Isn’t it still something like half the security personnel that the Chinese had at Beijing?

Yeah, but to be fair that included all the thousands of guys they gave T-shirts to and bussed in to the venues as seat fillers 😉

HMS Ocean will be used as a helicopter landing pad to provide short notice helicopter air cover if required. Publicising it early might even deter an aspirational terrorist so that’s nice too.

ohnohesback – Member
It’ll be a useful pretext to get the sheeple acclimatised to their policed future, the royal 60th aniiversary and the olympics in one year. The UK will be a different and less free nation by 2013…

you seem to forget the current government is reducing the number of police officers and the military in this parliamentary term. The loyal opposition regularly call them reckless for doing so.

but don’t let the facts get in the way of a good conspiracy theory 😉

Publicising it early might even deter an aspirational terrorist

How?

Putting a big ship in the Thames to prevent people planting bombs on the tube? How does that work then?

That’s like trying to prevent me eating cheese by putting a number of pumpkins in the kitchen.

Do you get outraged about everything you don’t understand? Life must be a very angry and baffling experience for you.

Putting a big ship in the Thames to prevent people planting bombs on the tube

Have you seen any pirate attacks in the Thames since we parked Belfast there?

What more proof do you need?

(PS. the only reason for ocean being there, is that its cheaper than 1000 hotel rooms for squaddies 😉 )

Outraged? Hardly. Why do you think I’m angry Tootall? I’m just finding it difficult to comprehend. Doesn’t take much to confuse me though. I’m not very bright

But from your dismissive tone, it seems obvious that you’re phenomenally well-informed on the subject. I’m picturing some Chuck Norris type ‘security consultant’. Its obviously your ‘manor’, this security lark

So… can you explain to me how putting an aircraft carrier in the Thames prevents terrorism? Try not to use any big words though

Like I said, to me that’s like trying to prevent people speeding by putting hot air balloons next to motorways

wow.

really, wow

praps im a bit dim today but im struggling to distinguish the tards from the trolls

Military presence will act as a deterrent. This is why the forces spend time being seen; to remind our friends and enemies that we have ships and tanks and planes and people that are ready to be used.

The ship will have limited effect since its hardly manoeuvrable in the Thames but its what inside that matters: hundreds of personnel, a number of helicopters and a secure place that military/civilian teams can conduct operations from. This is what makes your hot air balloon analogy rubbish. A closer analogy would be “does a hot air ballon with a clearly visible speed camera in it deter speeders?”.

And I hate to break it to you but it’s not an aircraft carrier; it’s a landing pad helicopter (LPH).

As said above – it won’t prevent terrorism. What it does do is provide an additional command and control facility, a self-contained heliport, extra accommodation, more waterborne security resources etc.

Your analogies are utterly mad by the way.

I absolutely stand by my analogy. How about a fleet of hot air balloons, each equiped with a big cut out of Jeremy Clarkson sticking two fingers up at a man with a beard.

Would this deter Islamic Extremists more than an aircraft carrier landing pad helicopter (LPH), or possibly anger them further?

I absolutely stand by my analogy. How about a fleet of hot air balloons, each equiped with a big cut out of Jeremy Clarkson sticking two fingers up at a man with a beard.

Now that I approve of.

This is why the forces spend time being seen; to remind our friends and enemies that we have ships and tanks and planes and people that are ready to be used

But that’s like me walking the streets, wielding a bottle opener/corkscrew combnation* at all times, so that anyone who’s prone to a drink can be instantly reassured. I won’t neccessarily have a bottle of wine, or even a beer on me either, but lets not hope it gets to that point eh? Fingers crossed

* I believe they’re called a “Waiters Friend”

You’re nearly there binners…

If people saw you walking around with your waiter’s friend and you occasionally used it publicly then the effect would be similar.

Apart from the fact you’d potentially be mistaken for a nutter, you’re not deterring anyone from anything and the combined armed forces outnumber you massively so our deterrent effect will be far more pronounced than your reassurance effect.

Hang on. I reckon I’ve got this now

Soooooooo……..It’d be like me publicly carrying, and occasionally using my waiters friend. But also…. corks and bottle tops had been placed strategically around the capitals streets. And…. rumours had been circulated of a mega-off license, not far from here, seeling really nice wine, and already equipped with those really good and very expensive Marks and Spencer corkscrews!

I think.

Is that right……?

Can we not just get binners locked up now? It might prevent any Waiter’s Friend incidents during the Olympics.

The Germans probably wish they’d prepared a bit better for Munich.

Surely this is also a reflection of how G4S has bitten off far more than it can chew.

Another example of how Crapita-tisation is now the norm for UK infrastructure.

Binners- ‘DONT MENTION THE WAR!!!!’

That’s like trying to prevent me eating cheese by putting a number of pumpkins in the kitchen.

Give this man a pogo stick, we have a winner.

Olympic terror flights will divert to Scotland

Presumably to be met by John Smeaton and “The Big Man” from the Scotrail ticket story.

@totall, can you explain to me how a typhoon can be of any use in policing a civilian based activity

binners, you have my undying admiration for your offer of wine AND a bottle opener

can you explain to me how a typhoon can be of any use in policing a civilian based activity

In the similar way to a hijacked aircraft that can be commandeered and flown into a civilian target.