Bomb Blast At Islamabad Marriott

By Cernig

By now you'll have heard about the massive blast at the Marriot Hotel in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad. Reuters, AP, the BBC and everyone else are covering it - a massive truck bomb killing at least 40, injuring over 100 and setting the whole hotel ablaze.

Some analysts are saying the attack has the hallmarks of Al Qaeda - a massive, well timed bomb in a very secure area. Others are pointing to Pakistan's Taliban movement. Whoever is responsible, the suicide bomber got past multiple checkpoints and sniffer dogs in a city which is also the military headquarters of the nation. The hotel is in a high security area, being close to the national assembly, a compound for ministers' homes and the main state television building.

Beyond the carnage, it's human nature to wonder what the political fallout will be.

Maybe tomorrow I'll write about that. If this attack happened in the US I'd be castigated for bringing politics into tragedy so quickly if I tried writing about it today. I don't see why, just because the victims aren't Americans, I should do otherwise now.

Comments

[Kevin]

There's no way of knowing yet if the likely to increase death toll does or does not include Americans.

Embassy workers were obviously in the area for this dinner at the PM's house, and Al Jazeera has reported several American injuries.

[Khizzer]

I dont know what to feel. maybee because i've become so numb. but at the end of it, like everyone else - i'd speak about it. people would have long discussions/arguments about the incident; and its going to fade away like every other attack.
we are being attacked from the air by foreign forces, and from within by our very own - the loss is ours in both cases.
I was always an optimist, I always thought it would get better and one day we will overcome it. I myself believed that Pakistan could be able to get over any sort of tragedy given the kind of socitey we have. But now, after today - I'm feeling it's been too much, there is no going back. All we Pakistanis can do is talk about it, say 'something needs to be done', but cant get our backsides out and actually do something.
Secretly we all wish that when the next bomb goes off, its not near us.
Like this one - we would talk about the next one too, if we are not blown apart. and the process will carry on until one day our dear 'ally' decides that Pakistan needs foreign millatery to fix the problem. I see that day nearby.
May Allah be with my Pakistan.