November 09, 2005

Amman, Jordan - Special Emergency Despatch

filed under: Despatches

Just got this from Nick in Jordan:

Two major 5-star hotels in the Jebel Amman area, where I live, appear to have been bombed tonight. Reuters is reporting 5 deaths in the Radisson SAS, and more injuries, and the AP reports injuries in the Hyatt but no known deaths. When I drove by, both hotels were surrounded by ambulances, police and military, and of course vulturelike TV reporters, but there was no externally visible damage.

Since I am writing this, I have obviously not been blown up. More to come.

Nick

jordanhyatt.jpg
The Grand Hyatt, Amman Jordan
One of three hotels bombed today
(AP file photo)

4:10pm EST - Nick just checked back in:

Well, I don't know that much more than you right now, as I'm well on the other side of town. There was a third bomb that went off about a half hour after the other two (at the Days Inn) and all the wires are saying there are a lot of people dead.

The best coverage is on Al Jazeera and CNN - A.J., it's worth noting, seems to be the only service that doesn't say the Radisson and Hyatt were "popular with Israeli tourists." Bollocks: there AREN'T israeli tourists in Amman.

Some folks are saying suicide bombing, but that seems very sketchily sourced...

Still, it's all a bit more disturbing given the article linked below, which ran earlier today: the position of the Jordanian government is looking mighty unpleasant (I wouldn't go so far as to say precarious... yet). Then again, these attacks may bolster Jordan's international support, who knows...

For some good background on Jordan's role in Arab politics, check out Abu Aardvark.

N.

Here's the story he was referring to: Jordan Fears Loss of U.S. Favor

Links:

Early CNN/Reuters coverage
AP Coverage
Boom Without Bombs - a sadly ironic month-old LA Times editorial
More AP coverage, now saying three hotels hit and 18 dead
NYTimes coverage (reg. req'd)

Posted by rjt at November 9, 2005 02:45 PM
Comments

Thanks for getting that up. I came out to drop you a line and see if Nick was doing okay. It all sounds freaky.

Posted by: J. at November 9, 2005 06:48 PM

"there AREN'T israeli tourists in Amman."

This is most untrue. Unless you are a racist who does not consider non-Jewish Israelis as true Israelis.

Posted by: Sam at November 12, 2005 08:37 AM

I visited the Abu Ardvark link you have recommended and I was amazed at the shallowness of the analysis. Even the most casual observer of post-WWII history and the rise of communist insurgency throughout the world can find striking parellals between Islamic insurgents and communists insurgents. The message and the means are somewhat different but both insurgencies are all non-state actors. But I guess many aspiring FP "experts" wish to be the first to identify or analyze a new phenomena. There is none here.

Posted by: reading at November 14, 2005 04:58 AM