Reply #73: For those who need it spelled out (as to why a helicopter isn't acceptable):

[Oak2004]

Here's just one of a great many articles addressing the inherent vulnerability of helicopters:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/org/news/2007/070208-helicopter-downings.htm

The key quote:

"It's important to recognize that no matter what the military does, however, "all helicopters have a certain vulnerability to groundfire that we will never totally eliminate," Hunter said"

A well positioned shooter with a bit of luck can take out a helicopter -- yes, even a military helicopter -- with ordinary rifle fire. Use something just a little more sophisticated, get a clear shot, and Marine 1 is a pile of burning rubble on the ground, and the Biden family digs out their big family Bible on short notice.

The Marines reduce the chances of this by using multiple helicopters in a shell game, but that merely reduced the odds that a solo assassin will get the right copter from nearly 100% to 25%. I don't know about you, but I don't think a 25% chance of our president being killed is satisfactory. Of course a 200 mile long copter ride is plenty long enough for a sophisticated team of assassins to position themselves for a multiple shot volley, so that they could get back to a near 100% odds of successful assassination.


The best safety measure is to vary the routes and keep the president's helicopter trips as short as possible, so that no one has enough time to position themselves for a good shot.