Toll From Pakistan Hotel Blast Reaches 53

21 Foreigners, Including 1 American, Among Dead; Taliban Militants Suspected

(CBS/AP)  The Marriott blast could prompt diplomats and aid groups in Islamabad, some of whom already operate under tight security, to re-evaluate whether nonessential staff and family members should stay. U.N. officials met Sunday to discuss the security situation and, for now, made no decision to change their measures, said Amena Kamaal, a spokeswoman.

Zardari, who on Sunday was headed to New York to lead a delegation to the United Nations and was expected to meet with Bush during the week, spoke out against the cross-border strikes in his speech to Parliament. He condemned the "cowardly attack" afterward in an address to the nation.

"Make this pain your strength," he said. "This is a menace, a cancer in Pakistan which we will eliminate. We will not be scared of these cowards."

Pakistan's army chief, Gen. Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, joined the chorus of condemnation Sunday, calling the attack "heinous" and saying the army stands "with the nation in its resolve to defeat the forces of extremism and terrorism."

The army has staged offensives against insurgents in the nation's northwest that have drawn revenge attacks by Taliban militants.

The hotel stood in a plot surrounded by government buildings. In January 2007, a security guard blocked a suicide bomber who triggered a blast just outside the Marriott, killing the guard and wounding seven other people.

The country's deadliest suicide bombing was on Oct. 18, 2007, and targeted ex-Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto - Zardari's wife - who survived. It killed about 150 people in Karachi during celebrations welcoming her home from exile.

Bhutto was assassinated in a subsequent attack on Dec. 27, 2007.

On Aug. 21, 2008, suicide bombers blew themselves up at two gates into a mammoth weapons factory in the town of Wah, killing at least 67 people and wounding more than 70.

[notblue]

tapsettle, you liberals siding with the enemy in order to gain politically with your constent critisisms have done more to destroy Amercia than any other entity, I hope your proud of where you people have brought America, I hope your proud of the massive divide you have created. It will be interesting to see how it goes in the future with your philosophy of hate@!

[tapsettle]

Wow. This is about the evils of Islam and you''''re blaming Christians? Get a clue.
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Posted by renojmc

This never was about the ''evils of Islam'' but I dont suppose you will ever realise that. The endgame is approaching and america is collapsing financially, overstretched militarily, discredited globally. Congratulations on being one of the dumbarses that helped to bring all that about.

[renojmc]

The Evangelical Xians WANT Armageddon so they can have the "rapture" and they are, pun intended, hell-bent to bring it about.

They are succeeding.

Posted by Nancy_Naive at 06:00 AM : Sep 22, 2008
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Wow. This is about the evils of Islam and you''re blaming Christians? Get a clue.

[petro49l]

The Pakistani Army is openly fighting with the Coalition. They will protect Bin Laden in his Waziristan sanctuary. Osama continues to export tar heroin from the region''s exotic poppies. Terror Groups around the world are receiving funds through the Internet. The Coalition should face the facts. They easily could be at war with Pakistan, Iran, and Russia. George W. Bush might prefer to use missiles instead of ground troops.

[beehive21-2009]

The Waziristan region,shall become ashes,the Taliban must be terminated,asap.

Taliban movement, which has its stronghold in the southern part of the Waziristan region, along the Afghan border.

The Taliban ,are not the first desperadoes we''ve had too eliminate,or the last.A mushroom is on the way.

[noloyalisti]

see Obama saying here what he will do to our military in a time of war .... very scary !!!
www.calebgrace.com

McCain / Palin ''''''''08

Posted by Clay_nc at 07:22 PM : Sep 21, 2008

Fear mongering racist morons like this should leave America now. Or at least go into their trailers in he midwest or deep south or wherever ignorant fools hang out. There is not one good reason to elect a Republicon, least of all more white trash like McSame and Quaylin Palin.

[tapsettle]

More blood on the hands of Bush and Cheney, and the americans who elected them. You dont need to have much intelligence to realise that these two warmongers have increased terrorism in their pursuit of corporate wealth. You need a similar amount of brains to figure out that electing them in the first place would lead to all this tragedy. Is america now collectively the dumbest country on the planet? I think so, and its not even close.

[clay_nc]

see Obama saying here what he will do to our military in a time of war .... very scary !!!
www.calebgrace.com

McCain / Palin ''''08

[tonysp2]

Marriott shouldn''t have to pay for George w bush''s sins of invading and bombing Pakistan.

[petro49l]

Osama is safe and sound in Waziristan. Islamabad has sent the Pakistani Army to protect his sanctuary. The Coalition is helpless.

[jgg000]

America has been invited to accept Allah and has not done so. Whatever happens to infidels who ignore Allah is Allah''''s will. Moslems who are caught in these attacks will get their reward in heaven. The only way to stop these attacks is for Americe to accept Islam.

Posted by runningralph

the problem is not America accepting islam. The problem is islam not accepting anything that isn''t islam. Those invitations they send are real attention-getters.

[jgg000]

"...but also too quick to blame the ubiquitous villians -taliban or al-queda."

Very true. I think if someone ***-s in an elevator Bush will blame al-queda and raise a crimson alert for a chemical weapon attack.

Posted by pirmin3

I think it''s more likely that if someone gets stuck in an elevator, they''ll blame Bush.

[pirmin3]

"...but also too quick to blame the ubiquitous villians -taliban or al-queda."

Very true. I think if someone ***-s in an elevator Bush will blame al-queda and raise a crimson alert for a chemical weapon attack.

[boredwell]

the international community is quick to condemn. but also too quick to blame the ubiquitous villians -taliban or al-queda. both entities i humbly suspect are not guilty. my circumspection arises from the most recent changes in pakistan. new president. new leadership. old animosities. jihadist sympathies rampant in the populace and the government. american''s meddling in pakistan''s internal affairs results in its unfelicitous public persona. america is an intervening power. OUR enemies objectives beat in the hearts of the pakistani. the most salient feature of this attack is that america continues to strongarm an islamic status quo. one that is resistant, virulently so, to interdiction. this is fact. when will america begin to comprehend that it is in our best interests to back off and implement less over bearing requests (commands)?changing our direction and the way we do business could be a beginning of something called moderation in all things.

[beehive21-2009]

The cowards killed a lot of innocent people,that''s what they do best ,killing like the devil in the night.This is another display of the inhumanity of the Muslims and the insanity ,programmed into the robots of death.

[runningralph]

It is a basic tenet of Islam to attack infidels and usurp their property if the infidels refuse the invitation to accept Allah. America has been invited to accept Allah and has not done so. Whatever happens to infidels who ignore Allah is Allah''s will. Moslems who are caught in these attacks will get their reward in heaven. The only way to stop these attacks is for Americe to accept Islam.

[swwils]

To andrew-693 Bombing an embassy is supposed to be off limits,way before Iran took ours under siege many moons ago.We make mistakes when we accidentally blow up something wrong,but most usually apologize with the quick-ness.These suicide bombers are barbarians,and insane so they must be dealt with with extreme predjudice.War s.u.c.k.s I agree innocece is lost daily.We can''t allow this type of radical groups terrorizing our free world.They will certainly pay for this violation,they chose to fight this way so retaliation is coming.Probably already has we just don''t know yet.I served in the Army Special Forces,and I have seen some of the atrocities these islamic freaks have done in the name of Allah,and no way would God wish this upon his creation.

[andrew_693]

I guess this is the way of al quaeda saying "we want to help the republicans build their oil pipeline and we are helping to clear the place"......as the election approaches I''m very sure we will be seeing al quaeda and the cia blowing up more buildings to keep the morons in the US scared under their beds. I wonder if they are going to create another 9-11 so toby keith and brittney spears can revive their musical carreers on the shoulders of the typical idiots.

[andrew_693]

I guess this is just as peaceful and loving as the over 65 afghan civilians killed by "mistake" by US air force.

[pirmin3]

Too bad Kindasleazy hadn''t checked in on one of her useless world tours.