BREAKING CNN: second assasination attempt on Musharraf

[TheWebHead]

at least two killed, many injuries near the Pakistani President's home.

now at least 4

[Dookus]

1. at least two dead....

many more wounded. Sounds like Musharraf is OK, but they're not clear.

[buycitgo]

2. suicide bomber

four dead now.....sounds like more coming

dozens injured

pickup truck outside of Police Station

Rawalpindi

poor people......

what has our "government" wrought?

merry Xmas, mr. epithet

may you never have a decent nights' sleep, especially while you squat in MY house

[w13rd0]

3. Guys...

...remember a ways back, when there was some speculation regarding Iraq possibly setting off a revolution in Pakistan, thus yielding the first nuclear power under the control of an openly al Queada, SEVERELY anti-American regime? Remember how some speculated that events would take place in Saudi Arabia and other parts of the world, in which elements pushed to extremes seek logical avenues to exert themselves? Pakistan? That nation near Afghanistan? The ISI? Didn't they have something to do with the Taliban? The funding of the hijackers?

What the hell HAVE the Bush-Cheney team been doing?!?!

[Dookus]

4. I'm afraid

that if anything happens to Musharraf, the US will overrun that country in a matter of hours. They have nukes that we won't let get into Al Qaeda's hands.

[w13rd0]

6. How can we?

All our forces are deployed in Iraq. A handful are in Afghanistan, in Kabul. But not enough to take on the Pakistan military, certainly not with the close range, lower yeild nukes they have. One might even speculate that US troop concentrations in Afghanistan would be target #1, with US forces in Iraq being target #2. All around not good.

[Journeyman]

9. Ya ever get the feelin' . . .

we're caught in a giant game of "Risk," one Dumbya's playing very poorly? Whoever heard of putting all your troops in a couple of isolated countries with no easy route to reinforce and seemingly no strategy?

Neophyte warriors, "ignorants abroad."

[Zhade]

13. Worse, India might just decide it'd be a good time to preempt Pakistan.

Too good of an opportunity, Kashmir-wise, with all the distractions unleashed from an assassination and potential American "peacekeeping" mission...

[SahaleArm]

15. From India's standpoint Musharraf is the better alternative...

It's either Musharraf or clerics with a finger on the button. Neither choice is appealing.

[pfitz59]

22. Pakistan is no Afghanistan or Iraq!

For starters there's about 150 MILLION people! US military has no capability to conquer such a country! More info here:
http://www.nationmaster.com/country/pk/People

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

12. yes...

... and the fact that ISI is said to be full of Al Qaeda sympathizers.

[Newsjock]

5. Here's a link

AP via Newsday

Truck Bomb Explodes in Pakistani Capital

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- A bomb hidden in a pickup truck exploded outside a police station near the capital on Thursday, shattering nearby cars and damaging a nearby police and gas station, the Interior Ministry said. Several people were reported injured, several of them seriously.

The explosion occurred at about 1:45 p.m. in Rawalpindi, a bustling city just outside the capital, Islamabad, said Abdur Rauf Chaudry, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry.

[Newsjock]

7. BBC: 7 dead

Watching BBC World now.

[Rebel_with_a_cause]

8. The first assasination attempt two weeks ago was all but ignored by media

Yet there was an editorial detailing the significance of a successful attempt. Does anybody have the URL to such a piece? I'd like to reread.

[SahaleArm]

11. The significance would be ugly on so many levels.

Sadly Musharraf is the only thing standing between Pakistan the military state and Pakistan the theocratic state, with the possibility of being a fertile Al Queda training ground. The bigger issue is that Pakistan has nukes and is at war with India over Kashmir. The end result would be an even greater Middle East Clusterf*ck.

[Judi Lynn]

16. Here are three

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/asiapcf/12/14/blast.musharraf/



http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/11DF8A63-3600-477F-A717-D80ED9424357.htm

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-pakistan-assassination-attempt,0,7489863.story?coll=sns-ap-world-headlines

[Rebel_with_a_cause]

23. Hey, thanks!

There was an editorial as well, but after doing my own search on Buzzflash, where I think I saw it, it seems to be gone. I'll check my outlook files when I have time.

After the first attempt, those in the inner circle were trying to make the impression that Musharraf wasn't even a target, than he was "safe and sound," making light of the whole scenario.

I think it's now safe to say, the dictator from a bloodless coup is, in fact, a target.

[Nlighten1]

10. Just wait until the clerics...

get their finger on the button in Pakistan.

[Zhade]

14. Didn't he just announce his resignation as military commander?

Why are they trying to off him? Anyone? Is it because he's seen as weak at the moment?

I need a crash-course in Pakistani current events - anyone know a good place to read up on the subject?

[JaySherman]

17. It goes back to his U.S. support post-911.

The Islamic fundies didn't like him before that. They've wanted his head ever since. Especially after he started using the Pakistani military to crack down on Al Qaeda.

[7th_Sephiroth]

18. Musharraf steps down/dies and

pakistan disappears from the map

[dd123]

19. This is the cost of not getting Afghanistan right.

I put this mess at Bush's feet.

What an idiot.

[7th_Sephiroth]

20. Scenearios

#1 Another suicide bomber kills Musharraf and the clerics claim rule, in thier moment of indecision while sorting out the chain of power, India nukes Pakistan
#2 India sees that Musharraf isint going to be around much longer and strikes pre-emptivly
#3 after his death, there is a power struggle between the clerics and the military, india nukes or invades
#4 same as #3 only india asks that out forces in afghanistan help invade

[mmm]

25. How about this scenario:

Musharraf is taken in a silent coup followed
by the nuking of Israel and India.

[7th_Sephiroth]

26. wouldent happen

india atleast has spies everywhere one phone call/radio message and pakistan burns 2 min after the new guy sits down in his seat

[dudeness]

21. quite possibly an insiders job

Musharrafs acquiesence to US wishes in the region has placed off-side with many within the pakistani military and secret service..mainly an officer group which are fundamentalist Islamic..US intervention in Afghanistan and the subsequent overthrow of the taliban has angered many in Pakistan and the government has cracked down hard on dissent..if this was a military action..by that i mean a coup attempt..Musharrafs days are numbered..live by the sword..die by the sword..the foriegn policy issues that spring out of this are huge

[Rebel_with_a_cause]

24. When * was running for pres, he didn't know Musharraf from Mickey Mouse

I wish I still had that audiofile...used to be over at Landover Baptist.

[maryallen]

27. Well, sooner or later ...

They're going to get Musharraf.

Two attempts in two weeks -- yeah, you can count on it.