Obama and his 34 ship fleet escort?

New Delhi: The White House will, of course, stay in Washington but the heart of the famous building will move to India when President Barack Obama lands in Mumbai on Saturday.

Communications set-up, nuclear button, a fleet of limousines and majority of the White House staff will be in India accompanying the President on this three-day visit that will cover Mumbai and Delhi.

He will also be protected by a fleet of 34 warships, including an aircraft carrier, which will patrol the sea lanes off the Mumbai coast during his two-day stay there beginning Saturday. The measure has been taken as Mumbai attack in 2008 took place from the sea.

Arrangements have been put in place for emergency evacuation, if needed.
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Obama is expected to fly by a helicopter -- Marine One -- from the city airport to the Indian Navy's helibase INS Shikra at Colaba in south Mumbai.

From there, he will drive down in Lincoln Continental -- the Presidential limousine -- to the nearby the Taj Hotel.

Two jets, armed with advanced communication and security systems, and a fleet of over 40 cars will be part of Obamas convoy.

Around 800 rooms have been booked for the President and his entourage in Taj Hotel and Hyatt.

The President will have a security ring of American elite Secret Service, which are tasked to guard the President, along with National Security Guards (NSG) and personnel from central paramilitary forces and local police in Mumbai and Delhi.

Similar arrangements will be in place in Delhi, with the Air Force One to be kept in all readiness throughout Obama's stay here from Sunday afternoon to Tuesday morning.

Maurya Hotel, where the President will stay, has already been swarmed by American security personnel and protective measures have been put in place.

Security drills are already been carried out at the hotel as well as Rajghat which he will visit.

Sources said 13 heavy-lift aircraft with high-tech equipment, three helicopters and 500 US security personnel have arrived in India ahead of Obama's visit.

The US security has also brought interception and obstruction device, sniffer dogs, rescue gadgets.

Apart from Obama's Air Force One, a few private luxury jets carrying top American corporate leaders, who are part of Obama entourage, are also expected to arrive in India in next 2-3 days.

All high-rise buildings in the vicinity of Mumbai's Taj Mahal hotel and Delhi's Maurya Sheraton hotel, where the US President will stay, are being sanitised and security personnel will be positioned on rooftops to prevent any air-borne attack.

The Ridge area - opposite Delhi's Maurya Sheraton hotel - has been illuminated by floodlights as part of the heightened security drill.

The Home Ministry has already issued an alert for Mumbai and Delhi asking authorities to take extra precautions during Obama's visit as well as on Diwali on Friday.


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Regardless of his needs for the visit, one would have to suggest that 34 ships patrolling is a bit of overkill don't you think?

Not to mention the over abundance of man power being used to escort him? That many vehicles, ships and staff?? Gotta be a new record?

reply to post by Whereweheaded
not to mention the $2Billion price tag for this "light show" yes he is spending that just to see lights, i thought GB Sr. was a "1000 point's of light" seeker, must be one "H" of light show.

reply to post by bekod


I know, and I thought the vacations on the tax payer dime was bad enough. The needless spending on escorts, and such. Im former Navy, and I can tell ya, it aint cheap to run one ship much less 34 across the world, all for one man?

reply to post by Whereweheaded


Obama is travelling so what? The only problem is he's in India, the U.N just appointed an Indian women to be the sole contact if ever there were extra-terrestullar contact made

reply to post by NewWorldWriter


So what? Are you serious? Do you have any idea how much tax payers money is being spent on the trip much less the 500 staff members, the 40 vehicles and the 34 war ships? Its people with that logic, the " Oh well ", that allows for the continued needless spending. No wonder we are in debt, we have a President who's been on vacation more than on duty...

Originally posted by NewWorldWriter
reply to post by Whereweheaded

 

Obama is travelling so what? The only problem is he's in India, the U.N just appointed an Indian women to be the sole contact if ever there were extra-terrestullar contact made

Think wasting 200 million dollars per day is a smart idea given our current times?

Absolutely not.

To me, it looks like he is getting out of Dodge and to somewhere safe, before the Earth gives up the struggle and starts to sink into the Ocean. It would be interesting to know how many " Hangers on " are travelling with him, 800 rooms will take a lot of people. Is it just for safety, or are they grouping for an evacuation from Earth. Are there any more large groups leaving from other countries at the moment ?

Royalty requires an entourage. What better way to make a grand entrance and leave a lasting impression than to show up with half the fleet behind you?