Karzai flees gunfire at Afghan ceremony

[cal04]

Source: Associated Press

Hundreds take cover during automatic fire in Kabul

Automatic gunfire has broken out at a ceremony in Kabul, forcing the Afghan president and other dignitaries to take cover.

Hundreds of people fled in chaos as shots rang out. It was unclear where the firing was coming from. A live TV broadcast of the event Sunday quickly cut.

President Hamid Karzai was escorted from the scene in a black Landcruiser. He was attending a ceremony marking the defeat of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

A Taliban spokesman said infiltrators were firing at Karzai.



Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24332573/

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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080427/ap_on_re_as/afghan_gunfire_2
Defense Min.: Afghan president safe after fleeing gunfire

A Taliban spokesman quickly claimed responsibility for the attack, saying four militants with suicide vests and guns were nearby.

[hisownpetard]

1. They probably thought Sinbad was there.

[saigon68]

19. The mayor of Kabul raises skirt ----runs away

LOL

another CIA operative who became Cheney's puppet.

[saigon68]

20. delete dupe

[Zhade]

2. Oh, the irony! At a ceremony celebrating essentially the same type of mercs...

...who helped drive out the USSR! You can't make up shit like this!

[EFerrari]

4. You really can't. n/t

[DeSwiss]

3. Darn it!

And Hillary's schedule wouldn't let her make it.

- Think of all that lost "experience." And free publicity...

[grahamhgreen]

5. one more vid you wont see on the msm

[dipsydoodle]

6. BBC Video here

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7369540.stm

[maddezmom]

7. Afghan president escapes assassination bid

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai escaped unhurt on Sunday after an assassination attempt by Taliban fighters who fired guns and rockets at an official celebration in the capital, Kabul.

Karzai, government ministers, former warlords, diplomats and the military top brass ducked for cover after gunfire sounded at the celebration to mark the 16th anniversary of the fall of the Afghan communist government to the mujahideen.

Karzai later appeared on state television to reassure citizens that he was all right.

"Today, the enemies of Afghanistan, the enemies of Afghanistan's security and progress tried to disrupt the ceremony and cause disorder and terror," Karzai said.

more:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080427/wl_nm/afghan_karzai_dc;_ylt=Ah9BoW6ZZQpZQvnIOBxzBpJm.3QA

[Solly Mack]

8. talk about hail to the chief....

[acmavm]

9. Didn't Karzai just tell the US to quit picking on the Taliban?

[Snazzy]

10. US Marines deploying in Afghanistan for first time in years

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3285834

Nearly killing 'our guy' in fortified Kabul seems to have caught someone's attention.

[DavidDvorkin]

11. Further proof that the insurgents are losing in Afghanistan, too

They're getting really desperate because of all our successes.

[ohio2007]

12. He's no Anwar Sadat

but was it really the wrong thing to do ?

[roamer65]

13. "We're making progress".

:sarcasm:

I saw the video of the people clamoring to get out of the viewing stand. I wonder if the same thing happened for the Soviets when they tried their hand at Afghanistan?

[douglas9]

14. "Things Happen"

Mayor Karzai might take comfort in these words of wisdom:

"Things Happen"
Pointing to the desolate and largely looted galleries which had once contained art and cultural treasures as old as 7,000 years, Rumsfeld said, "The price of freedom is sometimes high, and never comes cheap. We didn't want this to occur, but . . . well you know . . . things happen.

[Javaman]

15. so the ex-Unical exec had to run for his life, huh?

I'm sooooooooooooo upset.

[gratuitous]

16. Things are going swimmingly in Afghanistan

You know, I might quit referring to Ann Coulter as Little Arfin' Annie and start calling her Natalie Wood.

[daleo]

17. This has got to have Karzai thinking

No wonder Canada's top general just took early retirement.

[ohio2007]

18. Taliban Confirms 3 Of Its Fighters Killed By Afghan Forces In Attack On Karzai

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has escaped unharmed after militants attacked a military parade with rockets and gunfire, killing three people, including an MP, and wounding a dozen others

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=855_1209309889

Can't believe the Taliban admitted three of their own went on to the virgin reward