Security at Athens: Is the Billions of Dollars Spent Worth It?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the effectiveness and rationale behind the extensive security measures implemented for the Athens Olympics, particularly in light of a security breach during a synchronized swimming event. Participants question the adequacy of the security response and the allocation of resources.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions the purpose of the billions spent on security after an incident where an individual easily breached security by jumping into the pool.
  • Another participant suggests that security personnel were likely focused on more conventional threats such as weapons rather than unusual attire.
  • A different viewpoint expresses concern over the handling of the situation by the police, suggesting that the response was excessive given the nature of the incident.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying opinions on the effectiveness of the security measures, with some questioning their adequacy and others suggesting that certain breaches are difficult to prevent. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the overall value of the security expenditures.

Contextual Notes

Participants do not fully agree on the criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of security measures, nor do they clarify the specific aspects of the security plan that were deemed inadequate.

Dagenais
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Remember that thread I started about security at Athens and whether you'd go to the Olympics or not?

What exactly did Greece spend billions of dollars on?

A couple of days ago during a synchronized swimming event, a Montrealer wearing no shirt and a tutu, climbed onto a diving board and jumped into the pool.

If someone like him, wearing nothing but a skirt, can climb the diving board and jump into the pool, imagine how easy it would be for a trained terrorist.

Now, what was the purpose of that expensive security plan?

What bothered me was afterwards, they reported that security was being tightened up and more alert. Shouldn't they have already been alert prior to the incident?
 
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http://www.canada.com/sports/insideathens/story.html?id=0a118e30-05b9-483e-9a84-f5a76bf3182a
 
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I'm sure the security people were looking for knives, guns and bombs and not tutus.

But yeah, that's pretty bad, though it's hard to prevent that sort of thing.
 
What annoyed me was the way they handled the situation. It didn't seem like a severe enough crime where the Greek police had to beat him up.