October 8, 2009

"Organized by a state"

Another day in Afghanistan, another day of chaos. A suicide carbombing on the Indian embassy in Kabul is sure to touch off a political reaction, but this story may run deep below the surface.

Sayyid Abdul Gafoor, the head of the interior ministry's anti-crime unit, said special kinds of explosives were used and the vehicle was not registered in Afghanistan, "indicating possible foreign involvement."

Zeina Khodr, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Kabul, reported, "Intelligence officials are telling us the target was the Indian embassy. A suicide car bombing right outside the embassy, the car was parked outside. They say that there are scores of casualties. Intelligence officials are saying that they do not believe that the bombing was the work of, I quote, a group of bandits, but organized by a state."

The Afghan Foreign Ministry added that attack, "was planned and implemented from outside of Afghan borders."

Pakistan? Iran? Israel? America? Kashmir militants? TTP? The Taliban, usually quick to claim responsibility, have yet to do so. This could get interesting, but the Taliban will probably emerge as the culprits, the blast likely a warning to India not to interfere in Afghanistan. General McChyrstal recently broached that subject.

Elsewhere, America's strategy to perusade Pakistan into accepting the Kerry-Lugar bill, ideally with little public opposition, appears to be denial. Several American officials are countering the Pakistani army's objections with, "I don’t think it is a threat to to the civilian government in Pakistan."

Very convincing, but not as bad as Senator John McCain telling NBC last week, "Things were far worse in Iraq than in Afghanistan today." He's right, Afghanistan is only beginning its downward spiral.

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