In this high-tech age, millions could be saved by holding video conferences rather than endless junkets to exotic locations to meet and make a ‘commitment’ (political speak for “get off my case will you”), fact-finding trips to Copacabana beach to study if the locals butter their bread differently or jaunts to the other side of the globe just to say ‘hello’.
American taxpayers would benefit more than most as it seems to require the relocation of the entire Sixth Fleet, repositioning of global satellites and mobilisation of their entire alphabet clusters – CIA, FBI, NSA etc – if the president takes a walk in the garden, let alone wanders further afield.
Video conferencing obviously works as it was used recently in connection with emergency talks about the Spanish bank crisis and the need to implement a ‘victory for the Euro’. As a cynic, one can only assume that there were no more flights available to the Seychelles at such short notice.