FACT: Reality TV isn't REALLY reality! Silver Class eBlaher
Posts: 330
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Time Online: 6 days 12 hours 11 minutes
Location: Somewhereville NSW
Age: 37
Well, here we see again, The Middle East is going to another civil war again.
I feel sadden about the innocent people caught up and leaving their country their were born in Lebanon and in Israel. I see there were a lot of bombings around Haifa and Beirut, airports and bridges to trap the country.
Unfortunately I can't never see any peace in the Middle East. I know we want to see peace in the Middle East, but there are some idiots in this world today that don't want peace and refuse to lay down their weapons !!
When has there really been Peace? Many third world countries have continual Warfare. Many Middle Eastern Countries are at war with each other. Ireland has been in a Civil/Religious War for decades and decades. Just because it is not shown on the news 24/7 does not mean Peace reigns supreme. Some places in the world have never known Peace in generations. We ARE the lucky Country, mainly because of our remoteness and alies.
If the teenage Muslims were at school, learning about things rather than plotting their revenge on America, we would live in a better world. But of course, any 15 year old today will tell you that he knows about everything... Far more than any school could possibly teach him.
Here are generalisations and racial stereotyping again. What about all the Muslim terrorists who did go to school or were at school and still comitted terrorists acts (the majority btw).
Why Muslims, what about Christian teenagers who go to school and decide to shoot or blow them up. are they less of a terrorist and are they not also attacking America?
In fact I believe most young terrorists are recruited and taught in schools, so they are getting an eduction.
As usual things are never quite as black and white, Muslim and Christian as being made out.
Everyone is entitled to be stupid, but some abuse the privilege.
And may I ask how do you know that to be so? From a logical point of view, people do not get an education and then decide to blow themselve up. Commensense dictate otherwise. And commonsense is what an education gives you.
And by the way, there was no racial stereotyping. All terrorists are Muslims. The ones we are talking about anyway. You know, the ones with a pilot licence.
The London bombers were all very well educated with their leader being a well regarded school teacher.
The Bali bombers all finished educations.
The September 2001 terrorists were all well educated, they had to be to be able to pull off what they did including getting pilot licences.
The Beslan terrorists were educated (at least from memory the leaders were).
...and it goes on. In fact it is the better educated who are more likely to be recruited and to comit the big atrocities (there are many large tomes of psychology why this is so). A couple of those arrested for the attempted recent plane bombings were new Islamist converts and well educated.
I find your pidgeon holing and racial undertones very perturbing. "All terrorists are Muslims". A paragraph on its own so as to stand out. McVey and his partner weren't Muslim, KKK aren't Muslims, the American school shooters and bombers aren't Muslim, The Maoists terrorists aren't Muslim, The Papuan rebel groups aren't Muslim etc.
BTW
Quoted Text
Some people use the term "Islamic terrorism" instead of "Islamist terrorism", but this use is contentious; many Muslims, particularly those supporting liberal movements within Islam, do not accept that attacks on civilians can ever be justified by Islam. From this perspective, describing terrorism as "Islamic" is seen as a slur on Islam. Although "Islamic terrorism" is commonly used by Western media to describe the activity of a wide variety of groups, some believe that "Islamist terrorism" is a more accurate term that respects the sensitivities of Muslims.
Everyone is entitled to be stupid, but some abuse the privilege.
That would not be the reasons for you getting banned..... you have baited, been rude, called into question members' lack of manliness, their youth and therefore their knowledge, made sexist and very degrading remarks regarding women... I'm sure there are plenty more but I am bored. It would be different if you would 'discuss' or 'debate' a topic without personally attacking someone else's point of view. This is what has put you offside AO. We don't really care if members love or hate America, Love or hate John Howard or love or hate Muslims as long as their posts are not racist or hate filled or personally denigrating someone else for their point of view.
...you have baited, been rude, called into question members' lack of manliness, their youth and therefore their knowledge, made sexist and very degrading remarks regarding women...It would be different if you would 'discuss' or 'debate' a topic without personally attacking someone else's point of view...We don't really care if members love or hate America, Love or hate John Howard or love or hate Muslims as long as their posts are not racist or hate filled or personally denigrating someone else for their point of view.
Why is it that the majority of those that shares views such as AO's, the liberals, the conservatives or whatever like minded group always resort to insults. I see this time and time again by right-wing journo's/howard propagandists such as Andrew Bolt in Melbourne and Piers Ackerman in Sydney and of course shock jocks like Stan Zemanek etc. Personal insults are really un-intelligent and say alot about the person who uses them.
What you say x452 is absolutely correct. I also find that the same crowd do not not use any researched data, and never have something new to say about an issue. It's just the same old rhetoric over and over.
It's the hypocrisy that can get me squirming.
They just can not see that they are not applying the Mosaic law: treating others the same as they would want to be treated themselves. And yet they will be the first to go on about morals, religion, civilization yadda yadda yadda.
Now now, Mr. Online. I haven't fully read into both of your arguments and sides, but I think we should be all able to present your opinions, but still have some respect for the other members. There should be no flaming or personal attacks on each other, this should be fundemental in creating a great community forum. This should go for everyone.
We all should respect each other more and respect their opinions and views. Arguments are good in a forum, but when people use personal attacks, it's unacceptable.
And if you think just because I might be one of the younger people on this forum and my opinion is not needed here, then so be it. I can live with that, but don't go around attacking someone on their personality, views or opinions.
Now now, Mr. Online. I haven't fully read into both of your arguments and sides, but I think we should be all able to present your opinions, but still have some respect for the other members. .
What other members????. . they have all gone.!!
Answering this person only 'feeds his need'.
It is time for Admin to edit each and every one of his posts. Banning is not going to work. .
DEMOCRACY = Voters deciding by Poll on who will be the local member that "Big Business" will push around.
OK enough is enough. Aussie-Online's personal attacks continue, despite warnings, and I am suspending his/her account. Please continue your discussion.
And an obvious warning to everyone - post your views, make it lively, but step into personal attacking mode once too often and you're outta here.
Yeah! Who has left?? Bsquared hasn't been on in forever. Is meandean still here? Hopefully. No one else is missing are they? :S I'll shut up, really I will! :p
I found it fascinating that the most belligerent postee supported belligerent foreign policies....so at least he/she was a consistent practitioner of her/his world view.
If you have a heart you will watch this video. Just like the matrix you have a choice. If you take the pill (watch the video) you will see the truth but will never be the same again. 4 minutes duration.
If you have a heart you will watch this video. Just like the matrix you have a choice. If you take the pill (watch the video) you will see the truth but will never be the same again. 4 minutes duration.
Now what????? . . if Palestine is given back to Palestinians . .we will have a Jewish member here next year showing us the exact same video . .but from the Israeli side.
You have shown us the problem . . now tell us what the solution is! . . Otherwise you become exactly the same as sensationalist current affairs programs that give us tea time shock tactics to get ratings . . and never get back to us with an answer.
What is your answer???
I will be out of the country for the first 12 days of BB . how clever am I ! Smart enough to leave the 'dead-heads' behind
I see both sides in this dispute as being provocative with an all or nothing agenda.
The Palestinians and Jews are in reality the same people separated only by stubbornness. The both claim the same religious and cultural heritage. Over time both parties have been the principal occupants of this part of the World and have been fighting over it since before Christ.
The Palestinian/Israel conflict will only be settled when both parties agree to co-habitation.
The Palestinian/Israel conflict will only be settled when both parties agree to co-habitation.
Do you think that is possible? Who are the aggressors? On the news I see suicide bombers and then next minute I see Apache helo's and tanks rolling through stone huts!
The realist in me says no. The reason being for peace to prevail they need leaders who are advanced in their thinking and humanity (ie. Mandela), and these kinds of people are only 1 in a million. Both sides need leaders who will not be influenced by nationalists and the guerilla groups. They must be willing to treat Palestinians and Israeli's as equals and break down the physical and psychological walls of segregation. This is going to cost a lot of money and a huge peacekeeping force but I think if both parties were serious about controlling the guerillas it is possible.
Quoted from The_Pragmatic_One
On the news I see suicide bombers and then next minute I see Apache helo's and tanks rolling through stone huts!
That's what the Israeli friendly anglo-western media show you. If you watch the BBC or SBS or any European news they will often show the Palestinian child or family that were innocently gunned down that provoked the suicide attack. Now this is not always the case, suicide bombers aren't always in retaliation and Israel aren't always the aggressor, the vice versa is common as well. But you get the picture?
There is a more conciliatory echo doing the rounds among the younger Palestinians and Israelis now. A yearn to live in peace, for once, will see the two groups become more accomodating in the following generations.
Once all the war mongers of the 50’s and 60’s fade out, a new regime will begin to emerge.
There is a more conciliatory echo doing the rounds among the younger Palestinians and Israelis now. A yearn to live in peace, for once, will see the two groups become more accomodating in the following generations.
Once all the war mongers of the 50’s and 60’s fade out, a new regime will begin to emerge.
The problem with that hope . . is that those of the 50' and 60's generation are the ones that raised the generation of kids that are at the forefront of todays trouble . . how could they have learnd peace at the knees of those 'war mongers'. ?? it is impossible to pass on something you do not know . . and peace is in that catagory.
I will be out of the country for the first 12 days of BB . how clever am I ! Smart enough to leave the 'dead-heads' behind
The problem with that hope . . is that those of the 50' and 60's generation are the ones that raised the generation of kids that are at the forefront of todays trouble . . how could they have learnd peace at the knees of those 'war mongers'. ?? it is impossible to pass on something you do not know . . and peace is in that catagory.
I never understood why the current generation of rulers, the Bush's and Blairs of the world, who experienced the decade of "peace and love" are so pro-war. Only that the others around them, the neo-cons, Cheney, Rumsfeld et al are of an older generation, which may explain a few things. I have no doubt that without the puppetry of the neo-cons, Bush would not be such a war monger.
When the current generation of 20-40 year olds reach the age group of 50-70, where they are most likely to hold positions of power, there should be much less war mongers among them (hopefully).
Let's hope these pro-war neo-con type young Liberals, young Republicans and radicalised Muslim youths (who's parents are not radical) do not get into positions of power.
. . . . . . Let's home these pro-war neo-con type young Liberals, young Republicans and radicalised Muslim youths (who parents are not radical) do not get into positions of power.
The funny thing about power is that it attracts the very worst people for the job. They are always 'capable' . . but that does not make them wise enough to do the job. Truly wise people know that the job cannot be done and they remain sane and 'nice'. . .it takes people with 'radical' drive to be brave enough to attempt rulership. Tactical skills (needed in politics) are not the best base for deciding big issues that effect families and the little people. The is why big business is running this country now. . .they are Big Tacticians.
I will be out of the country for the first 12 days of BB . how clever am I ! Smart enough to leave the 'dead-heads' behind
The funny thing about power is that it attracts the very worst people for the job.
True. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. The path to attain absolute power is not a clean one. Even those that are half good beforehand (Blair might be an example) get corrupted during the ascent.
Phillip Ruddock, as the Immigration Minister an absolute arsehole, is said to have been a good person before selling his soul, according to his daughter.
It's quite shameful that he continues to wear his Amnesty International badge, I would have asked him to remove it if I were AI.
Quoted Text
The daughter of Australian Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock says she has left Australia partly as a result of her father's hardline stance on asylum. Kirsty Ruddock, 30, left the country last week to work as a volunteer in a developing country.
Before she left, Ms Ruddock told the ABC's Australian Story programme, which was to be aired on Monday, that she found it difficult to reconcile the values her father had taught her, with his policies.
. . . . . Even those that are half good beforehand (Blair might be an example) get corrupted during the ascent.
I would not even say 'corrupt' . . I met a politician who was canvassing door-to-door many years ago. He was new to the electorate and calling on everone he could to introduce himself and outline his ideals and aims if he were to be elected. They sounded noble and he seemed like such a nice guy.
Then he got elected!! . . for the first 6 months he could not be contacted because he became busy finding an office. . getting staff . .deciding how to put a 'disabled access' ramp at the front door. Next came his fuss about the staff he could hire and office equipment . .then allowances for travel and postage. He sent A4 flyers to the whole neighbourhood to let us know of his 'battles' with red tape and waste (the flyer cost 5c each to print and deliver *that was not waste* ) .
I don't think he was a bad man . . but it shows that even the most avid social advocate can become sidetracked . .which HE did at lightening speed.
He lasted only 1 term BTW.
I will be out of the country for the first 12 days of BB . how clever am I ! Smart enough to leave the 'dead-heads' behind
I don't think he was a bad man . . but it shows that even the most avid social advocate can become sidetracked
To many, once they feel the power and experience the privileges of office they become as addicted as any drug addict. This explains the desperate measures they will engage to retain office.
To many, once they feel the power and experience the privileges of office they become as addicted as any drug addict. This explains the desperate measures they will engage to retain office.
Yup. Look how desperate lil Johnny is to hold on to power, given half a chance I'm sure he'd sell his first born.
He keeps delaying his retirement to the detriment of the party. It's very sad really.
Gee you're hopeful that Hicks will tip the election in Labor's favour?
I am not, been disappointed too many times (and expecting to be again)
You won't be this time . . I don't vote ( a previously known fact) but I call on stores and talk to people in business every day for my work. The groundswell is huge about this issue . .i don't care either way about Labor - Liberal - Greens etc. I am calling it as I see it . . even die hard Johhny fans are annoyed with him now . .
I will be out of the country for the first 12 days of BB . how clever am I ! Smart enough to leave the 'dead-heads' behind
Six months ago 'ittle Johnny said Hicks would be in court within the week, then Ruddock said it again a couple of weeks later ...well Philip and 'ittle Johnny we're still waiting.
I guess our beloved *sic* PM isn't as influential in America as he thinks he is. Seeing as 'ittle Johnny is poll driven, Hicks would be home now if he really had any influence. The truth is, Howard was just a "yes" man to George dwabba. If it wasn't for our compliance in the invasion of Iraq, I reckon George dwabba wouldn't know who the PM of Australia was/is. All that back-slapping seen in the news reels was just ego stroking.
'ittle Johnny made his bed with george dwabba and now that george is pregnant will 'ittle Johnny deny sleeping with him. It's going to be child support for you my friend.
If say China were the superpower and decided to give 1/3 of Australia to Indonesia and you have a week to pack your things and go, how would you feel?
You are not allowed to sell your home. You are not allowed to stay. You have not choice. Your land deeds mean nothing. All the years, work, love etc, you have put into your home mean nothing.
I think the Palestinians have everyright to be upset. Tell me an Aussie that wouldn't try and defend his home if this were to happen.
To make things werse, even though Israel were given 1/3 of Palestine, they now have taken more than 50%. Over the last 4 decades the Israeli have continued to "steal" land. Bulldoze homes and kill civilian Palestinians defending their homes with sticks and stones. The Israeli have violated about 100 U.N santions over these 4 decades including countless human rights violations (as compared with one David Hicks) yet the U. N does nothing because the U.S sponsors Israel. Then Palestinians take 2 Israeli soldiers hostage to negotiate the release of their friends/family and the U.S declares war on Palestine.
Do you ever wonder why there are so many angry, frustrated middle eastern people in the world? All this has been happening in the middle east for decades and the whole world turns their backs to them. -We drew first blood. We are the bad guys. I used to despise the Muslims myseld until late last year when I did a bit of reading about what is really happening. Do not believe what you see on TV. Do some research outside of the U.S and Israeli controlled propoganda. We have been lied to. What we are calling terrorists are often resistance fighters defending their homes.
1./If say China were the superpower and decided to give 1/3 of Australia to Indonesia and you have a week to pack your things and go, how would you feel?
2./You are not allowed to sell your home. You are not allowed to stay. You have not choice. Your land deeds mean nothing. All the years, work, love etc, you have put into your home mean nothing. . . . .
3./To make things worse, even though Israel were given 1/3 of Palestine, they now have taken more than 50%. . . . . .
4./Do you ever wonder why there are so many angry, frustrated middle eastern people in the world?
1./ I would feel annoyed. . . but I would move to a place in the 2/3's that is not Indonesian and I would expect my fellow countrymen to help me accomodate my family after such un upheaval. .
2./ I would be amused . . I don't own my home. and an earthquake would render everyones land/house deeds useless too. All material things can be destroyed or stolen. What can ANY person do about it in the bigger picture. Palestinians don't have the market cornered on 'loss of homes'.
3./ over 20% of current adult Australians are living in rented homes and that figure is about to jump dramatically. Why is home ownership THE measure of our success?? . . it is a fake measuring line. Your house could fall down or burn up tomorrow. (I have seen a couple of millionaire places turn to ashes recently too) . . farmers are today discussing when to leave their properties due to drought. They will walk away from land that has been in their families for generations . . but it is now useless without water so a sale is out of the question too . That is not so vastly different from many other places in the world . . . they all feel cheated.
.4/ There are billions of people worldwide who are 'down-trodden' by the rich and powerful . . Palestinians don't have a 'first claim' to that fact either . .
5./ . . my HOME was lost to a fraudster 6 years ago . . now it is in alien territory I would laugh at the thought of the thief having an assett worth less than $1.
footnote: Beware assuming all Aussies are rich, smug and powerful . . many are feeling just as slighted as the poor of third world countries . . they just have not resorted to public rioting (yet!)
I will be out of the country for the first 12 days of BB . how clever am I ! Smart enough to leave the 'dead-heads' behind
If say China were the superpower and decided to give 1/3 of Australia to Indonesia and you have a week to pack your things and go, how would you feel?
You are not allowed to sell your home. You are not allowed to stay. You have not choice. Your land deeds mean nothing. All the years, work, love etc, you have put into your home mean nothing.
I think the Palestinians have everyright to be upset. Tell me an Aussie that wouldn't try and defend his home if this were to happen.
Both sides in the Palestinian conflict do have long standing 'claims' on that tiny piece of land. The battles have been going on for 3,000 years and with the flood of media coverage on a daily basis now the rest of the world is tired of hearing/seeing that religiously based mess.
Even the IRA in Ireland got wise and saw what the media influence was doing to their cause . . and stopped the fighting . .
I will be out of the country for the first 12 days of BB . how clever am I ! Smart enough to leave the 'dead-heads' behind
I don't think Walt (who himself was of dubious character) would be turning in his grave because as far as I know he is Cryogenically on ice awaiting the day when they find a cure for whatever killed him and bring him back to life! You know what.... I am merging this superfluous thread with an existing Middle Eastern Thread, one that you actually created BM.
Israel has announced three new Jewish suburbs in occupied land of the East Bank. Great way to foster peace and yet another deliberate provocation.
It never fails, whenever a peace negotiation begins to work and there is a period of relative calm free from violence, either a Palestinian group but more often than not the Israeli's do something to flare up the tensions again. From Sharon's deliberate provocation on The Mount, to dropping a 1000lb bomb on an apartment block in Gaza after 8 weeks of no violence, to poisoning Palestinian crops and most of all taking Palestinian land after promising they would stop illegal settlements.
They both are as bad as each other but as long as Israel keeps doing these things, and America doesn't crack down on it whilst cracking down on Israel's opponents, there will never be any hope of peace there and many new generations of hatred will be fuelled with Mickey Mouse clones because they get plenty of ammunition to use by the Israeli's themselves.
Everyone is entitled to be stupid, but some abuse the privilege.
Love this, wish all sides in the M.E. could treat the whole thing as a joke (and the Americans would just butt out).
An Arab, desperate for water, was plodding through the desert when he saw something far off in the distance.
Hoping to find water, he hurried toward the object, only to find a little old Jewish man at a small stand selling neckties.
The Arab asked, "Do you have water?"
The Jewish man replied, "I have no water. Would you like to buy a tie?
They are only $5."
The Arab shouted, "Idiot! I do not need an overpriced tie. I need water!
I should kill you, but I must find water first."
"OK," said the old Jewish Man, "it does not matter that you do not want to buy a tie and that you hate me.
I will show you that I am bigger than that. If you continue over that hill to the east for about two miles, you will find a lovely restaurant. It has all the ice cold water you need. Shalom."
Muttering, the Arab staggered away over the hill.
Several hours later he staggered back.
"Your flea ridden brother won't let me in without a tie....
Everyone is entitled to be stupid, but some abuse the privilege.
No way on the last point cactus. They are two different kettle of fish and cannot be compared in anyway.
Having lived in America and having been engaged to an American, there is a huge difference in the people, which is where you should really look. Those people in Al Qaida are vengeful and evil whereas the average American is amongst the most generous and good-hearted people on the planet.
Yes the US government on behalf of US industry does some very bad things in the world, but they are not terrorists. Yes the current extreme right wing administration is doing some very bad things and is usurping democracy but as you can see the American people have seen this and turned against them, proving the people themselves are still good at heart. The same can't be said for Al Qaida and those who support it.
Also by framing Al Qaida in the way you have, you make out it is a cohesive structured entity, but it has ceased being that since September 2001. So that makes it impossible to compare with any government, good or bad.
Everyone is entitled to be stupid, but some abuse the privilege.
No way on the last point cactus. They are two different kettle of fish and cannot be compared in anyway.
Having lived in America and having been engaged to an American, there is a huge difference in the people, which is where you should really look. Those people in Al Qaida are vengeful and evil whereas the average American is amongst the most generous and good-hearted people on the planet.
I don't think cactus was comparing the American people to Al-Qaeda, rather the U.S. Government. Americans are just like us except more ignorant and patriotic, generally speaking.
But yes I don't think we can compare the U.S. Government to Al Qaeda. Although I can certainly understand where you're coming from Cactus.
The American Government, through it's imperialist foreign policies have either directly (as in Iraq) or indirectly by aiding and abetting despots killed more innocent people than Al-Qaeda and probably all extremist Islamist organisations combined. It sure does sound like terrorism doesn't it? Killing innocent people to achieve a political or ideological agenda.
But where it becomes grey is the U.S. are supposedly the good guys, they're on our side. They'd protect us if we needed them or drop an a-bomb on anyone that attacked a western country (or who attacked them). You could argue that America doesn't go out to kill innocent people, but they sure do make a habit out of it calling it "collateral damage".
I don't think cactus was comparing the American people to Al-Qaeda, rather the U.S. Government. Americans are just like us except more ignorant and patriotic, generally speaking.
Right there! I don’t see any difference with the powers behind 9/11 and the powers behind the bombing of Iraq where many thousands of innocent people were killed. There are many Americans who supported Bush as there was Muslims who supported bin Laden. And, there are just as many Americans who opposed the invasion of Iraq as there are Muslims who disagreed with 9/11.
And the ignorance is mostly facilitated by political spin, in both instances, which is now creeping into the Australian political agenda. We’ve got to stop this insidious agenda, and stop it now, before it destroys us all.
The ignorance of the public has kept Howard in power for 11 years. 2001 saw the great Tampa con, where Howard made the public believe we would be swamped by refugees and he was the only man that could save us. 2004 saw the great interest rate con, where Howard convinced the public interest rates would soar if Labor got into power.
Ignorance is the greatest threat to freedom and democracy. The Government is successfully keeping many of us in the dark through it's secretive behaviour and by gagging the media through anti-FOI laws. I can't think of a better example of how damaging the combination of an evil regime and an ignorant public can be than the holocaust.
NEW YORK (AP) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad questioned the official version of the Sept. 11 attacks and defended the right to cast doubt on the Holocaust in a tense appearance Monday at Columbia University, whose president accused the hard-line leader of behaving like "a petty and cruel dictator."
Ahmadinejad smiled at first but appeared increasingly agitated, decrying the "insults" and "unfriendly treatment." Columbia President Lee Bollinger and audience members took him to task over Iran's human-rights record and foreign policy, as well as Ahmadinejad's statements denying the Holocaust and calling for the disappearance of Israel.
"Mr. President, you exhibit all the signs of a petty and cruel dictator," Bollinger said, to loud applause.
He said Ahmadinejad's denial of the Holocaust might fool the illiterate and ignorant.
"When you come to a place like this it makes you simply ridiculous," Bollinger said. "The truth is that the Holocaust is the most documented event in human history."
Ahmadinejad rose, also to applause, and after a religious invocation, said Bollinger's opening was "an insult to information and the knowledge of the audience here."
"There were insults and claims that were incorrect, regretfully," Ahmadinejad said, accusing Bollinger of falling under the influence of the hostile U.S. press and politicians. "I should not begin by being affected by this unfriendly treatment."
During a question and answer session, Ahmadinejad appeared tense and unsmiling, in contrast to more relaxed interviews and appearances earlier in the day.
In response to one audience, Ahmadinejad denied he was questioning the existence of the Holocaust: "Granted this happened, what does it have to do with the Palestinian people?"
But then he said he was defending the rights of European scholars, an apparent reference to a small number who have been prosecuted under national laws for denying or minimizing the Holocaust.
"There's nothing known as absolute," he said.
He reiterated his desire to visit ground zero to express sympathy with the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks, but then appeared to question whether al-Qaida was responsible.
"Why did this happen? What caused it? What conditions led to it?" he said. "Who truly was involved? Who was really involved and put it all together?"
Asked about executions of homosexuals in Iran, Ahmadinejad said the judiciary system executed violent criminals and high-level drug dealers, comparing them to microbes eliminated through medical treatment. Pressed specifically about punishment of homosexuals, he said: "In Iran we don't have homosexuals like in your country."
With the audience laughing derisively, he continued: "In Iran we do not have this phenomenon. I don't know who's told you that we have this."
Bollinger was strongly criticized for inviting Ahmadinejad to Columbia, and had promised tough questions in his introduction to Ahmadinejad's talk. But the strident and personal nature of his attack on the president of Iran was startling.
"You are either brazenly provocative or astonishingly uneducated," Bollinger told Ahmadinejad about the leader's Holocaust denial.
During his prepared remarks, the Iranian president did not address Bollinger's accusations directly.
Suzanne Maloney, a foreign policy fellow at the Brookings Institution, said Ahmadinejad's softer tone on Israel in this speech may reflect backlash in his own country.
"There's been widespread commentary in Iran, even on the far-right, that Ahmadinejad's position on Israel has hurt the country's diplomatic relations," said Maloney. "The fact that he was frankly unwilling to go as far as he has in the past suggests there may have been some consequences for him at home."
President Bush said Ahmadinejad's appearance at Columbia "speaks volumes about really the greatness of America."
He told Fox News Channel that if Bollinger considers Ahmadinejad's visit an educational experience for Columbia students, "I guess it's OK with me."
Other American officials were less sympathetic.
On Capitol Hill, conservatives said Columbia should not have invited Ahmadinejad to speak. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said "there is a world of difference between not preventing Ahmadinejad from speaking and handing a megalomaniac a megaphone and a stage to use it."
Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., said he thought Columbia's invitation to Ahmadinejad was a mistake "because he comes literally with blood on his hands."
Thousands of people jammed two blocks of 47th Street across from the United Nations to protest Ahmadinejad's visit to New York. Organizers claimed a turnout of tens of thousands. Police did not immediately have a crowd estimate.
The speakers, most of them politicians and officials from Jewish organizations, proclaimed their support for Israel and criticized the Iranian leader for his remarks questioning the Holocaust.
"We're here today to send a message that there is never a reason to give a hatemonger an open stage," New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said.
Protesters also assembled at Columbia. Dozens stood near the lecture hall where Ahmadinejad was scheduled to speak, linking arms and singing traditional Jewish folk songs about peace and brotherhood, while nearby a two-person band played "You Are My Sunshine."
Signs in the crowd displayed a range of messages, including one that read "We refuse to choose between Islamic fundamentalism and American imperialism."
---
Associated Press writers Karen Matthews and Aaron Clark contributed to this report.
There seem to be some countries like Kazakstan that aren't but like afganisatan and pakistan? and stuff are still dodgy, with freedom fighters etc? They have very strong beliefs and want to fight for them...It really sucks
Pakistani former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has been killed in a presumed suicide attack, a military spokesman has announced on TV.
Earlier reports said Ms Bhutto had only been injured and taken to hospital.
Ms Bhutto had just addressed a pre-election rally in the town of Rawalpindi when the bomb went off.
At least 15 other people are reported killed in the attack and several more were injured. Ms Bhutto had twice been the country's prime minister.
She was campaigning ahead of elections due in January.
'She expired'
The explosion occurred close to an entrance gate of the park in Rawalpindi where Ms Bhutto had been speaking.
The blast caused carnage at the rally
PPP spokesman Farhatullah Babar initially said that Ms Bhutto was safe. But later he told the BBC that Ms Bhutto had died.
Another member of the PPP, Wasif Ali Khan, told the Associated Press news agency from the Rawalpindi General Hospital: "At 6:16 pm (1316 GMT) she expired."
Ms Bhutto returned from self-imposed exile in October after years out of Pakistan where she had faced corruption charges.
Her return was the result of a power-sharing agreement with President Musharraf in which he granted an amnesty that covered the court cases she was facing.
Since her return relations with Mr Musharraf have broken down.
On the day of her return she led a motor cavalcade through the city of Karachi. It was hit by a double suicide attack that left some 130 dead.
The PPP has the largest support in the country.
Earlier on Thursday at least four people were killed ahead of an election rally that Pakistan's former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was preparing to attend close to Rawalpindi.
I gasped when I turned my Internet news sites on 20 minutes ago. Then I cried. This is just so very sad and so very destabilising. In a country as volatile and hair-triggered as Pakistan this will not only impact on that country but will impact implicitly on the rest of the World.
I gasped when I turned my Internet news sites on 20 minutes ago. Then I cried. This is just so very sad and so very destabilising. In a country as volatile and hair-triggered as Pakistan this will not only impact on that country but will impact implicitly on the rest of the World.
Suzi. Can i ask you what you think should be the next step in Pakistan.
I don't think I am qualified to answer that TPO. I am not of Pakistani origin and do not live in that country. I know that Benazir Bhutto stood for democracy, her party stands for democracy and at the moment Pakistan has a military government. Pakistan has nuclear weapons and nuclear capabilities. In an unstable country with a volatile history that is very concerning.
In a book I read it was saying that Pakistan was fairly calm atm, and it was the border with Afghanistan that was dangerous. It used to be Iran/Iraq. But now Pakistan seems so hugely corrupt. It's scary. How did they fall again! Speaking of corruptness, Belarus is the most corrupt country in Europe.
Corruption Index ranking of European countries:
01. Belarus 02. Azerbaijan 03. Russia 04. Ukraine 05. Moldova
The top 50 countries to live in:
1. Iceland 2. Norway 3. Australia 4. Canada 5. Ireland 6. Sweden 7. Switzerland 8. Japan 9. The Netherlands 10. France
In a book I read it was saying that Pakistan was fairly calm atm, and it was the border with Afghanistan that was dangerous. . . .
That book was not written and published this morning at 7am? Pakistan is a country where things change by the minute now.
It has been central to hot spots in the M.E for USA to use as a base but that may all change now. The people are passionate, with hot and fiery social, religious and political issues and this assassination has caused riots and unrest countrywide. I am not planning a vacation in the Karachi Hilton in the next month or so, and neither will the Australian Cricket Team soon.
And surprise surprise the U.S. are an ally and supporter of the Pakistani Government. Must their dirty little fingers be in every "bloody" pie?
I don't have the answers on how you "fix" these countries. A start would be to not support them! A lot of international pressure and support for the opposition who support real democracy would also be other measures.
And surprise surprise the U.S. are an ally and supporter of the Pakistani Government. Must their dirty little fingers be in every "bloody" pie?
I don't have the answers on how you "fix" these countries. A start would be to not support them! A lot of international pressure and support for the opposition who support real democracy would also be other measures.
C'mon Musharaf has been instrumental in aiding the war in Afghanistan. He has been far from perfect and could do a lot more, but I admire his courage in what must be a delicate balance of trying to please everybody. Pakistan is key to stability in the region. If I was the U.S I would make myself best friends with the Pakistani government as well. Syria and Iran are the problems.
C'mon Musharaf has been instrumental in aiding the war in Afghanistan. He has been far from perfect and could do a lot more, but I admire his courage in what must be a delicate balance of trying to please everybody. Pakistan is key to stability in the region. If I was the U.S I would make myself best friends with the Pakistani government as well. Syria and Iran are the problems.
Don't be fooled by Musharaf's tactics, he is no good guy. Just like any other dictator he will do whatever it takes to remain in power, and befriending the U.S. means no foreign "do-gooders" are going to come in anytime soon and topple him. Like every dictator he does not give a crap about his people. America has given him millions if not billions to allow them to use Pakistan as their launching pad for their operations in the M.E, in return they ignore Pakistan not being a democracy and expanding it's nuclear weapons. It's all dirty.
26 killed in suicide attack on Pakistani police January 11, 2008 - 6:19AM Latest related coverage
At least 22 police and four civilians were killed when a suicide bomber blew himself up outside the high court in the commercial heart of Lahore, Pakistan's second largest city.
The bomber triggered a device packed with ball bearings when police stopped him outside the court, two weeks to the day after the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto in a gun and suicide bomb attack.
The blast ripped through a busy square in the city centre as dozens of riot police gathered ahead of a protest by lawyers against the rule of President Pervez Musharraf.
Up to 60 people, many of them police officers, were rushed to hospital after the explosion, the latest in a wave of suicide attacks that have killed hundreds across Pakistan over the past year.
Dead police officers, dressed in full riot gear with protective vests and helmets, were seen lying side-by-side where they had fallen. A dead horse, still attached to a vendor's cart, lay nearby.
"Twenty-two policemen died in the attack, six are critically wounded," said Lahore police chief Malik Iqbal. "Around 35 have minor injuries. The suicide bomber approached the police picket and was signalled to stop."
Hospital sources said four civilians were also killed in the attack.
"It was a very loud blast. I was one of the first who rushed out of the court and I saw a man bleeding from his nose and his mouth. He died minutes later," said lawyer Khurram Latif Khosa.
"I saw about 50 to 60 injured police, bleeding, scattered everywhere. They were asking for water. There were body parts on the ground."
A wounded officer with his clothes apparently blown off by the force of the blast lay in the street screaming for help as security forces scrambled to cordon off the downtown area.
Police said the head of the suspected suicide bomber had been found about 100 metres from the blast site, which was littered with the dead and wounded.
After visiting the blast site, Inspector General of Punjab Police Nasim Ahmed told reporters: "The target was the police force.
"Today's bombing was to demoralise the Punjab police, but it will not. They have given their lives while performing their duty."
More than 800 people have been killed in attacks - mainly suicide bombings targeting the security forces - in Pakistan over the past year, making 2007 the deadliest for militant violence in the country's history.
The unrest has fuelled international fears for the stability of the nuclear-armed Islamic republic, a strategic US ally in the war on terror, ahead of crucial general elections set for February 18.
The polls were delayed for six weeks after the assassination of Bhutto, a passionate defender of secular democracy whose murder at an election rally sparked days of deadly rioting across the country.
Information Minister Nisar Memon said the latest bombing was part of a terrorist campaign to disrupt the elections and derail democracy in the Muslim country of some 160 million people.
"But we want to make it very clear that elections will be held as scheduled," he told state television.
Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro said those responsible for today's "cowardly act" were enemies of Pakistan. "Such elements are not believers in any religion or in any human ethics," he said.
Here's an example of very slight progress in Saudi Arabia as a resault of international and economic pressure. By including these countries in the global economy and applying pressure we can bring about change. This is a decent way we can encourage these countries to move forward, as opposed invading them and killing thousands of people and destroying their countries. At the end of the day the west and the middle east do have a god in common - the almight $, perhaps it can be used for good.
Remember the 3 I's:
1. Inclusion in the global economy 2. International pressure 3. International support for liberals within and outside the Government
(There are many other countries with severe human rights violations, for example China, but we don't hear our friends on the right jumping up and down saying we should invade them and 'fix' them).
Quoted Text
Saudi Arabia eases rules for women Tuesday Jan 22 05:06 AEDT
Saudi authorities, breaking with religious codes that require women to be accompanied by a male guardian, have decided to allow women to stay in hotels on their own, a newspaper reports.
A royal decree allowed the Ministry of Commerce and Industry to lay down new regulations simply requiring women to show personal identification including a photograph, which hotel managers must register with local police, al-Watan said.
Tribal custom and hardline religious strictures limit women's movement in the conservative Islamic state, the only country in the world where women are forbidden from driving.
Saudi women can face harassment from the religious police if they are not accompanied in public areas by a male relative who acts as her "guardian". The rules are less strictly enforced for foreigners and in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia's most liberal city.
The paper said the rules, set out in last month's decree, were worked out in coordination with the Ministry of the Interior and the religious police organisation, two bodies who rights activists say stand in the way of improved women's rights in Saudi Arabia.
Concern over the country's image abroad and a desire to integrate women into the national economy have driven liberal voices within government to advance more freedoms for women.
King Abdullah has said he supports reforms, including lifting the driving ban, but only when "society" accepts it.
A Saudi delegation faced tough questioning before a panel of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women in Geneva last week.
1. Inclusion in the global economy 2. International pressure 3. International support for liberals within and outside the Government
Sound logic and I agree with you, especially point 3. The Islamic serpicos need to bring about change from within and we should do all we can to support them.
Quoted from x452
Here's an example of very slight progress in Saudi Arabia as a result of international and economic pressure. By including these countries in the global economy and applying pressure we can bring about change.
My thoughts echo yours.
Quoted from x452
At the end of the day the west and the middle east do have a god in common - the almighty $, perhaps it can be used for good.
It is the one thing everyone can agree on. We all like money.
If I may quote the character Gordon Gekko from the movie Wall Street. The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed -- for lack of a better word -- is good. Greed is right. Greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms -- greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge -- has marked the upward surge of mankind.
Greed may very well save the middle east. Dubai is a perfect example of this and should be the benchmark for other arabic countries. Without doubt the most liberal Islamic country and a credit to them.
Quoted from x452
(There are many other countries with severe human rights violations, for example China, but we don't hear our friends on the right jumping up and down saying we should invade them and 'fix' them).
Is this you just venting as a form of therapy. Seriously nobody left or right thinks like that. Its impossible for me to reply to this as you have made the Mt Everest of generalizations.
Quoted from x452
This is a decent way we can encourage these countries to move forward, as opposed invading them and killing thousands of people and destroying their countries.
Cheap shots even by your standards. Your initial points were valid and had substance.
I am sorry if this offends but I had to laugh when I read the following news report.
Suicide bomber falls down stairs ... Article from: Agence France-Presse From correspondents in Khost, Afghanistan
January 24, 2008 11:39am
A WOULD-be suicide bomber fell down a flight of stairs and blew himself up as he headed out for an attack in Afghanistan, police say.
It was the second such incident in two days, with another man killing himself and three others on Tuesday when his bomb-filled waistcoat exploded as he was putting it on in the southern town of Lashkar Gah.
Yesterday's blast was in a busy market area of the eastern town of Khost, a deputy provincial police chief said.
The would-be attacker tripped as he was leaving a building apparently to target an opening ceremony for a mosque that was expected to be attended by Afghan and international military officials, said Sakhi Mir.
"Coming down the stairs, he fell down and exploded. Two civilian women and a man were wounded,'' Mir said.
Suicide attacks are regular feature of an insurgency led by the extremist Taliban movement that was in government between 1996 and 2001. The most deadly was in November 2007 and killed nearly 80 people, most of them school students.
I am sorry innocent bystanders were killed but it doesn't say much for the bombers. Then again I don't suppose they have a work history for that kind of 'job'.
I am sorry innocent bystanders were killed but it doesn't say much for the bombers. Then again I don't suppose they have a work history for that kind of 'job'.
See . . here in Australia . . that would not happen.
Oc Health and Safety would snap into play and the stairs used would be 'analysed'. Health and Safety of the bomb materials would be subject to scrutiny . . neighbours would have to be given 30 days notice of events . .local council needs to give approval . . *see where I am going*.
I'm on virtualtourist looking up Arghanistan. It's so unfair that the people there are stuck in the middle of so much crap, when we're like.. totally spoiled. Look at what the KIDS do
And the stereotypes.. like this guy..
but these people don't even look foreign (but parts of the country have white skin/green eyes :O)
Taliban executes seven-year-old 'spy' By staff writers From: NewsCore June 10, 2010 7:18am
TALIBAN militants in Afghanistan executed a seven-year-old boy on suspicion of spying for the US-allied government, according to local reports today.
The execution, which has not been confirmed by the extremist organisation, was carried out in the southern Helmand province, government spokesman Daoud Ahmadi told The Times of India.
The boy’s relatives brought the incident to the government’s attention, the newspaper said.
Mr Ahmadi told Iranian news agency Press TV the act was “horrendous”.
It was not immediately clear what information the boy was suspected of leaking. The area is mostly controlled by militants, The Times said.
Taliban fighters in the same province shot down a NATO helicopter overnight as it tried to evacuate a British casualty. Four US soldiers were killed.
There are currently 142,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan, by the Pentagon's count, including 94,000 US troops, according to AFP.
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said earlier this week that 17,000 to 18,000 troops ordered to Afghanistan by President Barack Obama as part of a 30,000 troop surge have arrived in the country.
Taliban blamed for Afghan wedding carnage From: AFP June 10, 2010 4:57PM
NATO has blamed the Taliban for a suicide attack that killed at least 40 Afghan wedding guests in an area where US-led troops are massing to drive insurgents from their fiefdom.
Officials said a suicide bomber strapped with explosives had walked into yesterday's wedding party - which relatives said was attended by members of an anti-Taliban militia - and unleashed a deadly hail of ballbearings.
The Taliban, who are leading a nearly nine-year insurgency against the Western-backed government and the estimated 142,000 foreign troops in Afghanistan, denied responsibility and blamed a NATO airstrike for the deaths.
More than 70 people were wounded when the explosion ripped through the celebrations in Arghandab district, 20 kilometres north of Kandahar city, local officials said.
Most of the victims were male as the explosion occurred in an area of the wedding festivities reserved for men, they said.
RELATED COVERAGE Explosion kills dozens at wedding Herald Sun, 6 hours ago Blast kills 39 at wedding Adelaide Now, 12 hours ago Twelve NATO soldiers killed in 24 hours Perth Now, 1 day ago Ten soldiers killed in Afghanistan Courier Mail, 2 days ago Aussie troops build presence in Kandahar The Australian, 9 days ago
The groom's brother, Mohammad Zanif, said: "My brother was wounded. We don't know what happened. There was an enormous explosion and as a result everyone there was either killed or injured.''
The groom is a policeman and his colleagues were attending the wedding, Kandahar Governor Turiyalai Wisa told a news conference Thursday.
"A suicide attack was the cause of this bloody incident,'' he said.
"The casualties are massive but so far we have been able to confirm 40 people killed and another 78 wounded, which includes 14 children,'' the provincial governor said.
"Our investigation is ongoing and the casualty toll might rise. Most of the wounded are in critical condition, and some of them unfortunately may lose their lives.''
NATO Lieutenant General Nick Parker said: "This ruthless violence brought to the Afghan people at what should have been a time for celebration demonstrates the Taliban's sickening and indiscriminate tactics.''
But the Taliban, who routinely deny causing civilian casualties, blamed the bloodshed on NATO bombing and offered condolences.
"This is a disaster. We blame the foreign forces and the Afghan government for this calamity. We pray for the quick recovery of the wounded and patience for the families of those martyred,'' Taliban spokesman Yousuf Ahmadi said.
Kandahar is the focus of a massive build-up by US-led military forces trying to drive the Taliban from their spiritual homeland and end their bloody insurgency.
The explosion came during a particularly bloody week for foreign forces with 23 international soldiers killed, including four US servicemen who died when a NATO helicopter was shot down in neighbouring Helmand province.
US military chief Admiral Mike Mullen offered condolences after the wedding attack and warned that more bloodshed was expected.
"We will succeed in Afghanistan. We will prevent that country from ever becoming a safe haven again, but it will be a slow, messy and often deadly business,'' he said in Washington.
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said the military expected a "high level of violence, particularly this summer'' as coalition forces move into areas controlled by the Taliban.
Relatives told AFP that the groom and other wedding guests were members of an anti-Taliban militia set up with the support of US Special Forces.
Brigadier General Ben Hodges, head of US forces in the south, told AFP that US Special Forces were helping villages organise their own protection against Taliban militants.
"There are some programmes where special forces units are out in a village stability programme where they might find a large village and then help train the locals to defend themselves,'' Hodges said.
The Taliban rejected a "peace jirga'' hosted by President Hamid Karzai last week with a view to coaxing militant fighters to lay down their weapons.
The jirga was marred by a rocket attack for which the Taliban claimed responsibility, prompting two of Karzai's top security officials to resign.
US troops have been in Afghanistan since the invasion to topple the Taliban regime which gave safe haven to Al-Qaeda and refused to surrender Osama bin Laden after the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Four killed after Taliban hit NATO chopper From: AFP June 10, 2010 2:33am
TALIBAN militants shot down a NATO helicopter in southern Afghanistan today, killing four soldiers and bringing to 23 the number of foreign troops killed in escalating violence so far this week.
The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) helicopter came down in Helmand province, a stronghold of Taliban fighting to topple the Western-backed government and evict the 130,000 US-led foreign troops in Afghanistan.
"Four ISAF service members were killed in the crash," a military spokesman said. "The helicopter was brought down by hostile fire," he added.
Yousuf Ahmadi, a Taliban spokesman, claimed responsibility for the incident.
"We brought it down with a rocket. It crashed in the Sangin district bazaar today at around 10am (1530 AEST)," Ahmadi said.
According to an AFP tally based on the independent website icasualties.org, 253 foreign soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan so far this year. Last year was the deadliest yet, with 520 killed.
Much of southern Afghanistan is troubled by a nearly nine-year Taliban insurgency, now in its deadliest phase, and is where US and NATO troops are building up a campaign to flush the militants out of Kandahar city.
The crash brought to five the number of NATO soldiers killed in the south today, after the military announced that a separate soldier had been killed by an improvised bomb explosion, the Taliban weapon of choice.
Twenty-three NATO soldiers have died since Sunday, including 10 on Monday when US-led forces in Afghanistan encountered their deadliest day in combat in two years, with seven Americans, two Australians and a French soldier killed.
In the east, three policemen were killed when their vehicle struck an improvised bomb in Ghazni province on Wednesday, Khyalbaz Sherzai, the Ghazni provincial police chief said.
The Taliban also claimed responsibility for that attack.
Despite the mounting casualties, US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said in London that he expected to see signs of progress in a flagship counter-insurgency strategy "by the end of the year".
Mr Gates said the commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, "is pretty confident that by the end of the year he will be able to point to sufficient progress that validates the strategy and also justifies continuing to work at this".
But he cautioned that there were "no illusions" about quick victories and that there was a difficult struggle ahead, warning it would be "tough summer".
Mr Gates said the United States and its allies were under pressure to show some success in the war. Voters in many countries have appeared increasingly weary of casualties in a seemingly endless foreign war.
The US military has warned that casualty tolls will inevitably climb during the increased operations.
NATO, US and Afghan soldiers are preparing their biggest offensive yet against the Taliban in Kandahar province, with total foreign troop numbers set to peak at 150,000 by August.
The Taliban vowed last month to unleash a new campaign of attacks on diplomats, lawmakers and foreign forces.
It claimed responsibility for a rocket attack on a landmark Afghan meeting last week convened by President Hamid Karzai in Kabul to drum up support for plans to give jobs and money to militants who lay down their arms.
Deadliest year for troops in Afghanistan From correspondents in Kabul From: AFP August 26, 2009 3:12am
Death toll ... 63 foreign soldiers have died in Afghanistan this month and 295 have died since January.
THE number of foreign soldiers killed in Afghanistan this year has surpassed that for all of 2008 with the deaths of four US military personnel in a bomb blast in the country's south.
The soldiers operating under NATO's International Security Assistance Force were killed yesterday by an improvised bomb, the Taliban's weapon of choice, the alliance force said in a statement. The force did not provide the exact location of the fatal attack.
The latest casualties bring to 63 the number of foreign soldiers who have died in Afghanistan this month and to 295 the death toll since January, making this the deadliest year for foreign troops since their 2001 arrival.
Four Australians have been killed in Afghanistan this year, taking the overall toll to 12 since operations began.
Quoting Navy Chief Petty Officer Brian Naranjo, the statement said the soldiers were Americans. They were on patrol "in one of the most violent areas of Afghanistan".
The international force, now numbering more than 100,000 troops, lost 294 soldiers in 2008.
Of those killed so far this year, 172 were Americans compared to 155 who died in Afghanistan last year.
The rest of the dead soldiers were from other nations contributing to efforts to wipe out the worsening Taliban insurgency in the country.
Britain, Canada and the Netherlands are the biggest troop contributors to the international effort, after the US.
The Taliban, in power between 1996 and 2001, have stepped up their attacks each year, prompting President Barack Obama's administration to send additional troops in an effort to defeat the Islamist rebels.
News of the latest troop deaths came after the government said four Afghan civilians were killed and five injured in a roadside bomb attack in the country's east.
The civilians died when a bomb, similar to that which killed the US troops and also planted by Taliban-linked rebels, struck their vehicle in Paktia province, bordering Pakistan.
The spike in troop deaths in Afghanistan has renewed debate in Britain and the US about their continuing role in the conflict.
Most of the deaths are caused by roadside bombs, which also claim a high number of civilian lives.
The violence comes as Afghanistan awaits the results from last week's presidential elections, only the second in its history.
Early results released show President Hamid Karzai only 2 per cent ahead of his nearest rival, former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah.
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