Explosive Device At Military Recruit Station Is Sick Act

Blast damages Times Square recruit station

By Derek Rose - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Mar 6, 2008 7:26:51 EST

NEW YORK — An explosive device caused minor damage to an empty military recruiting station in Times Square early Thursday, shaking guests in hotel rooms high above.

Police blocked off the area to investigate the explosion, which occurred at about 3:45 a.m., shattering the station’s glass entryway. No one was injured.

“If it is something that’s directed toward American troops, then it’s something that’s taken very seriously and is pretty unfortunate,” said Army Capt. Charlie Jaquillard, who is the commander of Army recruiting in Manhattan.

He said no one was inside the station, where the Marines, Air Force and Navy also recruit.

Witnesses staying at a Marriott hotel four blocks away said they could feel the building shake with the blast.

“I was up on the 44th floor and I could feel it. It was a big bang,” said Darla Peck, 25, of Portland, Ore.

“It shook the building. I thought it could have been thunder, but I looked down and there was a massive plume of smoke, so I knew it was an explosion,” said Terry Leighton, 48, of London, who was staying on the 21st floor of the Marriott.
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http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/03/ap_timessquare_030608/

While it is really too soon to know who did this and why they did this, it raises a good question. How can people say they want to seek peaceful means to withdraw the troops from Iraq yet act in violence? It's one thing to have an opinion and speak out but to do this was unacceptable no matter what is behind it. It could have been someone with a grudge against the recruiting center itself. It could have been someone who lost someone they loved and blames the recruiting center. It could also have been someone who is not involved in any group at all. We don't know yet what was behind it. I don't care how people feel about having troops in Iraq when someone decides to do something like this. I'm on their side when it comes to what has happened involving Iraq but when it comes to taking it out through violence, it is just plain wrong. I know people on both sides of the Iraq debate and they have the troops in the center of what they do. I hope people on both sides denounce this act of violence.