New Nuclear Reactors in Pakistan -- New Bombings in Pakistan

Who is responsible for the truck bomb at the Marriott in Islamabad Pakistan -- a symbol like the Twin Towers were to Americans?    There has been no claim so far from any particular group for this tragedy.  The Marriott supposedly had very strong security, obviously not strong enough.  Pakistan is a nuclear country and we hear now that they are building new reactors.  One must ask what the security is like at those facilities.

Pakistan building new reactors?

Pakistan: just the kind of stable, responsible country we'd like to see expanding its ability to produce nuclear weapons. The Institute for Science and International Security reports:

 ISIS has obtained commercial satellite imagery from DigitalGlobe taken on September 3, 2008, May 18, 2008 and February 9, 2008 of the Khushab plutonium production reactor site in Pakistan. The imagery shows further construction of the second and third plutonium production reactors at Khushab (Figure 1), and that construction of the second reactor may be nearing completion. The images show a clearly visible row of cooling towers, typically built in the later phase of reactor construction (Figure 3). Given this state of construction, the second reactor could start in a year.

Once completed, these reactors will increase several-fold Pakistan’s ability to make weapon-grade plutonium for nuclear weapons. The wider implication of Pakistan increasing its plutonium production capacity must not be overlooked—there is a real risk that it will exacerbate an India-Pakistan nuclear arms race and increase tensions more broadly between the two.  (Foreign Policy, hat tip Michael)

You can read the entire article (pdf) at ISIS here.  This morning news reports are still coming in on a huge truck bombthat exploded at the entrance to the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, Pakistan that has killed at least 40 so far.

At Least 40 Are Killed in Blast at Pakistan Hotel

Farooq Naeem/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Flames poured from the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad on Saturday after a massive truck bombing.

The blast, one of the worst terrorist attacks in Pakistan’s history, killed at least 40 people and wounded more than 100, including foreigners. The toll was expected to grow because of reports that many people had been trapped inside the six-story hotel, which has been a favorite meeting spot of both foreigners and well-connected Pakistanis in the heart of the capital. The building was quickly engulfed in flames and continued to burn for hours Saturday night.

Although recent terrorist bombings have claimed more lives, a bombing at the Marriott, which has been attacked twice before but never on this scale, has shaken Pakistanis to their core.

“The Marriott is an icon,” said Abdullah Riar, a former aide to Benazir Bhutto. “It’s like the twin towers of Pakistan. It’s a symbolic place in the capital of the country, and now it has melted down.”  (NYT)

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Comments

[Stormwarning]

Some suspicion now that "other than CIA" was target, although CIA was there...Danish Intel.

[Stormwarning]

You are? Wondering that is. Really? OK.

[Debbie]

Stormwarning:

I would not be surprised if you are correct. I was just reporting what's out in the media. There is always more to the story that we are told.

I'm wondering what the CIA was up to at the Marriott?

[Stormwarning]

Granted, 'cept since I already know why to vote for McCain and Palin, I didn't read your next post (I just wish it was THAT clear to everyone else). Sorry...all points suggest that the "Company" was the target.

[Debbie]

As I stated in this article below, there were Americans, State Department employees at the Marriott. I suggested no target because I had no real information on any target.

I do note that the Marriott was finally bombed, because the security at government buildings nearby was too good and the terrorists could not attack them.

http://righttruth.typepad.com/right_truth/2008/09/why-we-need-john-mccain-and-sarah-palin-in-office.html

[Stormwarning]

And the target for the Marriott bombing was?

http://tinyurl.com/4vjxgb

[Michael]

Pakistan is a very dangerous place...we should have known 30 years ago that they hated our guts.

A.Q.Khan anyone?

Shall we wait to get wacked before we wake up and smell the chapattis roasting in the Paki nuclear oven?

[Michael]

Pakistan is a very dangerous place...we should have known 30 years ago that they hated our guts.

A.Q.Khan anyone?

Shall we wait to get wacked before we wake up and smell the chapattis roasting in the Paki nuclear oven?

[Rosemary's Thoughts]

Vets For Freedom Report.

It has been over a month since our Vets have returned home, and they have some true reporting to share with us. They went back to Iraq to seek the truth. They remember what it was like when they left in 2006, and they can tell if there is any REAL...

PS. Yes, this is an awful thing that has happened in Pakistan, but please remember people...on the same day after it happened, the new jerkoff declared there will be NO tolerance of any violation of their terror-tority sovereign. Say what? We could crush them like a bug if we had wanted to, and their are making me angry enough to think that may be just what they need...take over, teach Christianity, ban all other religions, and write them a constitution where they can no longer have honor killings, marry only one person, NO KORANS, etc.

Why am I so angry? Because they took our money so we could find and kill our enemies, and now they are going back on their word which is useless to the infidels of the world. BUSH, do you get it NOW?

[Jack]

I am very concerned about Pakistan. That place has been a serious problem for years now.

[Angel]

yes the ROP!..how dreadful !

[MK]

It's worrying that so many in the west were so happy to see the back of Musharraf, one of the few people who kept those savages in line. Can the new government keep things together? Should we wait around to find out?

[Faultline USA]

This is very disturbing to see. It looks like a new round of violence as begun.

[Always On Watch]

Debbie,
I had thought about some of the symbolism involved in this bombing. But I hadn't compared the hotel to the TWin Towers. Good call!

[Katie]

I expect the Taliban to have a Pakistani nuke or two soon. And if their threats are right, it will be London that will be the next target.

[Maggie Thornton]

The photos this morning reminded me of the Murrah Bldg. in Oklahoma City.

I hope Pakistanis are "shaken to the core," but even so, what will they do about it?

How do these people live this way...with their religion of peace, and all that?

Maggie