If you see the flash, and hear the blast, then you're OK

[disenchanted]

...or so a US Special Forces guy said to me at the volleyball game today.

Islamabad. Sunday evening. Playing ball and having a few beers.

Middle of a set... KA-BOOM!

It came from the direction of Sector 6, just not sure whether it was F-6 or G-6. Was that monsoon thunder, or a blast? "It was a blast", says Bruce, "...your serve".

It turns out it was a suicide bombing at Melody Food Market (good for BBQ Lamb and chickpea curry), near the Red Mosque, or Lal Masjid, on the first anniversary of the army assault in which hundreds were killed.

At least 19 people dead. Mostly cops. One of the worst jobs in Pakistan, besides the position of security guard at the Marriot.

Since the coalition came to power, with Zardari, widower of Benazir Bhutto, at the helm, but unelected, it has become clear that he is nothing more than an American puppet.

Last week, thousands of troops from the Frontier Corps (US funded) began an operation to drive militants from the outskirts of Peshawar.

Hellfire missile strikes on the tribal areas are becoming more frequent.

The US has said that the level of covert operations taking place on Pakistani soil, is comprable to what was happening in Laos and Cambodia during the Vietnam war.

A couple of weeks back, the Danish embassy was hit.

Peak combat season is here.

The situation in Afghanistan is deteriorating and the level of cross border incursions is increasing...

Watch this space!

[Catalpa]

Well glad to hear your safe - it was the headline news on RTE 6 O'Clock News - thought of you immediately.

Its not nice hearing about this but it seems the situation over there is likely to worse before it will ever get better.

How does the Pakistani Army view all this - surely they do not want to be seen as stooges to the USA?

Could they intervene if Zadari goes too far?

[wysiwyg]

Talk about turning tables.. The Americans funded and tooled up the Afghanis when the Russians invaded in the late 70's, and bogged the Russians down in a hellish situation...

What odds now, the Russians (and Chinese) are already tooling up the Afghanis to have a pop at the Americans..

When will any of them take the Brits advice.. including the Brits themselves.. and leave the Afghanis alone to get on with their own business, their own way

[disenchanted]

The Pakistani Army will do whatever benefits the Pakistani Army.

They own the all the banks, all the construction companies, insurance... telecoms etc.

With hundreds of millions of US$ flooding in to pay for the war, they'll fight the war.

There is, however, an element within the military which is focused on controlling Afghanistan and Kashmir.

This element could easily aid an abet the militants.

That said, people here believe that the endgame is a divided Pakistan, with the North West Frontier Province joining Afghanistan and Balochistan merging with Iranian Balochistan to form new borders along the lines of those outlined at the link below:
Armed Forces Journal: "Blood Borders"

[disenchanted]

Karachi has just been hit by 6 simultaneous bomb blasts.

Fatalities appear to be relatively low, but casualties are high:

KARACHI: One person was killed and 50 others injured in a series of 6 blasts that ripped through different areas of the busiest city of country on Monday.

Two explosions occurred here in Banaras area. One of the blasts happened in a pile of garbage while the other one at a footpath near Banaras chowk, injuring 16 people. They were shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, sources said.

Enraged people took the streets and started pelting stones at moving vehicles.

The third explosion ripped through a mini truck in North Nazimabad area of Shahra-e-Noor Jehan near Sohail mosque. Five persons were injured, police sources said. However, Chhipa sources said 8 persons were taken to hospital.

There are reports of the fourth blast in Hyderi area near a children’s school.

Police mobiles have reached the blasts’s sites while ambulances are shifting the injured to local hospitals.

The fifth blast occurred here in a motor cycle in Qasba colony area, killing one person.

A policeman was injured in the sixth blast in a bicycle in Manghopir.

Two blasts also occurred in Pak colony in which 7 persons are reported injured.

Police has not come up with any statement confirming the above blasts.

Police and Rangers have been put on high alert in the city following the series of blasts.

Emergency has been declared in local hospitals.