US closes embassy, all consulates in Pak

The Times of India ^ | 6.14.02

[mhking]

US closes embassy, consulates in Pak

AFP [ FRIDAY, JUNE 14, 2002  6:01:48 PM ]
>WASHINGTON: The United States on Friday shuttered its diplomatic missions in Pakistan as well as the American Center in Islamabad after a deadly car bomb attack outside its consulate in Karachi, the State Department said.

The embassy and American Centers were closed to the public immediately after the blast, as were the consulates in Lahore and Peshawar, Lynn Cassel, a department spokeswoman, said.

The bombing -- which damaged the Karachi consulate and killed eight people, none of them US government employees -- slightly wounded a US Marine guard and five local Pakistani employees at the mission, she said.

"In addition, we believe that two or more contract consulate guards were critically injured," Cassel said, calling the explosion the result of an "enormous truck bomb" that went off just 50 feet from the southeast corner of the consulate.

[RaceBannon]

Im curious, is this a safety closing or a severing of diplomatic relations?

[MinuteGal]

Good move. Nothing in rat-infested Pakistan is worth a single American life.

Leni

[blam]

"Im curious, is this a safety closing or a severing of diplomatic relations?"

Safety is my guess.

[TrappedInLiberalHell]

This is unoffically referred to as Operation Barn Door. < /sarcasm>

[Stirner]

This is a bad move. It is the Marine barracs in Lebanon all over again (albeit in miniature). The bombers must be exulting right now, "We drove the mighty Americans out!" Much better would have been to increase security, maybe cut way back on staff, but to stay open. We should never cut and run in the face of this sort of thing.

[aristeides]

Is the plan for Bush's visit still on?

[kezekiel]

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[Sender]

I don't agree. We're not cutting and running, we're just creating a free field of fire. Now there are no friendlies to worry about.

[FreeTheHostages]

Sounds right.

[Coop]

I'm with you. I didn't see anything in here about pulling people out, just keeping folks from coming into the area.

[sheik yerbouty]

"We bring hell to life". Thay about covers it!

[mikeIII]

Musharraf and gang must snap out of their denial and deal with the fact that their country is a terrorist-ridden hell-hole. This country needs a clean sweep, similar to Afghanistan.

It so happens that right now the only countries that have no functioning diplomatic representation there are the US, India and Israel!

[califirst]

It so happens that right now the only countries that have no functioning diplomatic representation there are the US, India and Israel!

So it is quite likely that CIA, RAW and the MOSSAD will be blamed by the terrorists for this attack.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

This headline is *technically* accurate, but I would say it is misleading. When I read of embassies being "closed" I think of severing diplomatic relations. In fact, what is being done here, is just closing the front door. Maybe the word "secures" would be better than the word "closed". Just a nit, but thought I would throw it out.

[mikhailovich]

Incorrect, sir. The British are launching a response here termed "Operation Titmouse." Just convening were "Operation Warbler" and "Operation Slate-Colored Junco."

You may also recall "Operation Snipe" and "Operation Ptarmigan."

[Sub-Driver]

So what are the consulates doing? Issuing VISA's by the boat load? Dopes. Should have closed them down in September. In fact should have done the same in that whole region..........

[gwynapnudd]

The winds shift after June 21 and that is the best time for India to invade. If Pak nukes them, the fallout blows west.

[mhking]

How long after that do the monsoons reach the north (i.e., Kashmir)?