Interesting goings on in DC

[MiniMe]

Well, it is to me anyway. I admit it, I'm usually a nosy person, I want to know whats going on. I just went outside and looked around. There is a secret service suburban across the street at the Washington Post and a car with diplomatic license plates behind it. Both black of course, the car is a limo.

The building I work in hosts IFES (http://www.ifes.org/home.html). IFES used to stand for the International Foundation for Election Systems when we were dedicated exclusively to elections. While we remain the world’s premiere technical elections assistance organization, now we also provide a more comprehensive menu of democracy building services. Because of this expansion, we are now known simply as IFES. That description is off the web site. Lots of big black cars with diplomatic license plates in front of the building, and some without diplomatic license plates. I saw 2 people come out of the building together, one seemed to be a high ranking military officer, and the other was a woman wearing a nondescript black pants suit and had a briefcase handcuffed to her wrist. Lots of ins and outs here. From the license plates, I think they were DI which would be Isreal. I'll have to check that out the next time I go downstairs.

Now, with the elections going on in Pakistan, its not surprising that there would be more activity going on today. Its still one of those things that makes you go Hmmmmm. Just reporting what I see.

[Iwasthere]

1. Do you have a good zoom lens?

Grab a few shots, you never know.

[MiniMe]

8. The only camera I have is a cell phone camera, not the best camera in the world

[northzax]

2. are these people going to IFES, or the Post?

it's unclear.

[MiniMe]

5. There is one car with diplomatic tags and a secret service escort at the Post,

And a whole bunch of cars and people going in and out of my building. So almost everything is in my building, except the one car at the Post. Hopefully this makes it a little clearer.

[Virginia Dare]

3. Definitely makes you go hmmmm...

hey, mini, I must just be a couple of blocks from you, some of the weird goings-on that you see in D.C, huh?...:hi:

[MiniMe]

7. Really. I guess I just miss flipping off * while he is in Africa

:hi:

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. Interesting

I'm surprised that they had briefcase handcuffed to her wrist. Sort of obvious, isn't it? Bet it was a decoy. I've heard that when they really need to have someone transport important documents they send a little old widowed lady that no one would suspect of having anything to do with that sort of stuff.

[grasswire]

6. please explain "democracy building services"

What does that entail?

[MiniMe]

9. I have no idea. : ) That is the description that I took off of the IFES website.

That is definitely a good question. Today was the first time that I realized it was in my building, we just moved in December.

[northzax]

10. they work with newly changed

and/or otherwise struggling democracies to develop ways to create representative government. Not everyone has a local genius to set up how the whole thing works, at least not one that is non-partisan within the country. so IFES helps countries assemble the rudiments of democracy, from the village level on up.

[MiniMe]

11. Update - I had the wrong license plate

The plates are DLM, which I think stands for Macedonia. Interesting.

Edited to add, another diplomatic tag in front of the Post, so there are 2 in front of the post now, and a slew of them in front of the building that IFES is in.

[SoCalDem]

15. Macedonia borders Kosovo, I think..

:shrug:

[spanone]

12. bu$h* is out of the country and cheney is playing commander in chief

[MiniMe]

13. They just left. The secret service cracks me up

A bunch of guys in trench coats and clear plastic ear pieces that are supposed to be somewhat invisible, unless you are standing close by. There were at least 10 or 15 of them there, I actually saw one guy talking into his sleeve. :rofl: Several Military guys were in the procession. They all got in the cars and the shuttle and took off as a group.

[MiniMe]

14. Anybody ever heard of the Atlantic Council of the United States, or ACUS

I was looking at their website and a few names jumped out at me. A former chairmman was Brent Scowcroft. I also saw James Baker III, Robert McNamara, George Schultz, and a host of others. Anyway, that was where all the secret service was and where all the diplomats were. Could be interesting.

Here is the website.

http://www.acus.org/index.asp

[grasswire]

16. maybe Cheney was there

Seriously, who would the SS be protecting in this instance? Perhaps someone went in incognito or through a back entrance.

[RuleOfNah]

17. Does SS handle foreigns too?

Maybe Bandar is talking to Woodward? :eyes:

Any NATOey people there? I hope the Kosovo thing doesn't get nukey.

Any bets on MiniMe getting a 'routine visit' as pat of 'blogger control'? :)

[MiniMe]

18. Wow, you mean I might meet Agent Mike?

:rofl:

[RuleOfNah]

19. I can not confirm or deny...

:hide: