Islam Times - UK seeking to militarize Olympic Games

Islam Times - Britain is seeking to secure London Olympics through transforming the capital into a police state, as It is to deploy over 13,500 military personnel to avoid any possible threat to the security of the Games.

Defense Secretary Philip Hammond announced that some 2,100 military personnel would be called out to work as part of the security force for the Games. The personnel are part of 2,300 reservists who have been called out each year for military operations across the world since 2008.

The reservists will be part of 13,500 military personnel, compared to 10,000 fighting in Afghanistan. The Reservists will “continue to be a key contributor to that and other ongoing overseas operations,” Hammond said.

The news has strongly worried the analysts and the British public, believing through covering more and more London streets with military personnel, Britain is trying to militarize the events to prevent any threat to the capital’s security and avoid further unrest as more people are getting dissatisfied by government’s false policies.

Following the country’s crippling financial situation, the social conditions have deteriorated in recent years. While Britain is dealing with rising unemployment, division between the rich and the poor, social and financial inequalities, and racial contradictions, analysts stress that more social unrest and violence would hit the country.

Moreover, last month Home Office announced that London 2012 organizers and the police force would employ “all available” powers in facing the protesters and would remove encampments set by the Occupy London protesters.

The overall 23,700 security force for the Olympic Games will consist of military, private security guards and some 3,000 Olympics volunteers who are to be used during the security process.

Even with UK government’s harsh safety procedures, officials along with people all around the world are still worried whether the British capital could host a safe Olympic Games in July.

The question now on the minds of analysts is whether the Games turn into a blessing for the UK government to quell the protesters with harsh security measures.