The EU has been accused of “vanity” after it emerged that the new diplomatic corps headed by Baroness Ashton will spend $53m on bullet-proof limousines for some of its 7,000 officials who will enjoy postings in Barbados and even the tiny Pacific island of Vanuatu.
The cost covers the purchase and maintenance of the 150 vehicles for four years with 30 cars being sent to missions in each of five regions around the world, including capitals where there is little or no terrorist threat.
A breakdown of the new European External Action Service (EEAS), which will have a budget of $13 billion, shows that the diplomatic postings will include sending 46 officials to Barbados, 57 to Vietnam and 95 to Ukraine.
Even the tiny Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, which has a population of just 230,000, will have six diplomats…
Stephen Booth, of the Open Europe think tank, said, “We were told that the EU’s new foreign service would be ‘budget neutral’ but this promise has been broken in its first year. At a time of widespread austerity, taxpayers shouldn’t be asked to pay for the EU’s pretensions to global power status…”
As the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security, Lady Ashton is the best paid female politician in the Western World and earns a salary of £230,702 a year…
If the EU is to succeed on their mission to keep up with the American State Department at self-aggrandizement they will also have to add a private army of mercenaries. Are the Hessians still available?
This isn’t clear to me. Vanatu is going to get 1 or more bullet proof cars? Do the 6 UN Officials have to share, or is the car officially the exclusive perq of the Top Dog?
Perhaps more relevantly, will this car run on coconut oil?
Hooman Beings: Very poor at risk assessment and/or any long term consequences.
Hey, I got one of those except it’s a tractor. When you consider the possible chance of getting blowed up around here in Hastings, Nebraska. We’ve got corn anarchists here ya know. They’ve been protesting straight rows of corn for years now.
“EU’s pretensions to global power status…”
Spot on, especally in it’s dealing with the U.S.
They’re not afraid of terrorism, they are afraid of common robberies at gun point. The rich are afraid of the poor everywhere they go.
Popular Revolution comming ! The Govt and the Rich are setting barriers and castle walls to defend their ill gotten gains !
We spent more than that on GM and get a lot less in return. BFD!
Of course, if all the diplomats are well protected except those in Vanuatu, where do you think the terrorists would choose to strike?
“We were told that the EU’s new foreign service would be ‘budget neutral’ but this promise has been broken in its first year.” Is Pelosi working for the EU now?
Armored vehicles may be extravagant in some ways, but this is far from wasteful luxury.
#4–Luc==for the win. Seeing thru the FUD to the heart of the matter. Thank You.
#9–dumbalix==pay attention.
Meh.
All hail our government overlords!
The ruling class is desperately trying to isolate themselves and their riches from the scum (us) that they are forced to occasionally travel among and interact with. Will they will be successful in the end? Time will tell.
The world resembles the one of “Soylent Green” more and more.
And in the USA:
Armed security guards will be hired to work at unemployment offices as the early-December deadline approaches.
That is when thousands will see their unemployment benefits end after exhausting the maximum 99 weeks provided multiple federal extension periods.
Talk about understeering….
Being a Hessian myself, I have this to say:
We are still available, but not for the bloody EU.
??wHY HAVE BULLET PROOF CARS?
Interesting question..
So if you REALLY SCREW UP, your own country men cant SHOOT YOU…
The have check book and no oversight. What do you expect? Frugality?
YOU are expendable.
Prez O goes to India in a few days.
40 Airplanes – 2 just for O.
2 Marine helicopters just for O.
An unspecified number of armored vehicles including two just for O.
One official teleprompter for O.
800 of O’s closest friends, advisers and personal guards.One entire luxury hotel for O.
Parts of three more luxury hotels for O’s staff.
A four day visit to India or a government in exile?
Barbados and Vanuatu are both violent flea pits. Bullet proofing is a good way to avoid abduction.
#20 – Barbados, sure, but Vanuatu? Great place. Been there three times.
This appears to come out to 88k a year for each limo with service included. That’s not a bad deal. Service is going to require sending probably two guys/tools/parts on a plane to wherever the problem is, plus maybe an on-site tech for basic maintenance.
#19 Stuff costs money. Deal with it.
Chris #22
Didn’t say a damned word about the costs though I would like to know how many tens of millions it’s gone cost.
My comment was entirely about the vast amount of resources being invested for a 4 day trip to India and then some quick stops for another 6 days in Korea, Indonesia, etc.
I also think it’s hilarious that O cant give single speech with out his Telpromter. And something of an insult to India that he couln’t be bothered to learn what his writers wrote.
I’ve never heard of any State visit from ANY country TO any country that required 800 staff! Did the Queen of England need 40 aircraft when she came to the US a few months ago? How about the Pope – does he travel with 800 bishops?
Much Like Michelle’s visit to Spain, this is just another of his imperial impersonations.
I don’t know if the source can be trusted but if they’re anywhere close to accurate, I was far off asking how many tens of millions of dollars this trip is gone cost. This link claims $200,000,000 oer DAY. That seems a bit excessive in the current economic climat.
http://bit.ly/caq2Hz
#23
I restate, stuff costs money. How much does it cost for Obama to operate each day, a lot! Send him overseas and he will cost a bit more.
Compare these costs to the slice a CEO takes of his corporations’ profits and Obama is a very cheap date.