Suicide car bomb kills 49, wounds 100 in Pakistan

[slipslidingaway]

Source: AP

"PESHAWAR, Pakistan – A suicide bomber blew up his vehicle near a crowded market in northwestern Pakistan on Friday, killing 49 people and pushing the country closer to an offensive against militants in their main stronghold along the Afghan border.

The attack, which wounded more than 100 people in Peshawar, was Pakistan's deadliest in six months and was a reminder of the ability of insurgents to strike in major cities despite operations against them and the death of their leader in a U.S. missile strike.

The blast was heard several miles (kilometers) away and left the charred skeleton of a bus flipped on its side in the middle of the road, next to the twisted remains of a motorbike. Passers-by pulled out the wounded and the dead, including a young girl wearing an orange dress who was heading to a wedding with family members.

One man staggered from the scene, his face covered with blood. People rushed to cover the bodies of victims whose clothes were burned off..."





Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091009/ap_on_re_as/as_pakistan

[cosmicone]

1. ISI and Pakistani military's chickens coming home to roost n/t

[Torn_Scorned_Ignored]

2. I rec'd your thread

maybe if the jubilation quiets down over a Peace prize people will notice this rather important story.

[slipslidingaway]

8. Thanks, we've been reading these stories for too many years...

and not much end in sight.

:(

http://dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009\10\09\story_9-10-2009_pg7_14

"Army awaiting US resources to begin Waziristan offensive: FM

* Govt intends to take South Waziristan, hold it, integrate it into mainstream
* Pakistan wants US trust, drones, market access

LAHORE/WASHINGTON: With Pakistan planning a stepped up offensive in South Waziristan to eliminate the Taliban, security units are awaiting military resources promised by the US to begin the assault, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said.

Talking to The Washington Times on Thursday, Qureshi said the new offensive would “be more ambitious than any other in the nation’s history” and the country’s security forces intended to take the agency, hold it and integrate its impoverished tribal population into mainstream society.

“We intend to drive them out, we intend to clear the territories of sanctuaries, we intend to hold that ground, we intend to amalgamate that area into mainstream Pakistan,” he said. Qureshi said the situation in the country had changed since democracy was restored in 2008 and the government and the military were now united against the Taliban threat...

...He said Pakistanis needed to be reassured that the US was making a “long-term commitment” to the region and was not going to abandon it as it did at the end of the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan.

Qureshi said Pakistan “supports and appreciates new US legislation that will give Pakistan $7.5 billion in economic aid over five years”..."

[RaleighNCDUer]

3. I gotta say this for those guys -

they sure know how to endear the public to their cause.

[excess_3]

7. they don't want to be loved, they want to be feared .nt

[Igel]

4. No indication of the time of day.

I wonder if it happened when jum'a prayers were to be offered. In other words, if so then they only killed sinners, both a good thing (they'd think) and a dire warning to be at prayers. Keep in mind that Islamists in Pakistan routinely not only shut businesses they deem inappropriate but routinely shut all businesses, when they can, during the 5 obligatorily times for prayer.

But the article only says that it's a warning that the government can't truly protect the citizens. Like that needs pointing out.

[slipslidingaway]

9. No time given that I noticed, maybe the new operation mentioned...

below plays a role.

:shrug:

"...For months, officials have been hinting at a new operation in South Waziristan, blockading roads there and carrying out targeted airstrikes as thousands of civilians fled the area.

But until Malik's comments Friday, no Pakistani official had publicly declared the military was preparing a full offensive.

Malik did not give a timeline for an offensive that is likely to be far fiercer than the Swat and Bajur battles..."

[Rage for Order]

5. Par for the course for Muslims

:nuke:

The bloodletting continues

[Rapier09]

6. Hell on earth

Is what is happening in Pakistan.

[slipslidingaway]

10. Yes...welcome to DU . n/t

[YouTakeTheSkyway]

11. Easy.

The government finally got tired of Islamic radicals taking over chunks of the country (it took until they had marched within 70 miles of the capital...shockingly enough) and has decided to reassert control in many of these areas. In response, the Taliban and their sympathizers are slaughtering civilians.