The Atlanta Journal-Constitution April 16, 2004
G-8 security paramount in choice of Sea Island
By Dave Hirschman
Security wasn't just one of the main issues in choosing Sea Island for the upcoming G-8 summit of world leaders. It was virtually the only issue.
The location for this June's meeting is nearly perfect from a Secret Service standpoint. It's isolated and surrounded by natural barriers that are easy to monitor. There is only one road leading directly to the island, and law enforcement officials can easily control access.
"Security was really the only consideration in picking a location such as this," said John Pike, director of GlobalSecurity.org. "Between the anti-globalization people and terrorists, every other consideration is inconsequential."
Today, Dave Wilkinson, special agent in charge of the Secret Service's field office in Atlanta, is scheduled to talk to business leaders in coastal Georgia about security plans for the summit.
"The business community and citizens want to know what to expect," said Woody Woodside, president of the Brunswick/Golden Isles Chamber of Commerce.
Summit meetings used to be national showcases held in capitals and major cities. Bonn, Tokyo, London, Paris and New York all hosted summits in the 1970s and 1980s. But terrorism fears and local political calculations have pushed the meetings to secluded sanctuaries such as Kananaskis, Canada; Evian, France; and Sea Island, Ga. And security consultants and academics agree the days of big-city summits are over.
The leader of the host country selects the meeting site. The host rotates each year among participating nations --- the United States, Canada, Russia, Japan, Great Britain, France, Germany and Italy.
From a security standpoint, Sea Island is ideal.
The East Coast is within nonstop range for jets from Europe. The ocean protects approaches to the island from three sides, and the Coast Guard and Navy can easily control access. Thick marshes protect land approaches to Sea Island, and police can instantly stop surface road access at bridges and key choke points miles away.
Pike said the most serious threat to small groups of people at this kind of meeting is a mortar attack. Such weapons are small, portable, accurate and capable of hitting targets several miles away.
"Those in charge of security will make sure that everything within mortar range is totally locked up," he said.
John Kirton, a professor at the University of Toronto's G-8 Research Center, says the move away from summits in major cities was started by local politicians who wanted to capitalize on the prestige and economic benefits that come from hosting such events. Political leaders "departed big and capital cities, mainly because they got fewer political rewards than they did among small cities' citizens who wanted them to come to their otherwise overlooked town," Kirton said.
Eric Tanenblatt, state coordinator for the Sea Island summit, said security was paramount in President Bush's selection of the coastal site. But natural beauty, luxurious surroundings and a casual atmosphere played a role, too.
"The president said he wanted a venue that would provide a relaxed environment," Tanenblatt said, "because that's the way he likes to do business."
© Copyright 2004, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
