And I'm being realistic:
1) Greece is a leftist hellhole: Over there, if you're not a Socialist, you're a Communist, and that country is still capitalist in spite of herself. 90% of Greeks hate us, and they're set on making the lives of our athletes a living hell: Booed, heckled, jeered, being yelled at on the street, and being general assholes towards the US athletes. Conversely, many of the Games spectators will come from the assorted European Socialist reichs, so it will compound to the general misery our athletes would have to endure.
2) Greece hasn't got its act together in regards of security. All the construction workers are ratting on security flaws in the athletic and residential facilites. Thus, the Athens games would become a prime target for terrorist attacks or kidnapping episodes like Black September. And we all know American and British targets will be very coveted by every terrorist group and their mother.
3) When it comes to politics, count on several countries boycotting these games due to our participation. Although I wouldn't care less if these countries stay home, their absence will be ultimately blamed on us, just like every evil in the world.
4) I'd rather have the US kick ass in a real adversary's turf, like Beijing, than a piss-ant country like Greece, which if it wasn't for tourism, they'd be quite a third-world $#!+hole. Besides, the Chinese would provide better security for the athletes.
We can live without going to Athens. It ain't a life-or-death situation.
"It ain't a life-and-death situation."
The hell it isn't....if we tell the world that we are afraid to participate in the Olympics, we will be seen as weak in mind and spirit and embolden those who wish us death and destruction.
Of course this is easy for me to say because I am not participating in the Olympics as an athlete or a fan who will have to endure taunts, threats and possible attacks. I do believe that the decision to participate in these games should be left up to the athletes.
It will be interesting to see how the Turkish team is greeted in Greece.
Good comments. After reading tbem, and the rest of this thread, I can't blame the American basketball players who have been bowing out from playing in the Olympics this year. It sounds like it's going to be a nightmare situation.