Taliban Attack | 04/07/2009 7:25 am

Taliban Attack Misses Angela Merkel

By The Staff at wowOwow.com

Angela Merkel is one lucky lady.

The German chancellor yesterday made a surprise visit to Afghanistan, where she visited with German troops at a base in Kunduz. While there, Merkel took some time to criticize Afghanistan’s president, Hamid Karzai, for his nation’s so-called "rape" law, which commands women to "pleasure" their husbands. Karzai has said he plans to "review" the law — whatever that means.

Merkel’s trip went as planned, but things went awry 20 minutes after she left, when the Taliban launched a rocket attack on the base, The New York Times reports.

No one was hurt, thankfully, but the Taliban, which have been gaining ground in Afghanistan. They took responsibility for the attack, which they say was directed at Merkel. It was, said a Taliban flack, "a targeted attack against Angela Merkel."

It’s a good thing the Taliban has bad timing.

Read more about: Afghanistan, Angela Merkel, Attack, Hamid Karzai, News, rape, Taliban, Terrorism, women

7 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Gaining ground re the Taliban doesn’t quite fit the picture of Pakistan and Afghanistan today. More like controlling major parts of both countries. Esp Pakistan.

By f p on 04/07/2009 7:36 am

e-mail alert

I’m very glad the Taliban missed the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel. I wish all our leaders to stay safe. I wish the Taliban rockets to explode on top of the Taliban themselves.

By M J on 04/07/2009 8:04 am

Thankfully they didnt harm any of the troops there at the base she had just left. Its great the Taliban got there late, lets just hope they stay that way in the war against terror, late…

By C Hardy on 04/07/2009 8:05 am

e-mail alert

The Taliban are encroaching closer and closer to the capitol. I’ve read that the German soldiers do not patrol their area after dark and that their rules of engagement are very explicit. They cannot fire their weapons unless they are attacked. Their involvement in ridding the area of Taliban fighters is rather lame.

More Americans are in the war zone with additional soldiers to follow. Since the President was unable to persuade any of the G-20 nations for more combat soldiers, it looks like it will be only four nations who will attempt to clear out the Taliban: USA, UK, Canada and Poland (I think the Aussies have left … they had a change of government not long ago.)

Thank goodness that Angela Merkel was unharmed. My fears, however, are with the four allied nations who have agreed to fight on and prevent the Taliban or Al Qaeda from establishing a safe haven in Afghanistan.

By Bonnie Oliver on 04/07/2009 8:24 am

Thank goodness Angela Merkel was not hurt and hopefully no else either. We wasted 7 years in Iraq when we should have gone to Afghanistan in the first place and maybe these folks may not have got such a hold on the place. That was a big mistake made by the previous government taking it’s eye off the ball from the country where the attacks on 911 really came from.

By caj p on 04/07/2009 8:41 am

e-mail alert

My guess is the Taliban didn’t want to hurt Angela Merkel, just scare her into not saying annoying things against their President (like they really care about their president).

Problem with sabre rattling is that it occasionally leads to war, and the Germans do not want to be involved in a war with Afghanistan or anyone else.

By Marjorie C. on 04/07/2009 9:58 am