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Anyone else think this is excessive? The Economic Times of India reports:
"Since Obama is expected to arrive in the afternoon on November 6, and will travel by road to the Taj Mahal Hotel, the entire stretch from airport to the hotel will be under heavy security. The officer said, “There will be no vehicular movement on Western Express Highway at that time. Traffic on roads leading up to the highway will also be stopped. All buildings flanking the entire stretch will be sanitised. However, there is no threat from the snipers as the President will travel in a bullet-proof car with 4.5-inch thick sheets, which are impenetrable for any gun.” Obama’s personal security staff itself will be huge, and it has already started making its own arrangements in Mumbai. “A team of secret service agents has already arrived, and has surveyed the areas of his stay and the roads and places on his itinerary,” the officer said."
"To ensure fool-proof security, the President’s team has booked the entire the Taj Mahal Hotel, including 570 rooms, all banquets and restaurants. Since his security contingent and staff will comprise a huge number, 125 rooms at Taj President have also been booked, apart from 80 to 90 rooms each in Grand Hyatt and The Oberoi hotels. The NCPA, where the President is expected to meet representatives from the business community, has also been entirely booked. The officer said, “Obama’s contingent is huge. There are two jumbo jets coming along with Air Force One, which will be flanked by security jets. There will be 30 to 40 secret service agents, who will arrive before him. The President’s convoy has 45 cars, including the Lincoln Continental in which the President travels.”
"Since Obama will stay in a hotel that is on sea front, elaborate coastal security arrangements have been made by the US Navy in consonance with the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard. “There will be US naval ships, along with Indian vessels, patrolling the sea till about 330-km from the shore. This is to negate the possibility of a missile being fired from a distance,” the officer said. The President will be accompanied by his chefs, not because he would not like to savour Indian cuisine, but to ensure his food is not spiked."
TWO jumbo jets in addition to AF1? Plus security jets? Over 600 people traveling with him? Did we elect a king? I think Obama thinks so. It is an axiom: profligate spending always collapses an empire. The one-minute video tells it all.
The gap between what leaders say and what they do is becoming wider and more bold. Obama pushes austerity measures and belt-tightening, yet goes on more jaunts spending to greater excess than any other president, ever. The verses describing the false economic system as represented by the real city Babylon (and also the metaphor of Babylon as a whorish economy) in Rev 18:1-3 come to mind here --
"After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. With a mighty voice he shouted:
"Since Obama is expected to arrive in the afternoon on November 6, and will travel by road to the Taj Mahal Hotel, the entire stretch from airport to the hotel will be under heavy security. The officer said, “There will be no vehicular movement on Western Express Highway at that time. Traffic on roads leading up to the highway will also be stopped. All buildings flanking the entire stretch will be sanitised. However, there is no threat from the snipers as the President will travel in a bullet-proof car with 4.5-inch thick sheets, which are impenetrable for any gun.” Obama’s personal security staff itself will be huge, and it has already started making its own arrangements in Mumbai. “A team of secret service agents has already arrived, and has surveyed the areas of his stay and the roads and places on his itinerary,” the officer said." "To ensure fool-proof security, the President’s team has booked the entire the Taj Mahal Hotel, including 570 rooms, all banquets and restaurants. Since his security contingent and staff will comprise a huge number, 125 rooms at Taj President have also been booked, apart from 80 to 90 rooms each in Grand Hyatt and The Oberoi hotels. The NCPA, where the President is expected to meet representatives from the business community, has also been entirely booked. The officer said, “Obama’s contingent is huge. There are two jumbo jets coming along with Air Force One, which will be flanked by security jets. There will be 30 to 40 secret service agents, who will arrive before him. The President’s convoy has 45 cars, including the Lincoln Continental in which the President travels.”
"Since Obama will stay in a hotel that is on sea front, elaborate coastal security arrangements have been made by the US Navy in consonance with the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard. “There will be US naval ships, along with Indian vessels, patrolling the sea till about 330-km from the shore. This is to negate the possibility of a missile being fired from a distance,” the officer said. The President will be accompanied by his chefs, not because he would not like to savour Indian cuisine, but to ensure his food is not spiked."
TWO jumbo jets in addition to AF1? Plus security jets? Over 600 people traveling with him? Did we elect a king? I think Obama thinks so. It is an axiom: profligate spending always collapses an empire. The one-minute video tells it all.
The gap between what leaders say and what they do is becoming wider and more bold. Obama pushes austerity measures and belt-tightening, yet goes on more jaunts spending to greater excess than any other president, ever. The verses describing the false economic system as represented by the real city Babylon (and also the metaphor of Babylon as a whorish economy) in Rev 18:1-3 come to mind here --
"After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. With a mighty voice he shouted:
“Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!
She has become a home for demons
and a haunt for every evil spirit,
a haunt for every unclean and detestable bird.
For all the nations have drunk
the maddening wine of her adulteries.
The kings of the earth committed adultery with her,
and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries."
The gap between rich and poor, caring and uncaring, luxury and starvation will only widen in the days and months ahead.
It is very hard to watch the wicked prosper. It is a hard thing to listen to the profane hurl blasphemies against our Spotless Jesus and then see them rise to even higher heights. But Job discoursed against the prosperity of the wicked, that ultimately God settles with them via secret judgments and has reserved them for future judgments. Patience...the blasphemous and the profane will fall. Remember this as you see Obama's excesses. He will face the Almighty one day, and nothing we can say or do will compete with the just words from the Ancient of Days. As our own ire rises in anger against wickedness in all places, remember to sink even lower into His arms, retreating from bitterness and relying only on Him and His perfect justice.
I just have to rely ever more on His strength and promises to step back, & remain calm as I see His name trampled further through the mud and the wicked prospering and the poor falling. He is in control and nothing I can say or do will come close to the wicked having to face Him on judgment day. Lord, help my resentment against political abuse and lack of compassion on the burdened poor!! :)
It is very hard to watch the wicked prosper. It is a hard thing to listen to the profane hurl blasphemies against our Spotless Jesus and then see them rise to even higher heights. But Job discoursed against the prosperity of the wicked, that ultimately God settles with them via secret judgments and has reserved them for future judgments. Patience...the blasphemous and the profane will fall. Remember this as you see Obama's excesses. He will face the Almighty one day, and nothing we can say or do will compete with the just words from the Ancient of Days. As our own ire rises in anger against wickedness in all places, remember to sink even lower into His arms, retreating from bitterness and relying only on Him and His perfect justice.
I just have to rely ever more on His strength and promises to step back, & remain calm as I see His name trampled further through the mud and the wicked prospering and the poor falling. He is in control and nothing I can say or do will come close to the wicked having to face Him on judgment day. Lord, help my resentment against political abuse and lack of compassion on the burdened poor!! :)
Great post, Elizabeth!
ReplyDeletethanks Kim! I've been doing further reading in the bible and came across Job 24. Job's discourse against the wicked begins like this in verse 1: "Why does the Almighty not set times for judgment? Why must those who know him look in vain for such days?" yet Job ended his speech with "They are exalted a little while, then they are gone; Moreover, they are brought low and like everything gathered up; Even like the heads of grain they are cut off. “Now if it is not so, who can prove me a liar, And make my speech worthless?”
ReplyDeleteI just have to rely ever more on His strength and promises to step back, & remain calm as I see His name trampled further through the mud and the wicked prospering and the poor falling. He is in control and nothing I can say or do will come close to the wicked having to face Him on judgment day. Lord, help my resentment against political abuse and lack of compassion on the burdened poor!! :)
As a matter of fact I think I will update the entry with the Job references...
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
ReplyDeleteI know all presidents have done it but...
Does anyone else feel like Obama has been spending a tremendous amount of time and tax payer dollars flying around on Air Force 1 to pitch for his party candidates? Isn't there a job for him to do in Washington?
Funny, Elizabeth, I, too, began reading Job this past week as I have never read it completely. How's that for the spirit being at work in the body? :)
ReplyDelete