Breaking on MSNBC.com: Blast heard near U.S. consulate in Karachi, Reuters

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

www.msnbc.com

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

1. The headline's up, but no info. yet.

[IndianaGreen]

3. Bush is in India, isn't he?

Pakistan is going to the dogs!

[DearAbby]

4. thought he paid a "surprise" visit to Afghanistan N/t

[DearAbby]

2. Can't find anything more on this...just the headline n/t

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

5. Guess they're checking on the info. I'm checking other sources

to see if I can find out anything. I think * is supposed to go to Pakistan, too.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

7. Blast near US consulate in Karachi before Bush visit

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=newsOne&storyID=2006-03-02T042055Z_01_SP196405_RTRUKOC_0_US-PAKISTAN-BLAST.xml

KARACHI (Reuters) - A blast was heard and witnesses saw smoke rising in Karachi on Thursday from an area between the U.S. consulate and the Marriott Hotel, with U.S. President George W. Bush due to visit Pakistan in the next couple of days.

Islamist opposition parties have organized a national day of protest on Friday against cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad published in Europe and deemed blasphemous.

[cal04]

6. Bomb blasts in Karachi kill 2, injure 18

Bomb blasts near the U.S. consulate in Pakistan’s largest city Thursday wounded five people, a police official said.

One bomb exploded outside the consulate setting 10 cars on fire, police official Javed Akbar said. He did not know whether the wounded were attached to the consulate, or whether they were injured by the blast or the fire.

Another bomb exploded about the same time in a parking lot of a hotel yards away, Akbar said.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11631196/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4765170.stm

[FreakinDJ]

8. Surprised they didn't burry the story like the Manila Embassy

Yep the Manila embassy had to close after a bomb went off in one of the buildings about 2 months ago. The story wasn't covered by the news at all.

Now we have a clearly established pattern

and once again America is unprepared

Way to go Bush - All hat and no cows cowboy

[doublethink]

9. Film on CNN NOW ..... nt.

[doublethink]

11. CNN reporting Car Bomb ......

showing cars burning ..... fire crews putting out charred cars. Another report says 10 cars burning, 5 people injured so far.....

[doublethink]

12. Washingtonpost reporting 2 bombs now ....

link here .... http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/01/AR2006030102768.html

[alarcojon]

10. BBC link with a tad more info (updated)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4765170.stm

Two near-simultaneous blasts took place in the parking lot of the Marriott hotel which is located next to the US consulate in a high-security zone.

Ten cars have been completely destroyed and several more are on fire.

...snip...

The blasts took place in the rear of the Marriott hotel.

The BBC's Aamer Ahmed Khan says most people use the rear entrance of the hotel since the road in front of the hotel is part of a high-security zone because of the presence of the US consulate next door.

[wookie294]

20. So, the Iraq war has prevented terrorism

Way to go Bush!!

:sarcasm:

[Mr_Spock]

13. Nightline repoting as breaking news...

Bomb blasts in Pakistan - no info. Oh, well.

[CottonBear]

14. CNN Anderson Cooper: at least 2 dead & 34 injured, car bomb, Karachi. n/t

[Sparkly]

15. AP here

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/pakistan_blast_dc



(Edited to add my favorite photo du jour)

[NYC]

16. Goofy.

That's the word that comes to mind.

[w8liftinglady]

17. wonder what was going through those troops' minds at the time?

"you are OUR commander-in-chief?

[NYC]

18. I can't imagine.

That is their commander in chief. He looks like he's about to dance.

[Massachusetts]

32. That is their commander in chief. He looks like he's about to dance

Isn't there a picture of Hitler doing a little "jig" in front of some SS?......Hmmmmmmmmmmm!

[Nightflurry]

34. You mean this?

Sorry it's so small, the actual picture is larger, wonder why it shrunk. In any case..

[KansDem]

39. LOL !!! Here's another photo...

[NYC]

36. I haven't seen that.

If you find it, please post it.

[KansDem]

37. Don't know, but we do know they are not smiling.

In vaudeville times, this would be the time to get the hook...

[A Brand New World]

33. Dork!!! That's my favorite word to describe all of ** pics.

N/T

[NYC]

35. Dork may cover them all,

but since he aims for variety in idiocy, you should aim for variety in adjectives. :hi:

[arikara]

19. What's he acting like that for?

He looks like a male stripper getting ready to peel off his fireman costume. Must have strutted out of his cod piece already.

[arewenotdemo]

22. That's precisely the posture our knuckle-dragging ancestors

learned to adopt.

During subsequent human evolution the palms rotated 90 degrees.

[medeak]

21. Yay for DU

took nearly an hour to hear anything on cable news!

[maddezmom]

23. Suicide Bomber Kills 4 Near U.S. Consulate (including Amer. Diplomat)

KARACHI, Pakistan - A suicide attacker rammed a car packed with explosives into a vehicle carrying an American diplomat in Pakistan's largest city, killing four people — including the diplomat — just days before President Bush's visit to Pakistan, officials said.

Bush condemned the attack outside the U.S. Consulate and a luxury hotel in Karachi, and said "terrorists and killers" would not prevent him from going to Pakistan on the final leg of his tour of South Asia.

"We have lost at least one U.S. citizen in the bombing, a foreign service officer, and I send our country's deepest condolences to that person's loved ones and family," Bush said at a news conference in neighboring India, without naming the diplomat.

"Terrorists and killers are not going to prevent me from going to Pakistan."

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060302/ap_on_re_as/pakistan_bombing;_

[Moderator]

24. Kick

[Gman]

25. Suicide bomber kills 4 near U.S. consulate; diplomat dies

KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) — A suicide attacker rammed a car packed with explosives into a vehicle carrying an American diplomat in Pakistan's largest city, killing four people — including the diplomat — ahead of President Bush's visit to Pakistan.


http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2006-03-01-pakistan-blasts_x.htm

[marmar]

26. If Bush were visiting my country....

I think I'd take a vacation. :scared: (Obviously, the f..ker not only visits my country, he lives there :yoiks:)

[DoYouEverWonder]

27. I see they sent out the Welcome Wagon

to bad they went out a little too early.

[xchrom]

28. where ever he goes

death and destruction.

[Tin Man]

29. another example of how Bush is LOSING the War on Terror

Bush's prosecution of the WOT is creating terrorists and global instability faster than they can be eliminated.

Say it loud, say it proud: Bush is LOSING the War on Terror!

[spinbaby]

30. It's that new Al Qaida mastermind

Last night ABC was fussing about some new Al Qaida mastermind. This morning they were pointing to this bombing as proof of the new Al Qaida mastermind.

[flamingpie2500]

31. soon the only safe place for Bus* will be the bunker!

[MadMaddie]

38. maybe Cheney will be there too...

[Moderator]

40. kick

[Canuckistanian]

41. Pakistan bomb kills US diplomat (BBC News)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4765170.stm

A suicide bomber has killed a US diplomat and two other people in a suicide attack near the US consulate in Karachi, Pakistani police say.

Many more were hurt in the blast, which tore through a car park near the consulate in a high-security zone.

The blast comes two days before US President George Bush visits Pakistan. He says his trip will go ahead.

US National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley said there was some evidence the diplomat was deliberately targeted.

[goforit]

42. Wow! Why would they ever attack a US diplomat?

[Canuckistanian]

44. Don't know - the article doesn't even name the diplomat

A strange report - I guess there are no details yet.

[cliss]

50. I just read on a European online newspaper

that there were more Americans killed. I'm waiting to see what the news is.

I hesitate to even write this - but we might find out by tomorrow.

[hang a left]

52. Do you have a link?

[cliss]

58. Here's the article from a Swedish online newspaper

it says, "4 people are presumed dead, probably more than one American".




http://www.dn.se/DNet/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=148&a=525722&previousRenderType=2

[bloom]

43. I suppose some in Pakistan might think we are at war with them

since we send in drones to bomb them.

I would probably think that too -

[tridim]

45. Bush has to be scared

Good! He really is the most hated man on Earth.

[Terran1212]

46. We never have suicide bombs in pakistan

My family is from there (I was born here but visit often).

I can't believe this stuff is happening in Pakistan, but when we are under a Bushite dictator, I suppose it's inevitable.

How long until we get that same kind of freedom and democracy of car bombs and beheadings that Iraq has?

[Rex]

47. Chimp ain't no coward!

He has his top body-double on the case!

[stillcool]

48. That is a strange story...

you would think it would start with who was killed, and when it happened. They report deaths but don't say who, they mention no time frame other then two days prior to Bush's visit....and, it isn't attributed to anyone.

[Canuckistanian]

49. My thoughts exactly

Maybe they were in a rush to get it out. You'd think the "who" part would be kinda crucial.

Kind of leaves a "W" out of the 5 "W's" of basic journalism.

[Bhaisahab]

51. Here's more info from a Karachi newspaper

Karachi hit by terror attack, four killed: US diplomat among dead, 54 injured



KARACHI, March 2: Four people, including an American diplomat, were killed and 54 others wounded when an explosive-laden car rammed into the diplomat’s vehicle yards away from the US consulate-general here on Thursday.

The blast took place in a narrow lane between the five-star Marriott Hotel and a naval establishment in one of the high security areas in the city.

“It was a suicide attack and we have found important clues to suspects. We have collected evidence and we are working on it. Many things will be clear by Friday evening,” city police chief Niaz Ahmed Siddiki said at a news conference.

SNIP

Mr Siddiki identified three of the dead as US consulate official David Fyfe, his Pakistani chauffeur Iftikhar and Rangers official Lance Naik Zafar. He said the body of the fourth man was mutilated beyond recognition and he might be the suicide bomber.

FULL STORY: http://www.dawn.com/2006/03/03/top1.htm

[Canuckistanian]

53. Ah, finally a name!

Thanks for the story and link! :hi:

[EFerrari]

55. Why is there only one source for this man's name?

And not one American report (10:40pm or so, Pacific Time)? I've searched and came up empty but for the link up thread.

Isn't that a little strange?

[Canuckistanian]

61. Steven Hadley seems to think it's important

And he was pretty quick to comment on his death.

[EFerrari]

63. Hadley is one of the pod people, isn't he?

He worked for Rice, now is National Security Advisor?

It's part of the symptomology of living under this government that I assume they are lying, twisting or spinning every time their mouths move. :(

[EFerrari]

64. See this related story for the spin: Fearless Leader

Bush's trip to Pakistan has some risks

By Terence Hunt

The Associated Press

NEW DELHI – President Bush's overnight visit to Pakistan "is not a risk-free undertaking" but he will not be deterred by attacks like the suicide bombing that killed an American diplomat in Karachi, National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley said today.

Bush will fly to Pakistan late Friday for a day of talks Saturday in Islamabad with Gen. Pervez Musharraf, the military leader who took power in a 1999 coup. Bush said his visit was an important gesture of solidarity with Musharraf in the fight against terrorism.

"After all," Bush said, "he has had a direct stake in this fight — four times the terrorists have tried to kill him."

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002839434_webbushsafety02.html?syndication=rss

[Canuckistanian]

54. David Fyfe

Descibed as an "IEA (Intenational Energy Association) expert"

What a surprise, an oil man in the Pakistani embasssy.

[EFerrari]

56. I found that too. But is it the same guy? The one I found

seems to work for the Brits?

http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/2006_01_11_globaleconomicanalysis_archive.html

/link

[Canuckistanian]

59. The blog doesn't seem to indicate he was a Brit.

It only mentions he was a member of IEA.

But I could be wrong.

[EFerrari]

62. You're right, it doesn't. n/t

[Bhaisahab]

57. you think it could be a cover? there's another development

in pakistan that could have serious consequences. the Taliban have taken over a provincial town:

Taliban take control of govt buildings in Miramshah
MIRAMSHAH, March 2: Tension gripped the North Waziristan agency on Thursday as Taliban took over government buildings, occupied the area’s telephone exchange and patrolled the streets of the tribal agency’s regional headquarters.

Eyewitnesses and government officials said that after Wednesday’s heavy gunbattle between security forces and Taliban remnants, a large number of families started moving to other places in the troubled agency.

SNIP

Political authorities pulled out paramilitary troops from the main bazaar as the Taliban took positions at key points in the town. Paramilitary forces restricted their movement to bases and government buildings.

Mirali and other parts of the tribal region, were also tense, although calm, the sources said.

Scared shopkeepers in Miramshah pulled shutters as hundreds of militants entered the town on trucks fitted with on machine-guns at noon, shouting “God is Great” and “Death to America and its friends”. Offices remained closed and traffic was very thin in the area.

“There is chaos. The administration has left the area at the mercy of the Taliban,” said a security official.



CONTINUED: http://www.dawn.com/2006/03/03/top6.htm

[Canuckistanian]

60. Is Waziristan close to Karachi?

If not, then I don't see the connection.

[Bhaisahab]

65. not really, no.

i believe waziristan is up north, while Karachi is down south. i did not mean to connect fyfe's death with the trouble up there. i just put it down as a sign of the FUBAR that is heading Pakistan's way. and bush is yet to land. who knows what surprises are in store...

[Canuckistanian]

66. Understood.

Unrest and confusion are the hallmark of a Bushco operation...