit is expected to be marked by massive demonstrations against the war in Iraq.

London Mayor Ken Livingstone has given a message of support to protesters but urged them to remain peaceful.

"You have the moral high ground," he said in a statement. "You are protesting against an illegal war and occupation - and the world will be watching you."

But he added: "There will be no place for violence of any kind in London this week. Protests must be peaceful and within the law."

Mr Bush and his wife Laura will receive a private welcome from the Prince of Wales when they touch down on British soil.

'Right moment'

His formal schedule will begin Wednesday morning with a ceremonial welcome at Buckingham Palace and he is due to hold talks with Tony Blair at Downing Street on Thursday before visiting the Prime Minister's constituency of Sedgefield in County Durham on Friday.

The Met has reached an agreement with the Stop the War Coalition over the route of a protest march expected to bring tens of thousands of protesters onto the streets of London on Thursday.

Marchers will cross Westminster Bridge to file past Parliament and up Whitehall for a rally in Trafalgar Square shortly after Mr Bush's visit to Downing Street and Westminster Abbey, where he will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior.

But a new poll by ICM for The Guardian suggests that more British people (43%) welcomed Mr Bush's visit than opposed it (36%).

And Mr Blair has insisted he stands by the decision to invite Mr Bush to Britain.

"This is the right moment for us to stand firm with the United States in defeating terrorism, wherever it is, and delivering us safely from what I genuinely believe to be the security threat of the 21st century," he said.

"Now is not the time to waver, now is the time to see it through."

[areafiftyone]

Okay everyone be prepared for dooling by the liberal press over the anti-war protestors.

[areafiftyone]

dooling=drooling

[Sir Gawain]

"You have the moral high ground,"

lol

[Coop]

That same poll, IIRC, showed over 60% approval for America.

[July 4th]

They just showed him about 10 minutes ago with Prince Charles. All looks good so far. The sea of photographers was amazing. So many camera flashes it lit up the entire side of Air Force One.

[wizardoz]

I sure hope there isn't an Al Qaeda attack on the president.... oh, wait, what am I thinking? Al Qaeda isn't going to risk alienating their 100,000 supporters in the streets there by taking out half of them with a dirty bomb.

Wow, imagine that. Imagine the irony of a few thousand protesters getting iced by the people they tried to protect. Man. That would be just.... ironic.

[dead]

I hope the giant puppets have had enough time to dry!

[dead]

The pair were being met by the Prince of Wales before a flight to Buckingham Palace in the presidential helicopter, Marine One, where they will be greeted privately by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh.

How do they work out the logistics of this? How does Marine One get there before Air Force One? And if Marine One is in England, how did the President get to his plane in DC?

Or is any old helicopter labeled Marine One?

[Semper Paratus]

dooling=drooling

Actually I like dooling.

[pabianice]

His arrival with Lady Bush on Air Force One

LOL! Try "First Lady Bush," my British friends!

[sarasota]

Yeah, that one cracked me up as well. London's Mayor? What a putz.

[Wolfstar]

The dishonorable Lord Mayor said something far worse — reported here on some of this morning's TV shows. He said that President Bush was the greatest danger to all life on earth. I wish I had the exact quote.

[Pyro7480]

Marine One is just a designation. They probably have more than one helicopter that fulfills that role.

[jerseygirl]

Just a thought- wasn't AQ threatening to kill 100,000 people in a spectacular attack?

[Zeko]

I believe any Air Force plane the President occupies is labeled Air Force One -- probably the same applies to Marine aircraft.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

Ever heard of C5A's?

[Wolfstar]

For many years, now (predating Bush 43), the Secret Service practice has been to send the bullet-proof presidential limousine, at least one Marine helicopter, and other materiel it deems necessary to protect the president ahead with its advance team for all foreign trips and even for some domestic trips.

[Sender]

President Bush has landed at London Heathrow to begin his controversial state visit.

Is there anything Bush ever says or does that is not "controversial" to liberals?

[CasearianDaoist]

Marine One, like Air Force One, is the designation given to the presidential helo that the president happens to be using at a given momnet. There are in fact several "Marine Ones" as well as two "Air Force One."

[Snake65]

Al Qaeda isn't going to risk alienating their 100,000 supporters in the streets there by taking out half of them with a dirty bomb.

A dead infidel is a dead infidel. To Al Qaeda, it's all good.