Is Athens Safe for Clinton?

Is Athens safe for Clinton? And for travelers?

U.S. and Greek officials asked - and apparently answered - that same question this week, rescheduling the Clinton visit to the 19-20th, instead of the 13-15th.

Although both sides deny it, the bombings and protests are the probable causes of the change in date until after November 17th, the Athens News Agency reports. The 17th is a traditional day for anti-American demonstrations mainly promoted by the leftist and communist groups who are very present in the Athens political scene. In 1973, students at Athens Polytechnic University staged a protest against the then-government which ultimately led to the collapse of the junta. A commemorative protest is traditionally scheduled on Nov. 17th, and with the original dates of the impending visit, many students planned to move the protest to coincide with Clinton's visit. Some protests are still likely to occur during his visit, and some protesters may feel that Clinton has tried to cheat them out of their right to protest. Will they make up for it? We'll see.

Why is the 17th such a firedraw for anti-Americanism? In 1973, the U.S. was seen to support the junta, and Greek distress with U.S. actions dates back to WWII when the Greek Resistance against the Nazis was largely led by supposed communist sympathizers.

Now, the U.S. is seen as the aggressor in the Kosovo conflict. Greece very reluctantly allowed NATO to move troops and supplies through its territory. And many Greeks sympathize with the Serbs, in part because they are also Orthodox Christians.

The U.S. also is viewed as supportive of Turkey's EU candidate bid and soft on the Cyprus problem, and Clinton's original itinerary in Europe included a stay in Turkey immediately after his visit to Greece. Now Greece will be the final visit of the European tour.

All in all, many more militant Greeks feel they have plenty to protest this week, though a major protest in Syntagma Square on Monday drew far less than the tens of thousands expected, with estimates of the crowd running about 2,500. Clinton was "tried" and convicted for war crimes against Yugoslavia by the group in an organized street drama.

As of this writing, at least six bombs have been placed at American-related locations to protest the visit, including Nike, Levi's, and, less clearly related, a Suzuki dealership. Luckily, so far, no one has been hurt and damage has been minor. Shots have been fired at the Hellenic-American offices in Kolonaki and downtown Athens, causing some damage but again, no injuries.

A terrorist group took the name "November 17th" and has killed about 22 people since 1973, 3 of them American officials, including CIA chief Richard Welsh who was gunned down in 1974. Letting Clinton travel to Athens just before the name day of this outlaw group seems like a risky temptation to offer. Greece, in possession of a few drops of blood from a possible member, has forwarded the material on to Berlin for DNA testing and matching, but any captures are unlikely to occur prior to this visit now.