OT, Should we be concerned about safety in Sochi?

[BOSSMANPC]

Some pretty nasty shit going on there. I know the theory if you cancel or alter events the terrorist win but...

Russian terror attacks could be chilling prelude to Olympic violence, say experts

A pair of suicide bombings that left 31 dead in Russia could be a chilling tune-up for the Olympic Games, where a Muslim terrorist leader has vowed to put Chechnya’s long-standing grievance with Moscow in the international spotlight, according to terrorism experts.

Although no one has claimed responsibility for the twin bombings, which occurred less than 24 hours apart in the city of Volgograd, formerly known as Stalingrad, terror experts strongly suspect they were inspired, if not ordered, by Chechen Muslim rebel leader Doku Umarov. Umarov, who calls himself the emir of the terror group the Caucasus Emirate, has called on Muslims to attack civilians and to prevent the Olympics from occurring.

The games, scheduled to begin in six weeks in Sochi, the Black Sea resort about 400 miles southwest of Volgograd, are "Satanic dancing on the bones of our ancestors," Umarov said in a video released online in July.

 

[dash]

If they weren't on high alert prior to these events, Boss, they should be now. I hope the Games go off without a hitch and no blood is spilled.

 

[Nasty_Magician]

From what I understand, in Russia whatever needs to be protected at any given time is on insane lockdown. Like you can't get anywhere near the Kremlin with out the special police being all over you. The Olympic Village will be very secure but I probably wouldn't travel anywhere else in Russia during that time.

 

[BOSSMANPC]

I hope you're right dash but I still remember Munich 1972 and Jim McKay words and emotions like it was yesterday. Very sad day.

 

[Cobiemonster]

This is why they shouldn't have the Olympics anywhere but North America - too much travel and safety issues

 

[dash]

I agree with Nasty, I think the Olympic Village in Sochi will be locked down tighter than a drum and I hope it is the same with Olympic venues. I had to pass through multiple security checks at the Richmond Oval and Rogers Arena back in 2010, but it was no big deal.

 

[BOSSMANPC]

From what I understand, in Russia whatever needs to be protected at any given time is on insane lockdown. Like you can't get anywhere near the Kremlin with out the special police being all over you. The Olympic Village will be very secure but I probably wouldn't travel anywhere else in Russia during that time.

Lets hope they have it under control Nasty, unfortunately they only need to miss one of them bastards and all hell could break loose.

 

[Vadered]

This is why they shouldn't have the Olympics anywhere but North America - too much travel and safety issues

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

This is why they shouldn't have the Olympics anywhere but North America - too much travel and safety issues

Nothing bad has ever happened at a North American Olympics after all.

 

[Cobiemonster]

Nothing bad has ever happened at a North American Olympics after all.

The difference is North America can control things differently - and North America has more things riding in terms of having players in professional leagues playing in the Olympics - guys from other countries aren't playing in leagues as big in the NHL so that's why it should be a big deal

I've always thought that it's not worth having NHL players play in the Olympics - it just takes away from the NHL and the safety issues could come into play at some point

 

[KennyBanyeah]

Nothing bad has ever happened at a North American Olympics after all.

 

[forty_three]

European countries have security controls extremely locked down at targets that matter, and terror attacks that happen are aimed at the places less than optimally protected.

Usually. A major train station is a pretty shocking hit, kind of like the attack on the London Underground a few years back.

The big problem they face is the economic downturn makes certain people more willing to accept money to look away. And a lot of people around the world have a lot of reasons to want to make a point to the Russians.

All we can do is hope that it's okay.

 

[BOSSMANPC]

European countries have security controls extremely locked down at targets that matter, and terror attacks that happen are aimed at the places less than optimally protected.

Usually. A major train station is a pretty shocking hit, kind of like the attack on the London Underground a few years back.

The big problem they face is the economic downturn makes certain people more willing to accept money to look away. And a lot of people around the world have a lot of reasons to want to make a point to the Russians.

All we can do is hope that it's okay.

Didn't they also have a major bombing at a train station in Spain in 04 or 05 forty_three? Not saying it would be safer here but I'm pretty sure they did, Now that I think about it I'm pretty sure it was 911 days after 9/11.

Edit: Just found it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Madrid_train_bombings

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

The difference is North America can control things differently - and North America has more things riding in terms of having players in professional leagues playing in the Olympics - guys from other countries aren't playing in leagues as big in the NHL so that's why it should be a big deal

I've always thought that it's not worth having NHL players play in the Olympics - it just takes away from the NHL and the safety issues could come into play at some point

That's a very North Americentric approach. Is that you Don Cherry? Just because the Olympic hockey tournament has the single highest number of athletes doesn't mean it's the only professional sport with participants. Should all of Scandinavia (Norway especially) be worried about their professional cross-country skiers? Should the Dutch be worried about their speed skaters? The NHL may be the highest-profile of the leagues but to imply that that somehow makes the concerns of other athletes less important is absurd.

And the security comment even makes no sense. If anything, North American cities (which I assume we're referring to only the US and Canada here, right?) have less control over things than other countries because of our pesky reliance on laws and constitutions.

If Russia feels like there's a security threat they implement martial law and lock down a 500 mile radius around the venues. Or anything for that matter. I was in Moscow literally the day after the subway bombings in 2010. The police presence following was overwhelming compared to anything the US did even after 9-11 or the Boston bombings.

The US and Canada though, having much stronger constitutional protections for freedoms of press, assembly, etc. can't lock down entire areas the way that a guy like Putin can (emphasis on can, not should).

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

The difference is North America can control things differently - and North America has more things riding in terms of having players in professional leagues playing in the Olympics - guys from other countries aren't playing in leagues as big in the NHL so that's why it should be a big deal

I've always thought that it's not worth having NHL players play in the Olympics - it just takes away from the NHL and the safety issues could come into play at some point

And for the record, the US is regarded by international security consultants as being a more dangerous country than Canada, all of Scandinavia (including Iceland), pretty much the entirety of Western Europe, and Oceania.

So we should really be limiting the games to Canada, Scandinavia/Western Europe, and Australia apparently.

 

[BOSSMANPC]

No love for Greenland ?

 

[Comeds]

Detroit And Baltimore should make a joint bid to host the games. The could build a nice Olympic village midway between in Cleveland.

That would be the safest thing to do.

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

The athletes should be fine but I would be very careful if I were a regular traveler there.

 

[dash]

Last time I looked, North America includes Mexico and based on recent news events, I doubt they will be hosting another Olympics anytime soon (and although I spent my honeymoon in Mexico, I don't have a keen desire to re-visit).

 

[DoobeeDoobeeDoo]

We had a bombing when we had the Olympics in Atlanta. I don't think we can claim to have all the answers when it comes to Olympic security.