Craster wrote:
markg wrote:
Presumably to protect against hijacked aircraft used as weapons. An airliner blown apart over the city would be catastrophic but not as bad if it was crashed into a packed stadium. It seems an entirely sensible and inevitable precaution to me and I don't see what the fuss is about. It's like people are hearing the word MISSILES and then running around screaming with their hands on their heads.
Well, a couple of things. Firstly, you could cause a catastrophic incident with a hijacked airliner over London at pretty much any time. I'm not entirely convinced an olympic stadium represents a better target than eg the Houses of Parliament.
Secondly, it's missiles being placed on the roof of a block of flats. That would sure as hell make me nervous if I lived there.
Thirdly, it's that old thing again of "you always fight the last war". Hijacked airliners was a one-shot deal that was horrifyingly effective. It wouldn't be again.
Firstly I'm not sure I agree, purely in terms of loss of life then there has to be no better target than the Olympic stadium. Also London already has anti air missile batteries, this is just some additional protection.
Secondly, if that's the best place for them to be then that's where they should go. And if I lived there I don't think it would make me nervous. What is there to be nervous about?
Thirdly this is not "fighting the last war" they aren't just putting these missiles on a rooftop and doing nothing else. It is just not completely ignoring one possible threat, terrorists have hijacked airliners quite a few times, it was far from a "one shot deal". Also, why would it not be effective again? If someone did manage to hijack an airliner and crash it into the stadium it would be a right mess. This is deploying a few men with some missiles we already own, I don't think that the actual chances of such an attack need to be very high before it becomes a sensible thing to do.