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July 12, 2005
There’s a Word For This.
Sorry about this folks but there’s a word for this sort of thing:
All 12,000 American airmen based in Britain have been banned from going near London because of the bombings.
Jessies.
July 12, 2005 in Military | Permalink
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» Military might? from Drawing Breath
A **big** thank you to the US military for effectively [telling *every* American not to visit London](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/07/12/nusaf12.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/07/12/ixnewstop.html). As Londoners defiantly use public... [Read More]
Tracked on Jul 13, 2005 11:35:51 AM
Comments
It's looking as if this was an order issued in the immediate aftermath of the bombing and which hasn't been rescinded. On that basis I think we have to be more inclined towards the cock-up rather than the conspiracy theory.
In the circumstances it was a reasonable order to give. It's currently being reviewed, and the outcome of that will probably decide whether or not it's a story.
Posted by: The Bagged Bear | Jul 12, 2005 9:00:34 AM
Splendid, far better than my feeble effort.
Bear, "In the circumstances it was a reasonable order to give." No, it wasn't. What Tim said.
Terrorist can plant bombs, but they can't spread terror, unless we let them. Wrong order, wrong message.
Posted by: Backword Dave | Jul 12, 2005 10:00:37 AM
Reminds me of something my dad said to me right after the bombs went off, when he was phoning to see I was okay. It's not the sudden impact we need to worry about, or Londoners not getting back to normal. It's that (high spending) Americans won't come here on holiday for a while. The greatest effect could be financial. We'll how that plays: after the 11 Sept. planes going to NYC from the UK were as busy as ever. Let's see if they really are standing shoulder to shoulder with us when the chips are down.
Posted by: Jarndyce | Jul 12, 2005 10:15:01 AM
So London is now more dangerous for GIs than Baghdad?
Posted by: EU Serf | Jul 12, 2005 11:00:44 AM
It's not merely cowardly, it's stupid -- US servicemen here are terrorist targets in their own right, whereever they go; moving among civilians, even in London, is probably safer than being in the vicinity of their bases.
Of course, the Bear is probably right. It was only good sense to stay out of London on Thursday, if only to keep the transport channels clear, but by Friday that was no longer relevant.
Posted by: Andrew | Jul 12, 2005 11:02:16 AM
US tourists to the UK fell after 11/9/01 and have fallen since 7/7/05. This is a fact. Uk tourists to the US aren't dented as we're not paranoid morons. Neither are we pansies.
Posted by: Monjo | Jul 12, 2005 1:00:59 PM
Actually, the first thing that occurred to me on reading this was that they were being told not to go near London to avoid being attacked by Londoners who blame them for the bombing.
The public statements, now that I read the article, don't bear that theory out, and I might well be completely wrong. But it wouldn't surprise me at all if that had been part of the reason for this order, public positions notwithstanding.
I suppose that could be called cowardly too, but really, it wouldn't do anyone any good if some American soldier were set upon by people caught up in the shock of the moment, yelling about how "You Americans caused this" or some such.
Tourism to all over Europe went down after 9/11. It's not just the UK. Who wants to go on vacation to a place where (we're told) most of the people dislike us intensely?
Posted by: jaed | Jul 12, 2005 9:41:16 PM
