It's not exactly what they meant by "cultural exchange," though the study in contrasts is striking. This attack is also yet another coordinated assault on a high-profile target in the capital; once again, jihad causes material and intellectual poverty: no one will invest if they conclude they are only building new targets. And the obstacles to "academic and cultural exchange" in an atmosphere of random acts of jihadist terror are obvious. "Explosions rock British Council in Afghan capital," by David Ariosto for CNN, August 19:
Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Explosions and heavy automatic gunfire were heard hours after five well-armed suicide bombers attacked the British Council in the Afghan capital on Friday, leaving at least eight people dead, officials said.
White smoke billowed from a building in the compound while heavily-armed British and Afghan forces cordoned off the area in the center of the capital, establishing a security perimeter around the buildings.
The attacks occurred inside a well-guarded Kabul neighborhood, leaving at least another 10 people wounded, the Afghan Interior Ministry said.
The British Council is a British government-affiliated body that fosters cultural and academic exchanges in Afghanistan.
The strike, which the Taliban has claimed responsibility for, also coincides with the 92nd anniversary of Afghan independence from Great Britain.
In the first attack, a militant drove a vehicle packed with explosives toward the council's main security gate before detonating the device, according to Afghan police spokesman Hashamap Stanikzai.
The second man then attempted to enter the compound wearing a vest filled with explosives. He also detonated himself, Stanikzai said.
Police say two militants were killed in a firefight with security forces. The other three detonated their explosives.
Gunfire could be heard throughout the incident and military helicopters circled overhead.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai condemned the attack, as did the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.
"Initial reports indicate a combination of multiple vehicle-borne and personal-borne (improvised explosive devices) were detonated," a statement from the NATO-led force said.
NATO commander Gen. John Allen pledged to hold "the perpetrators accountable for their actions."
Meanwhile, an embassy spokesman said British government personnel are coordinating with Afghan authorities to secure the area.
The strike occurred not far from the Intercontinental Hotel, the scene of another insurgent attack in June against a high-profile western target.
Culture and academics. The first targets of jihadists and communists everywhere. What a brotherhood.
"Culture and Academic Exchange"? I'd say these 7th century Mohammedans were pretty much doing that.
And here's the cultural exchange that the British are getting back home... http://crombouke.blogspot.com/2010/01/multiculturalism-does-islam-bring.html
Because culture and academics are Un-Islamic.
Silly infidels! Islam is the ONLY culture!
Abdullah Bhullah, the wacky mullah
I reckon considering it's Afghanistan we could refer to this recent barbaric act on something cultural as a variation of a deep sickness---BSS (Buddhist Statue Syndrome). BSS, of course, is yet another manifestation of what the religion of peace and tolerance intends for us all who dare to disagree with it, or criticize it, or offer alternative interpretations of the cosmos, even when coming before Islam was born out of the mind of For Profit Mohammed.
Note: several of the cowardly Islamic jihad murderers were wearing BURQAS.
"Kabul suicide attack on British Council leaves nine dead"
http://www.euronews.net/2011/08/19/kabul-suicide-attack-on-british-council-over/
This is very common form of jihad disguise for these Muslim murderers, in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and elsewhere.
E.g. "The Burqa-clad bombers who terrorise Afghanistan.(2009)
"Taliban borrow tactic from Iraqi militant handbook as Afghan violence shows no sign of slowing, in spite of US-led surge"
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/the-burqaclad-bombers-who-terrorise-afghanistan-1755887.html
E.g."Burqa-clad suicide bomber kills 45 in Pakistan" (2010)
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/burqaclad-suicide-bomber-kills-45-in-pakistan-2169050.html
BAN THE BURQA - BAN THE BURQA - BAN THE BURQA - BAN THE BURQA
Now for some thoughts of conservative nutters and their lib allies, I have heard before the sorry excuse that we are in Afghanistan because we want that nation to be strong secular modern state that will no longer be the base for terror. They point to the success of the marshal plan in turning around Germany and Japan after WW2.
However they neglect to point out that these two nations became modern democracies because its people wanted to be successful. They rolled up their sleeves and with the help of the Marshell plan, raised new countries from the old war torn. How many instances have you heard of Germans or Japanese attacking the allies in their respective countries after they had surrendered? There might have been some resistance but nothing organized, sustained or really deadly.
In Afghanistan you have a nation that wants to go back to the bad old days of the Taliban. They love Islam and sharia laws, it’s like if we would have insisted after the end of ww2 that the Germans retain Nazism as a political force and government. Too bad our confused and muddles behavior due to the stupid fantasies of our leaders have resulted in scores of our soldiers dying useless death for nothing.