Baghdad UN building targeted by (car?) bomb

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US desperately thinking up spin in meantime.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 12:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Shit. I hope the "scores of casualties" part turns out to be exaggerated.

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 12:26 (twenty-two years ago)

This is really bad. They timed it so a special envoy was in the building. Reports say they are still trapped in the rubble.

Theer is speculation that this and the Jordan embassy bombing are not the work of Iraqi resistance but outside terrorists making opportunistic attacks. So much for the war on terror.

― fletrejet, Tuesday, 19 August 2003 14:07 (twenty-two years ago)

NPR said it was likely a suicide bomb.

― amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 14:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Whoah, sorry, I didn't see this thread.

― Ann Sterzinger (Ann Sterzinger), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 15:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Well, no-one could have foreseen this.

― Mark C (Mark C), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 15:33 (twenty-two years ago)

It just occurred to me as strange that there can be a suicide bomber prepared to do this but there was never a suicide bomber to try and take out Saddam.

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 15:36 (twenty-two years ago)

Interesting initial take on why the UN might have been specifically targeted.

― Thy Lethal Zen Ned (Ned), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 15:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Ned, do you not have American news in America?

― Mark C (Mark C), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 15:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Given the choice between the BBC, CNN and FoxNews sites, it's been the BBC since 9/11.

― Thy Lethal Zen Ned (Ned), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 15:53 (twenty-two years ago)

oh thank god, i just got word after a few panic filled hours that a friend of mine who works there is ok, though obviously shook up. not much more news than has been made public. will post anything i hear.

― H (Heruy), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 16:00 (twenty-two years ago)

CNN is saying that UN Special Rep. Servio Vieira de Mello died in the blast.

― hstencil, Tuesday, 19 August 2003 16:26 (twenty-two years ago)

>It just occurred to me as strange that there can be a suicide bomber
> prepared to do this but there was never a suicide bomber to try and
> take out Saddam.

There were multiple assassination attempts against Saddam. He took extreme measures to protect himself.

― fletrejet, Tuesday, 19 August 2003 16:33 (twenty-two years ago)

A deep shame about de Mello, especially given a strong record in crisis areas in the past.

― Thy Lethal Zen Ned (Ned), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 16:35 (twenty-two years ago)

now a bomb in jerusalem (aboard a bus full of children) has killed at least twenty, fuck fuck fuck

― s1utsky (slutsky), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 19:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Di Mello is alive. He used his phone from within the rubble to summon help and was rescued alive. The number of dead has been dropped to 10.

― Millar (Millar), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 19:55 (twenty-two years ago)

whoa!

― s1utsky (slutsky), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 19:57 (twenty-two years ago)

*prays for families of victims*

^^^obligatory moment of silence

― Jane Datsun (Dee the Lurker), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 19:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Al-Jazeera had a nice interview with one of the UN workers. He said that security had been so strict that it was starting to annoy several of his colleagues.

He also repeated the axiom that you can't do much of anything to stop a determined suicide attack, which is true.

I'm not very happy to hear about the Jerusalem bombing. The PA and Israel were going to try and extend the cease-fire a little longer in order to let the PA have more time to deal with those worthless Hamas shitbags but that might not be possible any longer.

Oh, and the DC sniper has a copycat in West Virginia, it appears.

― Millar (Millar), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 20:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Tom, where did you read that Di Mello thing?

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 20:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Google News

― Millar (Millar), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 20:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Al-Jazeera interview was xlated for me by the powers that be

― Millar (Millar), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 20:07 (twenty-two years ago)

what political strategy is hamas working off of at the moment?

― amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 20:17 (twenty-two years ago)

"heathens die"

― Millar (Millar), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 20:19 (twenty-two years ago)

interesting bit from the BBC article:

The most infamous killing in UN history was that of Count Folke Bernadotte who was shot by Israeli extremists in Jerusalem in 1948.

Bernadotte was UN Mediator in Palestine and had angered the Jewish underground by recommending that Jerusalem become an international city.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 20:28 (twenty-two years ago)

plus ca change...

― amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 20:34 (twenty-two years ago)

god I'm in a foul mood

― s1utsky (slutsky), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 20:36 (twenty-two years ago)

I long ago decided that the Middle East and the events that occur there are not worth my emotional capital. Fuck anybody insane enough to want to live in 120 degree temperatures on a regular basis.

― Millar (Millar), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 20:38 (twenty-two years ago)

This is not to say I don't have sympathies for the dead and the wounded and those iindirectly affected by any of this violence, it's just that I block it all out now. I honestly wouldn't be able to do my job if I were to get upset over every single act of meaningless violence that occurs in that part of the world.

― Millar (Millar), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 20:39 (twenty-two years ago)

I think that UN Envoy is still dead. I heard they dug him out earlier but that he died of his wounds anyway.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 20:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Estimated time to neocon thugs snarking "har har bet they'll be on our side NOW": 5...4...3...

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 22:12 (twenty-two years ago)

"they"

― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 22:16 (twenty-two years ago)

("they" = UN)

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 22:20 (twenty-two years ago)

I think you're right, Spencer. It looks like the UN has officially confirmed his death along with 14 others. Hell with this.

― Millar (Millar), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 22:21 (twenty-two years ago)

T/S neocon thugs snarking vs. islamic fundamentalists murdering

― Millar (Millar), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 22:22 (twenty-two years ago)

But you see the fundamentalists are killing those evil filthy UN bastards that we need to disassociate ourselves from immediately and also SAY NO TO SOCIALISM AND BUY MY SHITTY LAWN SIGNS!

I am actually quite interested in seeing how some of these pundits are going to try to rationalize their UN-hate with their stance on terrorists.

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 22:29 (twenty-two years ago)

I mean seriously, this guy was out doing his usual Tuesday picket schtick, which is about as tactless as you can get in a situation like this. Fuck him in the nostril.

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 22:32 (twenty-two years ago)

has he driven a truck laden with plastique into your office because you don't support the rule of Sharia? Fuck off.

― Millar (Millar), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 22:34 (twenty-two years ago)

"tactless" GOD FORBID

― Millar (Millar), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 22:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, why am I getting worked up over someone parading about with an anti-UN sign when their offices JUST GOT BOMBED? Stupid me.

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 22:37 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah we should probably censor that asshole, obv he incited the attack and is partially responsible

― Millar (Millar), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 22:39 (twenty-two years ago)

WHERE THE FUCK DID I SAY "CENSOR"? I was mocking him for being a stupid oblivious solipsistic douchebag, not calling for his internment or some shit

― Nate Patrin (objectively pro-Saddam) (Nate Patrin), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 22:42 (twenty-two years ago)

"Censor" = "cut his mic! After the break: Ludacris eats babies, contact Pepsi now!"

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 22:43 (twenty-two years ago)

um, so you don't want him to stop protesting the UN?

― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 22:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah I totally called you out you Saddam Loyalist fucker

― Millar (Millar), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 22:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Well, I wish he would, because it'd be evidence that he has some sort of moral center or something. But seeing as how he apparently doesn't, maybe he should just be allowed to dig his own grave and do his pointless little intersection laps in the rampant humidity and 90-degree temperatures as penance.

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 22:47 (twenty-two years ago)

(wish he would of his own volition, that is, i.e. show some fucking class)

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 22:48 (twenty-two years ago)

dude WHO CARES?

― Millar (Millar), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 22:48 (twenty-two years ago)

Nate I swear you're parroting every anti-protestor rant ever

― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 22:50 (twenty-two years ago)

I haven't gotten to the "they hate America" part yet

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 22:53 (twenty-two years ago)

(And I'd say that if we had lefty hippies traipsing around on 9/11 in the Midwest carrying signs that said "FUCK NEW YORK" then yeah, I'd say the same shit about them as I said about the Grand-Snelling picketer.)

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 22:54 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm of the strong suspicion that you are the only person that pays any attention to said picketer whatsoever

― Millar (Millar), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 22:57 (twenty-two years ago)

nate if we had people protesting the war while the war was going on would you say the same shit about them?

― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 22:59 (twenty-two years ago)

anti-UN picketer/theoretical 9/11 anti-NYC picketer = mocking a victim of terrorism
anti-war picketer = mocking an act of aggression

But yeah, they both have placards so I GOT SERVED

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 23:05 (twenty-two years ago)

I assume you mean "speaking out against" and not "mocking"?

― donut bitch (donut), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 23:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, that. Fucking humidity.

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 23:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Nate did you read no op-ed pages during the war or are you actually failing to see how your 'show some sensitivity, people are dying' anti-protestor rant isn't the same one lobbed at anti-war protestors during the war?

― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 23:09 (twenty-two years ago)

I mean, it's not like he just started protesting the UN today right?

― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 23:10 (twenty-two years ago)

I forgot that anti-war protestors hated American soldiers and Iraqi civilians

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 23:13 (twenty-two years ago)

so you really didn't read any op-ed's during the war

― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 23:15 (twenty-two years ago)

um, so if anti-war protestors didn't want american soldiers to die and it wasn't 'tactless' of them to protest while american soldiers are dying how is it different with this guy again? did I forget that he wants un workers to die?

― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 23:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Number of signs seen at various protests reading "SUPPORT OUR TROOPS: BRING THEM HOME"/"BUSH LIED, SOLDIERS DIED" : dozens

ibid. re signs reading "OUR TROOPS SUCK" : like, none

"didn't read any op-eds during the war". Haha, past tense! Yeah, mission accomplished, baby! I've been reading things almost daily and I haven't really seen (much less agreed with) any article that supports a position parallel to "the UN got bombed today? Their envoy was almost killed? So what? They still suck!"

Your analogy is not working here.

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 23:20 (twenty-two years ago)

Nate please stop giving such a big fuck about a lone crazy picketer, it's really fucking embarrassing, okay

― Millar (Millar), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 23:22 (twenty-two years ago)

I mean seriously undeserving people were killed today in an unbelievably malicious assault which somebody out there is probably really proud of and you're goddamned whining about the percieved politeness of some whacked signcarrying fogey in the fucking midwest

― Millar (Millar), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 23:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Nate - my "analogy" is that your argument - 'it's tactless for him to protest the UN on the same day UN workers are dying' is the same as the anti-anti-war protestor 'it's tactless for them to protest the war on the same day US troops are dying'. protesting the war/UN /= wanting US troops/UN workers to die. if you really disagree with the anti-anti-war protestors don't parrot their arguments.

― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 23:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh, fuck this. I'm not a loveable drunk, so I'm just pissing into the wind here. I should probably be used to people not giving a shit what I think anyways.

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 23:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Millar, what bit of this do you see every day? You see the big picture stuff with the guys dying.

Nate, what do you see every day? You see the guy with the picket.

Seems pretty simple to me.

Blount: isn't the anti-anti-war argument much less that it's tactless than that it's evil/unpatriotic/wrong?

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 23:29 (twenty-two years ago)

see Nate's 'moral center' comment for the evil/wrong part

― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 23:32 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm not seeing it.

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 23:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Why do these things always devolve into a taking sides thread?

― Leee (Leee), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 23:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Millar's right - why are we talking about some lone anti-UN black helicoptor freak in the midwest?

― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 23:41 (twenty-two years ago)

If you looked at his website you'd notice he's a big catalyst for righty mobilization in MN (see also "why are people talking about some gay-bashing minister in Topeka?")

― not Nate Patrin, he left (Nate Patrin), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 23:55 (twenty-two years ago)

(well, at least he was during the war -- he got TONS of media attention and had thousands of people on his jock at rallies at the state capitol; nowadays I think he's just back to crap like this.)

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 23:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Fuck this, though, I'm gonna go blog about why disco is awesome

― Nate Patrin (Nate Patrin), Tuesday, 19 August 2003 23:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Disco is awesome!

― Ally (mlescaut), Wednesday, 20 August 2003 00:08 (twenty-two years ago)

(oops I caught myself talking about the war in the past tense! I'm a hypomacrite. Obv I meant "the peak of war/anti-war fervor")

― Nate Patrin will seriously shut up now (Nate Patrin), Wednesday, 20 August 2003 00:12 (twenty-two years ago)

yesterday was pretty bleak at work, the UNICEF program coordinator who died in Baghdad was married to a colleague so everyone is pretty down. i'd only met him a couple of times and actually don't know her that well either but still a bit of a shock. i feel so bad for her, the poor girl is devastated.

my friend in baghdad is, understandably, really shook up and unsure if she is going to stay on.

― H (Heruy), Thursday, 21 August 2003 08:09 (twenty-two years ago)

the world bank and imf pulled their people out

― nnnh oh oh nnnh nnnh oh (James Blount), Thursday, 21 August 2003 08:15 (twenty-two years ago)

hmmm

― cinniblount (James Blount), Friday, 22 August 2003 02:24 (twenty-two years ago)

I like the "claiming diplomatic immunity" part. Good luck with that.

― bnw (bnw), Friday, 22 August 2003 02:46 (twenty-two years ago)

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