A War Ship in the Thames?

If the unlikely happened and a terrorist attack occurred we would be slaking the government for not taking precautions. We already have these deterrents on hand, so why not position them where the most likely targets are. No one expected 9/11, or the massacre in 1972 at the Olympics in Munich, terrorists don't play fair and give notice of attacks. I for one will feel more comfortable at the stadium knowing that every precaution has been taken.

Events like the Olympics must take place regardless of the threats, or the terrorists have won.

I watched them manouvre HMS Ocean up the Thames , it was some feat getting it through the Thames barrier.. they are using it as a base for staff and amphibious vehicles that might be needed.. we live 5 mins away from RAF Northolt and have had Typhoon planes roaring over us for the last 3 days 4 are being based here for the Olympics and .. and one assumes the Queens Diamond Jubilee celebrations..
Not sure I think the whole thing is absolutely necessary but when I've watched those planes taking off this morning I've felt oddly proud , I guess it just brings home in a way that isn't conveyed in media reporting that there are people in this country willing to risk life and limb to keep us safe... sounds a bit dramatic but its how I feel.

These are not precautions – they are posturing.

Posturing is what a deterrent is about, for it to be a deterrent it has to be obvious.

....and everyone had to know what it is and where it is, so they can work out something/somewhere else to attack?

I don't think I'm naive enough to think all this posturing will put off the determined terrorist but at least we can't be accused of not being prepared if something is 'thrown' at us.. which I'm sure people would only be too quick to do.

I'm sure that there is far more to our defensive capability than that which is obvious.
Hopefully everything will pass off without incident and we can all say what a waste of money it was.

Blimey the Thames is going to bit a tad crowded on the Queens flotilla day hope there is room for everything - what nonsense it all seems. Imagine if you were from another planet and there is this species cheering and waving pieces of coloured paper at an elderly member of the species who is sitting on a very colourful barge sailing amongst all the paraphanalia of war - which we need in order to stage the olympics that are supposed to be about everyone coming together in peace and harmony,it all seems totally pointless somehow, and you would be very hard pushed to guess what it was all about I would imagine.

Perhaps the warship will fire a salute at the royal barge?

or even fire at the barge off with my head!

The Pageant will only sail from above Battersea Bridge to just below Tower Bridge with the boats/ships dispersing towards Greenwich where HMS Ocean is anchored so shouldn't cause too much of a log-jam..
It does all fly in the face of peace and harmony I agree..

If nothing else it's a good training excercise.

It's all a bit far from the olympic ideal! And we heard on the news that someone wandered into the stadium with a bomb!

I'm steering clear!

It's all a bore anyway! [yawn] now if they went back to the old days, with naked men, but no women! Unless you were a vestal virgin!
I don't understand that. Olympics were Greek, vestals were roman
Any classic scholars out there?

The Romans took on the Greek ideals and adapted them.

The Romans had circuses, where the gladitorial contests were held as the Empire declined; the Greeks had the Olympic ideal, theatre, music, philosophy, art. Any comparisons to be drawn????

Vesta was the Roman goddess of the hearth and home, and the virgins served in her temple - symbol of purity. The Greek equivalent was Hestia.

Ahh! Thanks!

I have fond memories of HMS Ocean, DH's ship. It was in our port last week.

Ah well as its the only ship we have left we might as well have it where we can see it! who cares anyway lets just spend all the money we have left on the Olympics clearly its more important than free school meals for children in poverty, care for the elderly, jobs for the unemployed..............

jeni A huge area of virtually every Greek festival/competition was designated for the tents of the hetaeras. While they didn't actually attend the events, they attended to those who did once the events were over. They definitely weren't virgins.

pompa For posturing to be a deterrent, it has to be plausible.

Hetaeras if I remember (not personally) were better educated than the 'gentle' women!
No, they were not virgins! I think geishas were a similar institution?

jeni Classy concubines rather than common prostitutes, perhaps.

Call girls?

The original meaning of 'hetaera' was 'companion', so not call girls because they were generally attached to one man. They had greater independence, better education and more influence than the wives whose main function was to bear and bring up children.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hetaera