Authorities in Pakistan released dramatic video of the truck bombing that destroyed a Marriot Hotel in the capital, Islamabad. The attack killed at least 53 people.
Pakistan Truck Bomb Video
Incredible picture.
Seems the bombers almost got the new Pakistani Prime Minister. And incidentally, the Australian cricket team were due to be at that hotel at that time ... except they canceled the tour for security reasons - a good call if ever there was one!
But, while we're claiming victory (of a temporary stability sort) in Iraq, and clinging with difficulty to parts of Afghanistan, populous, nuclear armed Pakistan is sliding more and more (although not inevitably) towards a government collapse brought on by the perception that the government cannot protect even itself, let alone the people, from terrorists.
I don't want to pre-empt TW, but this reminds me too much of Cambodia. On the edge of where the US is fighting, used as a refuge by the enemy, US starts a few discrete incursions (already been a few in Pakistan, but nothing on the scale of the Cambodia bombing yet) which further undermine the pubilc perception of the government's ability to be in control.
I hope you guys like a stable Iraq, 'cause I think the price is Afghanistan and maybe Pakistan too.
I don't want to pre-empt TW, but this reminds me too much of Cambodia. On the edge of where the US is fighting, used as a refuge by the enemy, US starts a few discrete incursions (already been a few in Pakistan, but nothing on the scale of the Cambodia bombing yet) which further undermine the public perception of the government's ability to be in control.
Whereas parallels to Nam exist, well, Cambodia did not have nukes and a need to attack a nuclear neighbor.
Afghanistan need not have gone this way had our leaders had any intelligence. Wackos did in Afghanistan the same mistake they made in Iraq - including no phase four planning.
Worse is the program that all but protected bin Laden. A program that refused to commit the 10th Mountain Division in Tora Bora until it was long too late AND done with such poor planning as to create significant and unnecessary casualties. The same wackos even disbanded Alex Station - the group dedicated only to get bin Laden. Our wacko extremists needed a bogey man to justify their hype fears and Orange Alerts. Look where their politics and outright violation of military principles got us.
"What another fine mess you got me into." - Oliver Hardy.
Won't play for me. :headshake
A truck the size of a garbage collector rams the gate but doesn't break through. After a few minutes the suicide bomber lights off a grenade in the cab and while one guard tries to use his fire extinguisher the truck blows.
After a few minutes the suicide bomber lights off a grenade in the cab and while one guard tries to use his fire extinguisher the truck blows.
Did not see the video. But as I understand it, the man with a fire extinguisher runs away. The bomb blows four minutes later.
Oh yeah you're right, must've looked away for a second.
The truck seemed rather far from the front of the building when it the bomb detonated. The amount of damage seemed enormous to me for that distance. That or it was the angles at which it appeared to be seen.
The truck seemed rather far from the front of the building when it the bomb detonated. The amount of damage seemed enormous to me for that distance. That or it was the angles at which it appeared to be seen.
According to Google Earth's measuring tool, it's 72 feet from the gate to the awnings in the front of the building and 144 feet to the building facade.
thank - that put it in much better perspective.
