NEWS: U.S. Chile in Spat After Security Fracas

What should have been an elaborate state dinner with some 200 people was downgraded to only a working dinner. According to the following report Chilean President Ricardo Lagos did not like the idea of having guests walk through metal detectors. On Saturday night, President Bush waded into a scuffle after Chilean authorities blocked the President's Secret Service agents from accompanying him into a dinner. According to the following report tempers flared then a shoving match ensued, President Bush himself then pushed into the commotion, grabbed his lead agent, and pulled him inside.




It looks like when you are President of the U.S.A. and head south of the border for dinner, you may want to think twice and go to Taco Bell.

If nothing else President Bush has shown the world he is a "hands-on kind of guy"

According to the above report Bush, arrived at La Moneda palace, greeted Lagos in spanish by saying "Ricardo, aqui esta el gringo."

Translation: "Ricardo, the gringo's here."

Setting aside all of my political bias here... even I can say this .... This one time.. Go Bush!

Related News:

Chile calls off Bush banquet

Bush, Fox talk immigration

[edit on 21-11-2004 by UM_Gazz]

No kidding! If I want my enemies to "disappear" I'll trust the Chilean military. I wouldn't trust them to protect Bush. The Secret Service has a right to call the shots.

Well, Chileans must understand that George is one hated dude around the world, the New World Order harbinger, if you will, so his security has to be extra guarded, to say the least. Even if he werent hated, he and his cabinet have taken it upon themselves to proclaim Bush somewhat of a God. Come on, world, dont you know how special Bush is? jeeeeez

Personally, I think that Bush getting involved in the skirmish between the Secret Service and the Chilean Security Forces, was the height of demonstrating how dumb our President really is. I'm sure that the Secret Service was in the same position many employees are when that happened...thinking that their boss is an idiot and should leave the micro-managing to them.

Bush just demonstrated to the world the most effective means of facilitating an assasination. Pick a fight with the Secret Service on the red carpet...Bush'll jump in...you can get five or six shots off while he's in the fray with no one protecting him.

Here is just another example of how our POTUS thinks he's untouchable.

Come on, world, dont you know how special Bush is? jeeeeez

Here is just another example of how our POTUS thinks he's untouchable.

Wow, talk about being asleep at the wheel. Have either of you ever been to a public event attended by the President? It has nothing to do with who the president is. I've been to public events that included the last 3 sitting presidents during each of their tenures and the situation has been the same. Any sitting president be it Democrat or Republican has a secret service entourage responsible for his protection. This has nothing to do with Bush specifically. Unfortunately someone in the Chilean security force missed the boat here. If some members here wish to use this as an anti-Bush item, enjoy yourself. The situation would have been precisely the same if a President Kerry had gone to a function and his entourage was blocked.

In case you didn't realize, the President (any one of them) of the United States is a far cry from the Mayor of anywheresville. The whole world knows him, knows his face and many people can't stand him (Bush, Clinton, whomever). It is the responsibility of the Secret Service to protect him from possible threats, and quite simply, you do not get in the way of them doing their job.

Whether or not you agree with Bush's actions following the problem is another story. The point is it should not have happened.

I am not contending that the President isn't worth protecting. In fact, I believe the President (even if I don't like the guy) is one of the most protectable assets our country posesses. My point is that the protection is rendered ineffective when the POTUS doesn't know enough to stay out of a brawl. His actions compromised his security and provided anyone who seeks to do him harm with an opportunity to see how to affect a breakdown in the protection the Secret Service provides.

I disagree. As long as his security was outside he was vulnerable and getting them inside ASAP without fanfare was the most prudent thing to do. In fact, his action was so unexpected that he was ignored by those closest to him until he was able to get his point across to those blocking the security personnel. There is no way of knowing now, but if there was an assassination plot, the deed would have been performed as he proceeded farther into the building without his security. Bush knew exactly what he was doing and he did it well.

[edit on 04/11/28 by GradyPhilpott]