US embassy vehicle targeted in Beirut: continuous updates

A car bomb intended to blow up a US embassy car exploded in Karantina a while ago, killing four people, all Lebanese who happened to be near the targeted car. The armored US embassy car was reportedly carrying US embassy employees, two Lebanese and one American national. LBC reported that the American passenger was wounded.

Prime Minister Siniora has called for an emergency cabinet session. Future News said the targeted vehicles were a decoy for the US ambassador's convoy.

Update. Naharnet quoted a source at the US embassy in Beirut as saying that two US citizens were lightly wounded.

Update 2. No Americans were involved. Here's a video taken right after the explosion (h/t Blacksmith Jade)

Comments

[Lebanese genius]

Before anybody comments on this development, let me just enlighten the uniformed - however well-intentioned they may be - that this bomb was really planted by the Israeli intelligence service... no, no, no... actually, the bomb was really planted by the CIA.

you see... the objective behind this engenius attack - on a vehicle that was transporting no one significant really - was to raise the pressure on the opposition so that they ultimately cave in to the unjust, sunni, arab, satanic, western, american, israeli demands.

Therefore, if the opposition were to make any compromises between today and at least a month from now, doing so would be tantamount to submitting to the will of the Devil - A.K.A. the Anti-Aoun.

[marillionlb]

I would love to see how Hassan can blame this latest terrorist act on Israelis and their Lebanese allies!!!

[Bad Vilbel]

Lebanese Genius. You literally took the words out of my mouth. I was getting ready to post a similar comment. But you beat me to it. Hehehe.

I'm sure that SOMEHOW, the idiots will still find a way to blame this on the Zionist conspiracy and the American project....and thousands of their followers will believe it, hook, line and sinker.

[Andre]

This is a message intended for Bush as he enjoys the sights and sounds of the region and sings to the tune of "Iran you villain!" It is a cynical reminder of how trapped we are in this deadly cat and mouse game between the west and the regional "wanna be" power. The Syrian media has been lambasting the US president since he arrived and the iranians went boating near US warships in an effort to show their displeasure for his visit. It is obvious that as the rhetoric escalates b/w them there is going to be trouble for Lebanon. It is going to be rough for a while as things shake out since we are unfortunately in the line of fire! May God help the country and its people.

[Fawzan]

Ma La7 Ifta7 Timmi.

[Rami]

Incredibly unfortunate to the point of despair. Lebanon is sinking fast and its hard to see how this ship can be salvaged. We have come to the point where some decisive decisions need to be made. Call me impulsive, but the majority needs to grow some balls and start doing what the people elected them to do. This Arab Initiative is load of BS, and while we continue waiting for nothing to happen, us Lebanese citizens will continue to die, continue to leave, and forsake the country to every variety and flavor of terrorist party. Ask yourself if this is a mess that can, realistically speaking, be cleaned up with fruitless dialogue. I think not.

[Umm K.]

I wanted to do the sarcastic "it was the US/Israel" comment but I guess I'm too slow!

[Ace]

What do you suggest they do Rami? How about just make a "deal" with Aoun and hope for the best. That might at least stop the bombings ... this comes from an LF forum today. You want "peace" - just give up and you will have it.

A start might be to arrest any tire burners on public roads. Haul them all to jail ..... that's my opinion. The longer you give in to the blackmail, the worse it becomes and the more escalation there will be. And why not? It's a method that is proven to work.

[Dania]

Rest assured guys m8 will say it was indeed the mossad to force an american reaction against the opposition and iran or some crap like that!
This is the 80s revisited. The country is failing on all levels, politically paralyzed, economically collapsing, division and insecurity... dont be surprised if foreigners end up kidnapped soon under some unknown islamic banner(before hizz in the 80s it was islamic jihad,now for sure some alqaeda affiliate)which makes me wonder, where's the aljazeera surprise tape???????

[Battal Agha]

Ace/Andre,
I do not expect anything good coming out of the Arab League. Remember the 1969 Cairo Agreement?? That was the Arab League cooking... I do not believe that we Lebanese are mature enough to realize that what should come first is the COUNTRY before the Religion or Clan or tribe or family. Until then, we are doomed lest we chose a dictator who has the guts to impose the law (as you suggest it Ace)... but with whom? What army? Will it hold the sectarian shift?? Allah Biyi3'lam

[Andre]

BA,

The truth is that societies in the ME are built on religion, tribes and sects. Look at Iraq for example, the alliegence to the country is not paramount to that of the tribe/sect and hence that country is experiencing an open armed conflict and power struggle as well among its people as a result. One's identity is always associated with the religious or ethnic sect/tribe and as a result it is always much stronger that that of the nation state. The interest of those groups will always be of utmost importance as they vye for their political survival. The nation state concept in the ME is just a facade and until we have a genuine interest in practicing true democarcy based on representation by votes and not sectarian quotas,unconditional allegience to the nation itself by all its citizens will never happen.

[danny]

Mossad...CIA...KGB(reincarnated?)???

[slickleb]

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[Mark]

Sorry, slickleb, but I can't say that your blog is that insightful. Just my opinion..

[Craig]

Dania,

dont be surprised if foreigners end up kidnapped soon under some unknown islamic banner(before hizz in the 80s it was islamic jihad,now for sure some alqaeda affiliate)

I don't think Al Qaeda has much of a stake in Lebanon at the moment. I think they probably consider it Iran's backyard, and they're much more interested in the US than in Iran, for the time being. Whatever the reason, they haven't been doing kidnappings in Lebanon up to now, and I think if Lebanon was a priority for them they would have been. AQ has not been restraining itself. There have been AQ attacks in many countries in recent years, including hostage taking and beheadings - even in the far east.

If AQ does activate itself in Lebanon, they'll be kidnapping a lot more than foreigners. They've kidnapped and killed Iraqis at rates of more than 100 to 1 compared to non-Iraqis. I think Lebanese will be their primary targets. They aren't at all like Iran and it's proxies (like Hezbolloh) when it comes to hostage taking. They have no interest in using hostages as political bargaining chips, for instance. Tehy kidnap and murder for shock value alone.

Lets all hope that AQ does NOT find it's way into Lebanon. I wouldn't even wish that on Hezbolloh.

[Solomon2]

Why let this incident distract you?