Why Barack Obama's private pilgrimage to the Great Wall of China was not as solitary as the spin doctors make out




Solitary: President Obama walks alone down the Badaling section of The Great Wall of China in Beijing

It is a powerful image reproduced all over the world: the President of the United States striding alone last week along the Great Wall of China on his diplomatic tour of South East Asia.



Yet, as our main picture shows, Barack Obama’s personal pilgrimage to the popular Badaling section of the Wall outside Beijing was not quite as solitary as his spin doctors would have us believe.



Chinese police officers guard the sentry tower and CIA agents are scattered throughout the crowd.



The group also includes some of the 300 highly trained Secret Service bodyguards who escorted Mr Obama throughout the week-long visit, which also took him to Japan, Singapore and South Korea.



All the bodyguards are armed with pistols and equipped with two-way radios.



They keep in touch with a central command post via a microphone attached to the watch on their left wrists, with each agent checking in every few minutes.

Keeping a low profile is a senior military officer from the Pentagon, carrying a black leather briefcase, who stays within 100ft of the President at all times.



Inside the case there is a metallic Zero Halliburton briefcase that contains the codes needed to launch a nuclear attack.

Included in the entourage is a doctor, nurse and medical technician carrying emergency supplies, including bags of Mr Obama’s own blood in case he needs a transfusion.

The last man behind the President, wearing a green wool hat, is Reggie Love, a 6ft 5in, 18-stone muscle-packed former American football player who is the President’s ‘bodyman’.

He acts as valet, secretary, bodyguard and general factotum.



Or, as Reggie says, he is the White House Chief of Stuff.

Who's who: A whole host of people accompanied the President, including 300 trained bodyguards



In the pockets of his thick winter coat will be the President’s BlackBerry and mobile phone, a pen and notepad, and a packet of Mr Obama’s favourite chewing gum, Dentyne Ice.



