June 28, 2011
— Ace Breaking. A swarm of vermin laden with suicide vests.
Why target the hotel? Multiple possible reasons. One: As noted by CNN, thereÂ’s a presser scheduled there tomorrow to announce a handover of security duties from NATO to the Afghan army. Preempting that by running wild in the hotel carries symbolic value. Two: ItÂ’s a soft target in Kabul, KarzaiÂ’s stronghold, not a military outpost in some far-flung eastern or southern province. ThatÂ’s a message to NATO commanders that the battlefield this year might be a lot bigger than they think. And three, obviously: They want to capitalize on ObamaÂ’s withdrawal announcement to show that not only havenÂ’t they been defeated, theyÂ’re still strong enough to wreak havoc right under NATOÂ’s nose in a supposedly heavily guarded tourist spot. Just as IÂ’m writing this, NBCÂ’s claiming that three attackers have blown themselves up; no word on where the other three are or how many people in the hotel are dead. Stand by for updates.
Also, the Intercontinental chain is a brand name. They like going after things with brand names.
Posted by: Ace at
12:23 PM
| Comments (114)
Post contains 195 words, total size 1 kb.
Posted by: Oldsailor's poet at June 28, 2011 12:26 PM (NtTkA)
Is the TSA groping of the incontinent grandma connected? I think so.
Posted by: Cherry π at June 28, 2011 12:27 PM (OhYCU)
Posted by: t-bird at June 28, 2011 12:27 PM (FcR7P)
Posted by: dagny at June 28, 2011 12:28 PM (+mBeR)
Posted by: Jane D'oh at June 28, 2011 12:28 PM (UOM48)
Posted by: joejm65 at June 28, 2011 12:30 PM (UZuc4)
Posted by: Jane D'oh at June 28, 2011 12:31 PM (UOM48)
If anyone on the planet read the headline and thought, "Those damn Belgians again," they need to immediately get their tubes tied or vasectomies (or both, if they're hermaphroditic*) to prevent more stupidity.
*Didn't want to leave anyone out.
Posted by: Biblio at June 28, 2011 12:33 PM (y5VNb)
Posted by: Ago Solvo at June 28, 2011 12:33 PM (k8JkR)
Posted by: Fa Cube Itches at June 28, 2011 12:33 PM (xy9wk)
Posted by: joncelli at June 28, 2011 12:36 PM (RD7QR)
NBCÂ’s claiming that three attackers have blown themselves up
There's a bright side to this. The muzzie hotel chefs won't have any problem finding meat products for the evening buffet.
Posted by: Soona at June 28, 2011 12:36 PM (FQaVj)
Posted by: t-bird at June 28, 2011 12:36 PM (FcR7P)
I'm sick of these animals.
Posted by: Jane D'oh at June 28, 2011 12:37 PM (UOM48)
Posted by: The Jackhole at June 28, 2011 12:38 PM (+qHxi)
It never stops, does it? I keep thinking things can't get crazier. I am incredibly naive, aren't I?
Posted by: Biblio at June 28, 2011 12:39 PM (y5VNb)
Posted by: joeindc44 at June 28, 2011 12:39 PM (QxSug)
Is there anyway we can convince the suicide bombers to give us enough advance notice that we can send all our liberal politicians there BEFORE they blow the place up????
Posted by: MrObvious at June 28, 2011 12:39 PM (H87Hu)
Jeebus.
Posted by: Jane D'oh at June 28, 2011 12:39 PM (UOM48)
btw, the title of this post should be:
Massive Taliban Attack on Intercontinental Hotel in Kabul, Otherwise Known As Tuesday
Posted by: soothie at June 28, 2011 12:40 PM (G/zuv)
Posted by: The Jackhole at June 28, 2011 04:38 PM (+qHxi)
Just this?
Posted by: Soona at June 28, 2011 12:40 PM (FQaVj)
Posted by: Biblio at June 28, 2011 12:40 PM (y5VNb)
So, where does the sound of a moderate muslim detonating a suicide vest fall on Obama's list of Beautiful sounds?
Posted by: garrett at June 28, 2011 12:40 PM (Ka1c5)
Posted by: Jane D'oh at June 28, 2011 12:41 PM (UOM48)
Posted by: Cicero at June 28, 2011 12:41 PM (QKKT0)
Posted by: joeindc44 at June 28, 2011 12:41 PM (QxSug)
Obama minion claims that Booosshh offered more regulatory burden than obama.
Yep. Just like "Bush made us less safe."
And "Obama created or saved millions of jobs."
And "Obama cut taxes."
And "Obama already deported more illegals than Bush."
Posted by: soothie at June 28, 2011 12:42 PM (G/zuv)
Posted by: Tami at June 28, 2011 12:42 PM (X6akg)
Posted by: NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden at June 28, 2011 12:42 PM (IdoRk)
Posted by: Biblio at June 28, 2011 12:42 PM (y5VNb)
Posted by: Head Taliban Guy at June 28, 2011 12:43 PM (QKKT0)
It never stops, does it? I keep thinking things can't get crazier. I am incredibly naive, aren't I?
Posted by: Biblio at June 28, 2011 04:39 PM (y5VNb)
Oh, I don't think we've seen anything yet. The crazy is only just beginning.
Posted by: Soona at June 28, 2011 12:43 PM (FQaVj)
Posted by: michael bloomberg at June 28, 2011 12:44 PM (GTbGH)
Posted by: Clueless at June 28, 2011 12:44 PM (piMMO)
I've been in the InterContinental in Hong Kong. Those guys are going to get outrageous extra charges on their hotel bill for the damage.
Oh, wait. I get it now. It's a feature, not a bug. . . They don't care. . . because they want to blow up the whole freaking world!!1!11!
Posted by: Biblio at June 28, 2011 12:45 PM (y5VNb)
Posted by: Sarcastic Guy at June 28, 2011 12:46 PM (e2VMT)
Fox has become the Casey Anthony 24/7 Network. Sheppy doesn't have his Blago to bat around like a cat toy anymore. Now his Precious is the Anthony skank.
Posted by: Jane D'oh at June 28, 2011 12:46 PM (UOM48)
Posted by: t-bird at June 28, 2011 12:47 PM (FcR7P)
Hell, I stayed at the one in Atlanta and had to explain on my expense account why breakfast for one was $50. Sure, it was room service but, $50?!
Posted by: Clueless at June 28, 2011 12:48 PM (piMMO)
Posted by: Fa Cube Itches at June 28, 2011 04:33 PM (xy9wk)
Hey! Have you ever had a deep fried oreo? That is some good eating. And I am not joking.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo (NJConservative) at June 28, 2011 12:48 PM (LH6ir)
Posted by: toby928™ at June 28, 2011 12:48 PM (GTbGH)
Posted by: AmishDude at June 28, 2011 12:49 PM (T0NGe)
Jeebus.
Posted by: Jane D'oh at June 28, 2011 04:39 PM (UOM4
Silver lining: Probably the best if not only way to keep the information contained therein out of the hands of the Chinese
Posted by: Jollyroger at June 28, 2011 12:50 PM (NCw5u)
Just to note without comment, because I don't want to lose my paid-for AoSHQ subscription......the Intercontinental Hotel:Kabul sounds like the type of joint that would house a LOT of journalists.
Posted by: IllTemperedCur at June 28, 2011 12:50 PM (8rHXV)
Posted by: Oldsailor's poet at June 28, 2011 12:50 PM (NtTkA)
Posted by: Jane D'oh at June 28, 2011 12:50 PM (UOM48)
Posted by: Kratos (Ghost of Sparta) at June 28, 2011 12:50 PM (c0A3e)
everytime I think of Congress I hear the Banana Splits tune
la la la
la lalala
la la la, la la
lalalala
Posted by: soothie at June 28, 2011 12:51 PM (G/zuv)
That President Peace Prize is one hell of a war-monger.
Posted by: Jane D'oh at June 28, 2011 12:52 PM (UOM48)
Posted by: Tattoo De Plane at June 28, 2011 12:52 PM (mHQ7T)
I've been home sick the last couple of days and FNC has, indeed, become all-Casey-all-the-time. I did listen to some of the testimony today and the defense attorney is desperate.
Shep is clearly in the Geraldo bucket on this one.
The coverage of this case has been incredible (not the good kind!). Fucking Geraldo having lunch with the defense attorney. Are you kidding me?
I would love to know how much talking, rather than listening, Geraldo actually did considering he has been opining about the matter every chance he gets. I hope it shows up on You Tube.
The bastard.
Posted by: Clueless at June 28, 2011 12:53 PM (piMMO)
Priorities. Now leave me alone with my shrimp.
Posted by: President Gutsy Call at June 28, 2011 12:54 PM (UOM48)
Thanks Barry, we are the weak tribe now.
Pray for all the military that will have to deal with this. And the civilians who are caught up in the meat grinder.
Posted by: Anna Puma at June 28, 2011 12:54 PM (Zd0YP)
Hell, I stayed at the one in Atlanta and had to explain on my expense account why breakfast for one was $50. Sure, it was room service but, $50?!
But it's the InterContinental. I wonder what their new advertising tag line will be?
"We don't profile. It mostly works."
Too soon?
Posted by: Biblio at June 28, 2011 12:54 PM (y5VNb)
That President Peace Prize is one hell of a war-monger.
Posted by: Jane D'oh at June 28, 2011 04:52 PM (UOM4
Let's be honest, another 50 years from now we'll still have a large contingent of troops in a predominately muslim county with a history of warfare.
But enough about Germany
Posted by: Jollyroger at June 28, 2011 12:55 PM (NCw5u)
everytime I think of Congress I hear the Banana Splits tune
la la la
la lalala
la la la, la la
lalalala
Posted by: soothie at June 28, 2011 04:51 PM (G/zuv)
More like Entry of the Gladiators or Yakety Sax.
Posted by: IllTemperedCur at June 28, 2011 12:55 PM (8rHXV)
Bear in mind Reagan's promotion of the good Taliban when looking at the current WTF factors in Pakistan/Afghanistan.
The "Taliban" when left to themselves WERE just involved as tribal militia attempting to abort foreign invasion, be it Russian or otherwise.
A couple years ago, someone like Michael Yon did a piece on Pakistan's own problems with the Taliban. So long as the Taliban stayed in their nether region of border mountains with Afghanistan, there wasn't anything realistic that the Pakistani urban police and military, even with the US military, could do to annihilate the Taliban that disappears when pursued. (After all, it wasn't the families scratching a living in the barren mountains who were attacking anyone in or out of their villages. Even now, annihilating an indigenous people is obscene.) As time progressed, given the last decade since Bush began the war in Afghanistan, the Taliban and those who sympathize against the US presence have gained an urban presence that is relatively new in Pakistan. Determining that all of Pakistan should be obliterated because of our problems with them is obscene.
A critic on another thread pointed out that popularity of itself does not determine whether something is either truthful or valid. Thoreau found that popularity is a sure sign of a vulgar corruption.
This insightful observation was made by Henry David Thoreau but has been too little noticed, contemplated, and taken seriously by most.
Thoreau wrote:
"All voting is a sort of gaming, like chequers or backgammon, with a
slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and wrong, with moral
questions; and betting naturally accompanies it. The character of the
voters is not staked. I cast my vote, perchance, as I think right; but I
am not vitally concerned that that right should prevail. I am willing
to leave it to the majority. Its obligation, therefore, never exceeds
that of expediency. Even voting for the right is doing nothing for it. It
is only expressing to men feebly your desire that it should prevail. A
wise man will not leave the right to the mercy of chance, nor wish it
to prevail through the power of the majority. There is but little
virtue in the action of masses of men. ..."
Posted by: maverick muse at June 28, 2011 12:56 PM (lpWVn)
Posted by: Jane D'oh at June 28, 2011 12:56 PM (UOM48)
Posted by: The TSA at June 28, 2011 12:57 PM (FcR7P)
It's positioning.
Always be closing.
Posted by: toby928™ at June 28, 2011 12:58 PM (GTbGH)
More like Entry of the Gladiators or Yakety Sax.
We have a greatest hits album? Man, I hope it goes gold!
Posted by: Jivin' Joe Biden at June 28, 2011 12:59 PM (SwkdU)
Indeed, we could expand our services to the hotel industry. Hmm...
Posted by: The TSA at June 28, 2011 04:57 PM (FcR7P)
Don't forget retirement and nursing homes. Who knows when some crazed granny or grandpa will blow their diapers up.
Posted by: Jane D'oh at June 28, 2011 01:00 PM (UOM48)
We have a greatest hits album? Man, I hope it goes gold!
I was tempted to put in Mancini's Baby Elephant Walk, but it's kind of badass.
Posted by: IllTemperedCur at June 28, 2011 01:03 PM (8rHXV)
Posted by: Anna Puma at June 28, 2011 01:04 PM (Zd0YP)
Posted by: dagny at June 28, 2011 01:05 PM (+mBeR)
Posted by: Jollyroger at June 28, 2011 01:05 PM (NCw5u)
Don't forget retirement and nursing homes. Who knows when some crazed granny or grandpa will blow their diapers up.
Posted by: Jane D'oh at June 28, 2011 05:00 PM (UOM4
Don't forget the Infant Insurgency. They're just waiting. Yes...yes they are.
Posted by: Soona at June 28, 2011 01:06 PM (FQaVj)
Posted by: joncelli at June 28, 2011 01:06 PM (RD7QR)
Jollyroger, its all about appearing to be strong. Start with the wickedness now to cower Karzai or any moderate. Worked well for Lenin against Kerinsky.
Posted by: Anna Puma at June 28, 2011 01:07 PM (Zd0YP)
Posted by: Fa Cube Itches at June 28, 2011 04:33 PM (xy9wk)
Abassador Hotel, Kuwait, 4 Stars, a knife and a Fork, well known for its 4 bars which are some of the only places in the City where you can drink alcohol. Please call for reservations as all the Restraunts and Bars are normally PACKED with Kuwaitis.
Posted by: Romeo13 at June 28, 2011 01:08 PM (NtXW4)
Posted by: Romeo13 at June 28, 2011 01:08 PM (NtXW4)
Posted by: Anna Puma at June 28, 2011 01:10 PM (Zd0YP)
Posted by: Llarry at June 28, 2011 01:20 PM (SI/pw)
That was true years ago, but the Taliban adopted suicide bombing in 2003 at the behest of bin Laden. The first suicide bombers were Arabs, Chechens, or Pakistanis, as the tactic was totally alien to the Afghan culture.
Today, Afghans carry out suicide bombings without a qualm. The main reason is the number of Afghan Taliban fighters who went to Iraq to fight the Coalition, were indoctrinated in al Qaeda religious views, and returned to Afghanistan and Pakistan full of suicide-bombing zeal.
Posted by: Llarry at June 28, 2011 01:29 PM (SI/pw)
@81: "But it's the InterContinental. I wonder what their new advertising tag line will be?"
Hotel InterContinental Kabul: It's a blast! You'll be blown away!
Posted by: Fa Cube Itches at June 28, 2011 01:38 PM (xy9wk)
Posted by: Quint&Jessel, Sea of Azof, Bly, UK at June 28, 2011 01:41 PM (C7KNt)
Fuck those Holiday Inn bitches and all their hotels.
Posted by: Mohamed the goat fucker at June 28, 2011 01:41 PM (66mOv)
Pakistan will always be at odds with India. There isn't the same enmity with Afghanistan. So if it were Pakistan attacking the Afghan capital the day before NATO figuratively skips town, it would be in retaliation against the US attacking/invading Pakistan -- tit for tat.
Ummmm, I'm not precisely certain how you got from my comment to yours. My point was that the Pakistanis -- or more specifically, the ISI -- might be recycling tactics in A-stan to make a point or gain revenge for killing Osama. Posted by: joncelli
Yes. But despite what many here post in favor of annihilating Pakistan and Afghanistan, Pakistan is not the Taliban. They are at direct odds with each other as governing forces in their own native regions. The Pakistani government has been at odds with the Taliban since Bush invaded Afghanistan.
And so your idea (along with comments from others) made me think about our aggressive war campaign against the government of Pakistan, for it not having annihilated its mountain tribal populations, failing to effect a Taliban genocide on our behalf before the Taliban influence permeated their cities. /as if attempted genocide ever successfully annihilates an idea, anyway.
Posted by: maverick muse at June 28, 2011 01:50 PM (lpWVn)
@108: "as if attempted genocide ever successfully annihilates an idea, anyway."
You have to admit, it worked pretty well against the Carthaginians and Dacians ideas about challenging us.
Posted by: The Romans at June 28, 2011 02:07 PM (xy9wk)
Annihilate an idea translated into winning hearts and minds of our enemies, aka bribes. Still dysfunctional.
Bush wanted to give the Afghans and Iraqis "democracy".
They have it. Majority rules.
If that was the reason for our war, it's done and our redeployed troops should be allowed to come home to stay should they choose, rather than be re-re-re-redeployed to combat in never ending wars for no one knows precisely what legitimate reason.
There's no coercive conversion that doesn't backfire. Why would Americans think that our compassionate war of aggressive "tolerance" abroad has more validity than others' wars, or the Muslim imperative to convert the world to Islam?
We need to function constitutionally when determining what actually "deserves" a US all-out War, get it over with, and come home to rebuild American liberty. No more war mongering on the basis of protecting prestige.
...AND THE PURSUIT OF EUDAIMONIA (well being)
Posted by: maverick muse at June 28, 2011 02:14 PM (lpWVn)
Posted by: minstrelboy at June 28, 2011 03:38 PM (rwioF)
Hell, I stayed at the one in Atlanta and had to explain on my expense account why breakfast for one was $50. Sure, it was room service but, $50?!
Posted by: Clueless at June 28, 2011 04:48 PM (piMMO)"
LOL. Yeah, it's a bit of a ripoff, 'eh? But I love that hotel chain. The one in Houston is excellent. Nice leather chair in the room, and a nice bartender on the roof level bar.
Not a good bang for the buck, but if you're going to blow a bunch of cash, it's a good choice. These days, if I travel, I spend as little time in the actual hotel as possible. Courtyard or whatever. But that's a benefit of being in America.
In a place like Kabul, a find hotel is frankly a refuge of civilization sometimes. I think that's why they attacked this hotel and the one in Mumbai. They stick out as pleasant, more western refuges, and there's really nothing like them elsewhere in the area.
Posted by: Dustin at June 28, 2011 03:49 PM (Q3nWV)
Posted by: chaeli at June 28, 2011 07:39 PM (Oir6w)
Posted by: canada goose parka at July 02, 2011 01:17 AM (Mqo+u)
Hide Comments | Add Comment | Refresh | Top
64 queries taking 0.2458 seconds, 242 records returned.
Powered by Minx 1.1.6c-pink.
hmm
Posted by: Dr. Varno at June 28, 2011 12:24 PM (QMtmy)