|
Money down the toilet: India security experts on Harpers $1-million armoured car
The governments decision to fly an armoured vehicle to India at a cost of more than $1-million for Prime Minister Stephen Harpers state visit last November mystified Indian diplomats, and prominent security analysts in the country say it reflects a shocking lack of understanding of modern India on the part of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, whom the government says recommended the move.To think that India cannot protect a visiting dignitary is testament to very poor intelligence in Western countries and a failure of comprehension its just plain stupid, said Ajai Sahni, executive director of the Institute for Conflict Management in Delhi and a leading expert on terrorism in South Asia. From a pure security perspective, its money down the toilet. The Indian government had offered Canada the use of an armoured Mercedes Benz for Mr. Harpers visit but after a threat assessment the RCMP decided it was not sufficient. Indias president uses an armoured Mercedes Mercedes Benz S600, while prime minister Manmohan Singh whose security team receives roughly a dozen serious threats to his personal security each day uses an armoured 2009 BMW 7 Series for his travel in the country, security sources say. Canada instead brought an armoured Cadillac limousine and SUV. Posted by: tipper 2013-01-30 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=361241 |