The “Shoe” incident

The President of the United States of America, the world’s greatest nation—so they say—can claim to have the most advance and comprehensive security protection in the world. He is being carried by highly security advanced customized air (Air Force One which is a Boeing 747 and Marine One which is either a Sikorsky VH-3D or Sikorsky VH-60N Whitehawk), sea (Navy One which is any Naval Battleship or Carrier of the Navy) and land transport (which is a Cadillac DTS limousine). He is also protected by the elite U.S. Secret Service, composed of 5,000 well-trained agents mandated to protect the U.S. President and his family, former Presidents, and visiting heads of state. However, it appears that even the most protected man in the world is also vulnerable of awkward security breach.

It is the news that outgoing U.S. President George Bush was almost hit not just by one but two flying shoes courtesy of a disgruntled journalist in Iraq. The incident raised concerns on the effective of the Secret Service in preempting any “attempt” on the “person” of the U.S. President.

Brief background on what happened: President Bush is in a farewell tour to Iraq, probably his last Presidential overseas tour before relinquishing the presidency to Barack Obama. The President, after visiting troops deployed in Iraq, held a press conference with Iraq’s Prime Minister Nuri al-Malaki. While the President is busy taking questions from members of the Press, an Iraqi journalist took advantage and managed to aim his shoe toward the President. Bush appeared to have very sensitive and vigilant reflexes and managed to quickly dock to avoid the flying shoe. Unsuccessful in his first attempt, the journalist aimed his other shoe at the direction of President Bush. As was on the first attempt, Bush showcased his athletic move and successfully avoided the fast speeding second shoe. Iraqi Prime Minister al-Malaki was also seen raising his left hand in an apparent gesture to cover Bush from the flying second shoe. Seconds later, Secret Service agents managed to subdue the journalist.

Hadn’t President Bush managed to avoid the flying shoes, he will be to date the only U.S. President to have been hit by a shoe. Reactions elicited by the incident vary. Iraqi militants saw it as a successful embarrassment of a sitting U.S. President. Accordingly, to be hit by a shoe is considered to be the highest form of insult in Iraq. Some see the incident as a serious security breach. Imagine if the journalist has a hidden explosive in his shoes; President Bush’s body will most likely be flown back to the U.S. in a box.

The incident made me remember famous security breaches cum assassination attempts that almost turned into a nightmare. Here are some:

The unexpected Royal audience

This is probably the most famous security breach that happened at the Buckingham Palace, the seat of the British monarchy, which occurred in 1982. An unarmed man with an alleged psychiatric problem named Michael Fagan managed to break into the Palace. Fagan seeing no Palace personnel to stop him proceeded to the Queen’s bed chamber. The palace’s alarms apparently were faulty. In addition to this, the armed police officer detailed at the bedchamber, left his post without waiting for his replacement and walked the Royal dog out at the palace ground. At the bedchamber, Fagan initially observed the unprotected Queen while sleeping. The queen awoke when Fagan disturbed the curtains in the room. Fagan sat at Queen’s bed and chatted with her for 10 minutes. The Queen was unfazed with the breach and dealt with it calmly even if the man she is speaking with is a stranger and is bleeding—due to a laceration caused by an ashtray he broke in the palace. The Queen even phoned the police twice in between the 10-minute chat with Fagan to no avail. After 10 minutes, palace personnel came to Queen’s bedchamber and arrested Fagan. Fagan was charged for trespassing and theft (he stole a bottle of champagne in the Palace), but charges were dropped when Fagan was admitted to a psychiatric institution.

Almost stabbed to death

In December 1972, a farmer wielding machete attacked First Lady Imelda Marcos at a public gathering in Manila. The farmer while about to shake Mrs Marcos’s hand drew his weapon hidden underneath his coat, then aggressively stabbed the First Lady, almost to death. The gathering was broadcast live hence the incident was seen live on television. Mrs Marcos was seen fighting the attacker with her bare hands. Her resilience was seen as the reason why Mrs Marcos avoided fatal wounds that could have ended her life. In the end, the assassin was shot dead by agents of the President Security Group and Mrs Marcos received 72 stitches. Had the assassin been successful, Mrs Marcos would have been the first sitting resident of Malacanang to have been killed by an assassin. To date no sitting Philippine President or First Lady died through assassination.

The assassination everyone hoped

The incident is named 20 July plot wherein dissident officers of Nazi Germany attempted to overthrow Nazi leader, Adolf Hitler. The culmination of the coup is the assassination of Hitler himself. The attempt to kill Hitler was almost successful but the dictator got quite lucky. Colonel Clays von Stauffenberg, the man charged with planting the bomb that would have killed Hitler, successfully accomplished the job. Stauffenberg managed to plot the briefcase containing the bomb within a striking distance in a conference where Hitler was scheduled to conduct a meeting. The bomb was planted 3 seats away from Hitler. It was placed underneath the conference table. The bomb did explode successfully killing high ranking Nazi leaders but the main target survives the blast unscathed. Up to now, the mystery lingers on how Hitler managed to survive the attack. Several theories were brought forward drawing scenarios on how Hitler survived the attacked. One of the theories contends that an officer unaware of the content of the briefcase moved it away from the conference table. Other theory claims that the conference table was thick enough and prevented the blast from reaching Hitler.

God Bless the Pope

While greeting Catholics congregated at the St. Peter’s Square, a Turkish militant named Mehmet Ali Agca fired at the Pope’s open car and successfully hit the Pope. The Pope was critically wounded but survived the attack. He was operated for 5 hours to treat the abdominal wound and massive blood lost. The assassin Agca was arrested. In an unprecedented show of mercy, the Pope, after recovering from the incident, visited Agca and offered his prayer and forgiveness.

Bombing the Palace

In 1962, two dissident South Vietnamese pilots flew an aircraft of the Republic of South Vietnam Air Force and bombed the Independence Palace, residence of the President, in an attempt to kill President Ngo Dinh Diem. The bombing resulted in the killing of 3 palace staff and injuring dozens. A bomb penetrated the western wing of the palace where the President is reading at that time. However, the bomb failed to detonate. The autocratic President claimed that “divine protection” enabled him to survive the attack.

The Brunette Assassin

During the Bastille Day celebration (an event commemorating the start of French Revolution) in 2002, a brunette assassin fired at the motorcade of French President Jacques Chirac. The rifle was initially hidden in a guitar case that the assassin was carrying. Uniquely, bystanders were the one that prevented the attacker from causing any fatal harm. In was found out at a later investigation that the attacker is part of a violent far-right radical group.

Impressing Jodie Foster

An obsessed Jodie Foster fan named John Hinckley Jr open fired at President Ronald Reagan while he is about to enter his limousine. Hinckley fired six shots which hit Reagan’s Press Secretary, a police officer and a Secret Service agent. One bullet that ricocheted off the door of the Presidential Limo hit Reagan’s left armpit. The attack was apparently conceived by Hinckley in an attempt to impress actress Jodie Foster. Hinckley was found not guilty for criminal offense by reason of mental illness. He was however confined at a mental institution. Up until today, Hinckley is still confined in the same institution. At present, Hinckley has yet to offer any remorse or regret with the incident. He said that shooting the President is the greatest love offering in the history of the world.”

The girl who shot Lenin

In 1918, a radical revolutionist named Fanya Kaplan attempted to kill the father of the Revolution she once supported. Kaplan fired three shots at Russian Communist leader Vladimir Lenin. Two bullets successfully hit Lenin, one hit his shoulder, the other his jaw. Lenin, made unconscious by the shots was rushed to the Kremlin, residence of the Russian Head of State. He refused to be confined at the hospital paranoid that the attacker will finished him off their. The female assassin refused to squeal her coconspirators. She said that she plotted to kill Lenin because she considered him traitor to the cause of the Revolution. Kaplan was subsequently executed.

Popemobile attacked

Another St Peter Square security breach occurred when a man jumped off a security fence—separating the crowd from the approaching open papal car—and attempted to climb the Popemobile which carries Pope Benedict XVI. His intention was not known. The Swiss Guards quickly apprehended the man before he reached the Popemobile. The Pope seems to have not noticed the incident as he continuously waved to the crowd while a petty brawl is happening behind him between the man and the Swiss Guard agents.

Photo Credit:

http://www.whois.com/Whois-hot/poll/8-Politicians/Queen%20Elizabeth%20II.jpg

http://d21c.com/sookietex/bush_maliki2.jpg

http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200710/r189722_711890.jpg

http://www.electricscotland.com/thomson/images/20.19%20AdolfHitler.jpg

http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/09_04/PopeJohnPaulII_468x484.jpg

http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2007-09-08-RonaldReagan1981.jpg

http://media-2.web.britannica.com/eb-media/52/19052-004-69271A68.jpg

http://www.soxfirst.com/50226711/Pope_Benedict_XVI.jpg

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/6806/lenin010605nv9.jpg

http://www.enjoyfrance.com/images/stories/france/news/Chirac-official.jpg

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