Is this a little over the top?

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cancel2 2022

Canceled
The Army is set to station soldiers and high velocity surface-to-air missiles on top of a block of residential flats to ward off any airborne terror threats during the Olympics. Residents in the private, gated flats in Bow, east London, have received a leaflet warning them that a team of 10 soldiers and police will be stationed at the building - home to 700 people - for the duration of the Games.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) leaflet says the missiles will only be fired as a last resort, said 28-year-old resident Brian Whelan, a journalist.
He said: "They are going to have a test run next week, putting high velocity missiles on the roof just above our apartment and on the back of it they're stationing police and military in the tower of the building for two months. It's a private, gated community with an old watch tower which is now a lift shaft.

"We have an MoD leaflet saying the building is the only suitable place in the area. It says there will be 10 officers plus police present 24/7. I'm not sure if they are going to live in the building. We have a gym and a pool and people have seen them there so it makes you think it will be some sort of Army base - it's not ideal.

"The property management company which runs the place put posters and gave out the leaflets today. The general tone of it all was 'Great news, aren't we lucky', but that's not normal, it's not something people should have put on them.

"I've looked these (the missiles) up and I don't think they're the kind of thing you can fire over a highly populated area like Tower Hamlets, think of the debris. It says the missiles will only be used as a last resort. It's totally unsuitable."

It is unclear who was responsible for liaising with the residents, but it is understood the MoD and the Metropolitan Police were working together with community groups over the issue. It is also unclear if the building's owners would be paid to have the missiles stationed on the roof - or whether the decision was made under the Emergency Powers Act.

An MoD spokesman said: "As announced before Christmas, ground-based air defence systems could be deployed as part of a multi-layered air security plan for the Olympics, including fast jets and helicopters, which will protect the skies over London during the Games.

"Based on military advice we have identified a number of sites and, alongside colleagues from the Metropolitan Police, are talking to local authorities and relevant landowners to help minimise the impact of any temporary deployments. As part of our ongoing planning, we can confirm site evaluations have taken place. However, no final decision on whether or not to deploy ground-based air defence systems for the Games has been taken."

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/missiles-stationed-top-flats-183046767.html
 
i don't know tom. at first blush it does seem over the top. however, we are talking about a major event and there are real risk of terrorist threats. i'm not sure how to deal with that. i live in a town that has about a zero chance of being targeted, london, quite the opposite and add the olympics....i just don't know. seems very police state to me, but what if it prevents or stops an actual terror attack?
 
Yurt said:
i don't know tom. at first blush it does seem over the top. however, we are talking about a major event and there are real risk of terrorist threats. i'm not sure how to deal with that. i live in a town that has about a zero chance of being targeted, london, quite the opposite and add the olympics....i just don't know. seems very police state to me, but what if it prevents or stops an actual terror attack?
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I think it is more for show than anything else, on a more practical note downing an aircraft would probably result in more casualties in a densely populated area like London.
 
Aoxomoxoa said:
I think it is more for show than anything else, on a more practical note downing an aircraft would probably result in more casualties in a densely populated area like London.
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i agree, it is more for show, however, that show is likely to deter.

if you don't down an aircraft, casualties will likely be high regardless.

how do you feel about this tom? is your country....OT?
 
Aoxomoxoa said:
The Army is set to station soldiers and high velocity surface-to-air missiles on top of a block of residential flats to ward off any airborne terror threats during the Olympics. Residents in the private, gated flats in Bow, east London, have received a leaflet warning them that a team of 10 soldiers and police will be stationed at the building - home to 700 people - for the duration of the Games.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) leaflet says the missiles will only be fired as a last resort, said 28-year-old resident Brian Whelan, a journalist.
He said: "They are going to have a test run next week, putting high velocity missiles on the roof just above our apartment and on the back of it they're stationing police and military in the tower of the building for two months. It's a private, gated community with an old watch tower which is now a lift shaft.

"We have an MoD leaflet saying the building is the only suitable place in the area. It says there will be 10 officers plus police present 24/7. I'm not sure if they are going to live in the building. We have a gym and a pool and people have seen them there so it makes you think it will be some sort of Army base - it's not ideal.

"The property management company which runs the place put posters and gave out the leaflets today. The general tone of it all was 'Great news, aren't we lucky', but that's not normal, it's not something people should have put on them.

"I've looked these (the missiles) up and I don't think they're the kind of thing you can fire over a highly populated area like Tower Hamlets, think of the debris. It says the missiles will only be used as a last resort. It's totally unsuitable."

It is unclear who was responsible for liaising with the residents, but it is understood the MoD and the Metropolitan Police were working together with community groups over the issue. It is also unclear if the building's owners would be paid to have the missiles stationed on the roof - or whether the decision was made under the Emergency Powers Act.

An MoD spokesman said: "As announced before Christmas, ground-based air defence systems could be deployed as part of a multi-layered air security plan for the Olympics, including fast jets and helicopters, which will protect the skies over London during the Games.

"Based on military advice we have identified a number of sites and, alongside colleagues from the Metropolitan Police, are talking to local authorities and relevant landowners to help minimise the impact of any temporary deployments. As part of our ongoing planning, we can confirm site evaluations have taken place. However, no final decision on whether or not to deploy ground-based air defence systems for the Games has been taken."

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/missiles-stationed-top-flats-183046767.html
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Now you've done it! All the survivalists here will want one on their roof. :whoa:
 
Yurt said:
i agree, it is more for show, however, that show is likely to deter.

if you don't down an aircraft, casualties will likely be high regardless.

how do you feel about this tom? is your country....OT?
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I am sure that the RAF will be on full alert anyway so this just seems to a classic case of arse covering.
 
Aoxomoxoa said:
Maybe, but it is difficult to see what threat they consider ground to air missiles would counter. If they really wanted an effective deterrent then perhaps helicopter gunships should be deployed?
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i'm not a military man, but my guess would be helicopters would require to be in the air at all times, using fuel, causing noise and more concern than a few men or women on a rooftop. from what i gather, they are concerned about another 9/11 and in order to defeat that, i think the best way would be to use ground to air missiles and to be on site and ready to fire. i think it takes 15 minutes to scramble fighters in the US to deal with a potential or real threat, 15 minutes may be to long and these guys on the roof could fire almost instantly after getting authority to do so.

like i said, i am uncomfortable with it, i just don't know how to deal with modern day threats any other way. i imagine that if this was 400 years ago and games were being held in london, archers would be on the roof. this is nothing new, just different weapons.
 
Yurt said:
i'm not a military man, but my guess would be helicopters would require to be in the air at all times, using fuel, causing noise and more concern than a few men or women on a rooftop. from what i gather, they are concerned about another 9/11 and in order to defeat that, i think the best way would be to use ground to air missiles and to be on site and ready to fire. i think it takes 15 minutes to scramble fighters in the US to deal with a potential or real threat, 15 minutes may be to long and these guys on the roof could fire almost instantly after getting authority to do so.

like i said, i am uncomfortable with it, i just don't know how to deal with modern day threats any other way. i imagine that if this was 400 years ago and games were being held in london, archers would be on the roof. this is nothing new, just different weapons.
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I think the real reason is missile batteries were deployed at the 2008 Olympics and they couldn't be seen to be outdone. I suppose it's possible that some crazies could use a microlight to crash into the stadium with explosives but whether a radar tracking system could pick up such a low flying target is highly questionable.
 
Aoxomoxoa said:
I think the real reason is missile batteries were deployed at the 2008 Olympics and they couldn't be seen to be outdone. I suppose it's possible that some crazies could use a microlight to crash into the stadium with explosives but whether a radar tracking system could pick up such a low flying target is highly questionable.
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you might be right about the first part, but i think they could use something more than a low flying target ( i assume you mean small plane). large jets were used for 9/11.
 
Yurt said:
you might be right about the first part, but i think they could use something more than a low flying target ( i assume you mean small plane). large jets were used for 9/11.
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I cannot conceive of any scenario where civilian jets could be highjacked in the way that they were on 9/11. I think any possible threat is far more likely to come from suicide bombers at one of the numerous venues outside of London.
 
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Aoxomoxoa said:
I cannot concieive of any scenario where civilian jets could be highjacked in the way that they were on 9/11. I think any possible threat is far more likely to come from suicide bombers at one of the numerous venues outside of London.
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anything is possible tom.
 
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