Bush rescues Secret Service agents from Chilean police.

[Diceman]

@calm kiwi

How stupid are his “people”? They made him look like a dick and they made it look like he was insulting the Chileans.

Everyone I know thinks that it was the Chileans who were being dicks. Why on Earth wouldn’t they let the head of state for a foreign country have a bodyguard with him? When the Chinese visit the US, you can bet that China’s equivalent of the Secret Service accompanies their leaders. No one would expect otherwise.

The Chilean security people need to grow up and realize that a country that’s had four presidents assassinated is gonna want some of its own guys guarding their leaders.

[calm_kiwi]

Then his people should have arranged that. How hard would that have been?

[calm_kiwi]

From where I was looking the whole debacle made him look like a dickhead with inept security.

[Gyrate]

I’m no fan of the man, but in the brief clip I saw it looked like Bush handled it properly, in a “he’s with me” kind of way. I didn’t hear what, if anything, he may have said to the people holding up the bodyguard at the door.

It’s not a biggie, and certainly not the “brawl” some of the press are making it out to be.

[calm_kiwi]

Not a brawl…but hardly a man with his finger on the button. Shit if you can’t have your people get an OK for your sunglassed shadow could you organise a piss up in a brewery?

[Rufus_Xavier]

@Diceman

The Chilean security people need to grow up and realize that a country that’s had four presidents assassinated is gonna want some of its own guys guarding their leaders.

Yes, the Chileans should grow up. It’s not like the U. S. had one of Chile’s presidents assassinated. Well, except that one guy. But that was 35 years ago! Anyway, they should know better than to mess with USA! I’m sure the movie Air Force One is now made all the more plausible when you picture GW in the Harrison Ford role.

[Banquet_Bear]

@Diceman

Everyone I know thinks that it was the Chileans who were being dicks. Why on Earth wouldn’t they let the head of state for a foreign country have a bodyguard with him? When the Chinese visit the US, you can bet that China’s equivalent of the Secret Service accompanies their leaders. No one would expect otherwise.

The Chilean security people need to grow up and realize that a country that’s had four presidents assassinated is gonna want some of its own guys guarding their leaders.

…ummm, I think that you will find that the majority of non-USIAN’s on the Straight Dope will heartily disagree with you… how far do you think Chinese Bodyguards are allowed to go on US soil? Do you think they should be allowed to shoot to kill? Bring in their own pistols? How far should a country go to meet the demands of another Head of State? The Bush administration has a history of making extraordinary demands on other countries security-see below for some of the things that happened on the last visit to the United Kingdom and to Australia:

The issue of immunity is one of a series of extraordinary US demands turned down by Ministers and Downing Street during preparations for the Bush visit.

These included the closure of the Tube network, the use of US air force planes and helicopters and the shipping in of battlefield weaponry to use against rioters.

In return, the British authorities agreed numerous concessions, including the creation of a ‘sterile zone’ around the President with a series of road closures in central London and a security cordon keeping the public away from his cavalcade.

The White House initially demanded the closure of all Tube lines under parts of London to be visited during the trip. But British officials dismissed the idea that a suicide bomber could kill the President by blowing up a Tube train. Ministers are also believed to have dismissed suggestions that a ‘sterile zone’ around the President should be policed entirely by American special agents and military.

'Shoot-to-kill' demand by US

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/auspac/10/20/australia.bush.visit/
http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2003/s972181.htm

…I applaud the Chilean authorities for standing their ground. The Chilean government is not only responsible for the safety of the President of the United States, but our own Rt Hon Helen Clark is over there, along with the Prime Minister of Australia, the Prime Minister of Japan, the Russian President, as well as the leaders of 16 other nations.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4010561.stm

…PERSONAL ASIDE AND THREAD HIJACK…
I supposed to be the personal butler for the President of the Phillipines back at APEC '99 (at the very last minute, they decided to change hotels, meaning that the during the busiest week in hospitality in Auckland’s history, I was home reading a book!) There was all sorts of talk about US bodyguards bringing in personal firearms and such-but as far as I can recall, I can’t remember the outcome. I do remember that Clinton was loved and mobbed wherever he went, that he made numerous stops at several Auckland shops and markets, and was the only leader at the time to turn up with his jacket over his shoulder, despite the wind and rain…

Bill Clinton arrived holding his jacket over his shoulder, looking relaxed and unperturbed by the rain and wind.

…why did he show up without wearing the traditional jacket like everybody else?

Remember when President Bill Clinton strolled into the Apec summit in Auckland two years ago, with his jacket slung nonchalantly over his shoulder, even though he was under an umbrella on a torrentially wet morning? Why on earth would the leader of the free world do that?

Because Peri Drysdale asked him to. At the previous evening’s gala dinner in the Town Hall, Clinton was introduced to Drysdale as the maker of the very fine merino casual shirts he and the other Apec leaders were to wear the next day. Plucking up her courage, Drysdale suggested he should leave his jacket unbuttoned to show off the shirt. But Clinton being Clinton, of course, went the whole way despite the wet weather.

That morning when Clinton got out of his car smiling broadly in front of a television audience of millions, he wasn’t wearing his jacket – despite the wind and rain. The commentators were puzzled. All the other Apec leaders had their jackets done up against the weather. Why wasn’t the President? A stunned and delighted Drysdale knew why. “I imagine he thought it was a bit of a mischievous thing to do: he’d been told he had to wear his coat buttoned up three buttons. But he modelled the polo shirt beautifully.” Drysdale thanked him by delivering a trendy black merino and possum-blend garment. And last year Clinton wandered into the Untouched World’s Auckland store and bought $1000 worth of clothes.

Business, property and farming news from NZ | Stuff.co.nz

http://www.listener.co.nz/default,752.sm
http://clinton3.nara.gov/WH/New/APEC1999/bcstroll.html

…just love telling that story! I learned a lot about Presidential security from friends on that visit-none of it I’m allowed to talk about on a public message board!

[calm_kiwi]

Maybe this is why the “world” liked Clinton and loathes Bush. If only Mr Leader was polite (and less smirky) then he might get lucky he might be liked too.

Yes, yes…we know he doesn’t care if he is liked. Why would he? He is STRONG.

What is that word strong rhymes with?

[owlstretchingtime]

Well done Bush.

Now we know your head of state could duff up our Head of state (the Queen is a tough old bird, but I don’t think she could take Bush).

But the big question is: Could Bush take PRESCOTT (my money would be on Prescott)

[Cisco]

@calm kiwi

What is that word strong rhymes with?

Shlong?

[friedo]

@Banquet Bear

…ummm, I think that you will find that the majority of non-USIAN’s on the Straight Dope will heartily disagree with you… how far do you think Chinese Bodyguards are allowed to go on US soil? Do you think they should be allowed to shoot to kill? Bring in their own pistols? How far should a country go to meet the demands of another Head of State?

I don’t know what a “USIAN” is, but if you must know, British, French, Chinese and others have had fully armed security contingents working with the US Secret Service in the United States and inside the White House. Recipricocity in bodyguards and security arrangements is the usual practice among friendly nations.

[BobLibDem]

Bush was in the right. Now I have to wash out keyboard with soap for having typed it.

[Gyrate]

@owlstretchingtime

But the big question is: Could Bush take PRESCOTT (my money would be on Prescott)

I would have thought Cheney was more Prescott’s weight class. But Prescott’s probably got a better punch. Remember that egg-throwing protester he decked? That was a beautiful straight left, if I do say so myself.

[RTFirefly]

Why, that was almost as manly as Kerry was when he stepped off an elevator and saved a man’s life.

[Banquet_Bear]

@friedo

I don’t know what a “USIAN” is, but if you must know, British, French, Chinese and others have had fully armed security contingents working with the US Secret Service in the United States and inside the White House. Recipricocity in bodyguards and security arrangements is the usual practice among friendly nations.

…cite? If a nation, like Chile or New Zealand don’t offer full recipricocity, does that mean we are no longer a friendly nation?

[JRDelirious]

Meh… good for Dubs insofar as the personal aspect of it is concerned.

But FWIW, good also for the Chilean Security people who, absent specific orders from their superiors about doing anything different with the US Prez’s posse, followed their standing orders. It’s their country.

The real fools here are the higher ups at BOTH the USSS and the Chilean Security Agency who didn’t square away the ground rules ahead of time and wound up with the footsoldiers stepping all over each other.

[Si_Amigo]

@JRDelirious

The real fools here are the higher ups at BOTH the USSS and the Chilean Security Agency who didn’t square away the ground rules ahead of time and wound up with the footsoldiers stepping all over each other.

Actually I believe that it is the State Department that handles interactions with forgien goverments, so this could have been thier mistake. Perhaps Colin Powell had something else on his mind when this trip was being arranged. . .

[vanilla]

@Rufus Xavier

Yes, the Chileans should grow up. It’s not like the U. S. had one of Chile’s presidents assassinated. Well, except that one guy. But that was 35 years ago! .

That was funny. Not the real event, but the way you put it.

[TV_time]

What would you call an Australian dog named after the Beatles’ drummer visiting Mexico?

Ringo the Gringo Dingo
(sorry, I haven’t had a lot of sleep the last few days)