PHOTO Hands up? No problem.

[Jackeens]

A Secret Service agent with the Counter Assault and Tactical Division holds a loaded FN P90 in front of the North Portico of the White House in Washington. Brooks Kraft / Corbis for TIME

[Joe the Liberal]

1. That is one cool looking gun. n/t

[Captain Hilts]

2. At least since GHWB, sharpshooters appear on the roof whenever the Prez steps outside.

If the motorcade goes by you in town you are ordered to stay on the sidewalk and take your hands out of your pockets.

[Ready4Change]

5. Been longer than that.

I worked in DC during the Bush Sr, Clinton and a few years of Dubyas administrations. Were frequently 'HVAC' servicemen up on the roof whenever motorcades and such might come by. They had oddly rifle shaped toolbags. I don't work down there anymore, but I assume that continues today.

Sadly, it's a common precaution in todays world for high placed officials. Sadly, because from time to time, it's needed.

[Captain Hilts]

11. That's what I said, at least since GHWB. Yes, it's necessary. nt

[NJCher]

3. nauseating

There's something wrong with the people of a country who find this necessary.

Primitive. Very primitive.


Cher

[tandot]

6. Call me wrong or primitive...but I want our President to be protected.

The Secret Service should have the best weapons available to protect him.

[Arkana]

8. Screw that.

If they could give the President's detail and guards fucking LASER guns, I'd be all for it.

He needs all the protection they can give him--his opposition is completely unhinged.

[jefferson_dem]

9. You mean it's primitive that we need law enforcement armed in such a way so as to protect

the President from nutjobs...if needed. I hope?

[NJCher]

13. come on, the articles that make me think this

have all been posted here. It doesn't take a genius to put it together.

The articles I'm referring to are two that appeared here in the last few months. They are about major sociology studies that say that the more unequal society, the more dysfunctional it is. They are major findings by important scholars. There is no faint correlation here: it is proven hands down, across the board. This country is just flat-out fu#ked up, which is why there are the numbers of people out there who want to kill the president.

And if you don't know that this country is off the charts in terms of violence, then you need to go back and watch Michael Moore 101.

To think that this is anything but sick, sick, sick is to fail to understand that this country is the world's biggest menace. It causes more violence, more heartache, more discord, and more dissent than any other country.

If you want cites on the articles, I'll be happy to provide them.


Cher

[Orsino]

15. The subject line said "nauseating," and I'll agree with that.

The impulses that make these measures necessary are, indeed, primitive...but they're inescapable.

[Hippo_Tron]

10. If you mean...

That there's something wrong with the fact that there are so many crazy people that want to kill the President then I agree.

[Auggie]

4. Holy shit... can people really buy these things?

http://dynamicarmament.com/items/fn-herstal/fn-ps90-usg-5-7x28-30rd-16-blk-fn3848950260-detail.htm

[Engineer4Obama]

7. I think I saw that gun in Halo

[rebel with a cause]

12. Some thirty odd years ago

I was in a Caribbean country when they had an outbreak of swine fever. When we drove down the highway we would be pulled over by the military who would cover us with sub machine guns, make us get out of our car while they sprayed our tires with disinfectant. Don't know why they thought we would fight to keep our tires from being sprayed and they might have to kill us to get the job done. But what I was getting at is that if germs merited sub machine guns then, the viral nuts that threaten our president merit a lot more. Don't know if that makes sense? :shrug:

[PopSixSquish]

14. Damn!

I sometimes have to laugh at the tea-baggers thinking that somehow they're going to overthrow the government. Most would run screaming into the night if someone pointed one of those at them.

God bless those who watch over our President...

[Cleita]

16. Do they really need that much excessive force?

I think they could protect the President adequately with less.