How many dudes and dudettes out there haven’t had a few too many and told their bestie they would take a bullet for them? Guilty this side, a combination of gin and tequila will bring out emotion in even the most hardened of souls.

The chances are, of course, that it will never actually come to that (even you lot in Jozi). Spare a thought then for presidential bodyguards the world over, where it is an expected occupational hazard. Yesterday saw an attempt on Libyan Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thinni’s life, with this from CNN:

Five unmarked cars intercepted the Premier’s convoy, and a gunman inside one of the vehicles opened fire on the leader’s car, according to Libya’s interim government spokesman Hatem Al Oraibi…

Al-Thinni was not harmed in the assassination attempt, although one of his security detail was slightly injured after jumping out of the car during the attack.

It is unclear as to whether or not the injured security personnel was struck by a bullet or simply injured in the fall, although it sounds like they were all lucky to escape with their lives.

Perhaps the most famous ‘bodyguard wounded in action’ incident was the 1981 attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan. The president was shot twice and Thomas Delahanty, the man who can be seen lying wounded on the pavement next to shooter John Hinckley Jr., was shot in the neck. He survived the attack and was cited for heroism, which I suppose is something of a happy ending.

[source:cnn]