Posted on 02/26/2007 10:18:07 PM PST by Gigantor
Blast near main gates - several people killed
KABUL, Afghanistan: An explosion outside the main U.S. military base in Afghanistan killed at least two people and wounded 12 on Tuesday during a visit by U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, though the vice president was apparently not in danger, officials said.
The blast happened near the first security gate outside the base at Bagram, killing two people and wounding 12, said Kabir Ahmad, the district chief of the Bagram region.
Maj. William Mitchell said it did not appear the explosion was intended as a threat to the vice president, who was "safely inside the base" during the blast.
Mitchell said it appeared there were casualties from the blast, but he didn't immediately know how many.
Cheney, who spent the night at Bagram, ate breakfast with U.S. soldiers Tuesday morning, Mitchell said. He was expected to later meet with President Hamid Karzai after their meeting was scrapped on Monday because of bad weather that prevented him traveling to Kabul.
"At this point it does not appear that the explosion was intended as a threat to the vice president," Mitchell said. "He wasn't near the site of the explosion. He was safely within the base at the time of the explosion."
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/02/27/asia/AS-GEN-Afghan-Explosion.php
Thanks for the information. And thanks a whole lot for serving our country.
Now it's Greta and the never ever ever ever ending story of Anna Nicole. I'm gonna scream.
CNN International - The explosive was reportedly inside in a shipping container.
A mini Pentagon, eh? =) Thank you for your service, sir.
Over five years in Afghanistan, nation building, military and police building, etc.
And the hearings with experts reveals a standstill--with little infrastructure in place. Billions flushed down a rathole, trying to catapult primitive, often hostile culture into present times.
I wonder if the whole approach for Afghanistan and Iraq is flawed, for want of some really big bangs.
CNN now live.
Here's a picture of him showing that he's okay. But he does look a little stressed out.
CNN International - Telephone report by journalist Tom Coghlan in Afghanistan - Blast occurred at about 10 AM at the first gate 300m from base, may have been suicide attack. 18 casualties reported, possibly including some U.S. troops. Cheney's meeting with Karzai is expected to continue. The meeting had been delayed due to weather conditions.
Thanks I was on Gretta who's still on Anna Nicole.........
Its nice to see Kiran on tape, but, CNN should stay with CNN International for this for awhile.
Harry Reid, Hillary Clinton and Nazi Pisspot are deeply disappointed, um.....I mean saddened ummmm.....
Glad the VP is OK?????
Who is Lea Anne McBride?
A blast near the gates of the main US base in Afghanistan, where US Vice President Dick Cheney is visiting, killed several people today, a witness said.
The cause of the explosion outside Bagram airbase, 60km north of Kabul, was not immediately known.
Cheney stayed at the base overnight after planned talks with Afghan President Hamid Karzai were delayed by weather.
"The vice-president is fine," spokeswoman Lea Anne McBride said.
An official at the base confirmed the blast, but had no details.
Bagram is a sprawling complex and the main gates are some distance from offices and living quarters.
An Afghan official said the explosion occurred inside a shipping container, but gave no more details, the Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press said.
Some containers are used as shops in the market lining the road to the base. Others are carried on trucks to bring supplies into the base.
A Reuters correspondent travelling with the US delegation said they were not aware of the blast until they heard sirens and were told by a military spokesman that the base was "under attack".
"We were told there was a 'red alert'," Caren Bohan said.
"There was a commotion, but it ended pretty quickly. We didn't hear any bomb or anything like that from where we were."
Bagram district governor Kabir Ahmad told AFP the blast was a suicide attack.
"It was a suicide bombing. It took place between the main gate and the gate guarded by American soldiers," Ahmad said.
"We don't have an exact figure but it's said that two have been killed and about 18 wounded."
He said all the dead and injured where Afghans.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/deadly-blast-at-base-during-cheney-visit/2007/02/27/1172338617237.html
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