Boston

[Aussie Mark]

You could be forgiven to cynically think that no one has claimed this as their deed yet because the death toll was less than impressive given prior expectations.

or, because they want to instill fear via the uncertainty of further bombs

[westen44]

I also hope not to appear cynical.  But based on what I've read about this kind of thing, the methods, objectives, etc., this might just be a test run.  It's strictly my impression and it's all based on sheer speculation, but I do think it was probably just practice. 

[Psycho Bass Guy]

I don't think it was a practice run. The number of people in the area who were not killed and unexploded bombs found attests to the lack of sophistication of the attacker(s). High explosive shaped charges are easy enough to manufacture homebrew. IED's overseas are made from artillery shells because there are so many of them there already. I expect that this attack was probably motivated by a perception of the victims/area as having a particular political leaning.

[nofi]

by that you mean carl rove did it.

[Psycho Bass Guy]

by that you mean carl rove did it.

No. It's not Rove's style to do his own dirty work. He uses poor people to do his killing.

[drbassman]

I thought it was the Saudi student being quietly deported to protect his rich family?

[Denis]

...and unexploded bombs found ...

I think they've backed away from the earlier claims/rumors of unexploded bombs being discovered; at least as of yesterday.

[Psycho Bass Guy]

I haven't heard anything other than that the police have a suspect based on surveillence camera stills, but the only development that would surprise me would be that it was the IRA. I understand how my first comment could have been taken in a partisan context (and I definitely replied to its subsequent reply that way), but I meant my original post in the broader sense that it could have been an act of terror aimed at a political ideology in general, IOW, the possibility of domestic terrorists equally motivated at striking out against the "Northeast big government liberals" as jihadists trying to inflict mass casualties at an international event in the 'land of corruption.' I also have no doubts that Saudi oil money could cover nearly ANY sin on American soil. The last time Saudis attacked the US, the US attacked Iraq.

I'm happy to see that the public and government has refrained from accusatory bloodlust for the most part. Not so many years ago, the flags would have come out and the American people would be given the name of some remote Middle Eastern country and rallied to level it and sny who questioned why would have been labeled unpatriotic traitors.  Eleven years of war has hopefully dulled that reflex. I don't want my tax dollars killing another few hundred thousand brown people who had nothing to do with this.

[Psycho Bass Guy]

I think they've backed away from the earlier claims/rumors of unexploded bombs being discovered; at least as of yesterday.

Ahh... the ever responsible news media! They need to adopt the motto of the Marines: First to go. Last to know.

[uwe]

"... the only development that would surprise me would be that it was the IRA ..."

[drbassman]

Truth is, we don't know jack about this.

[Dave W]

Let's keep any more political comments out of this thread. Thanks.

[westen44]

Let's keep any more political comments out of this thread. Thanks.

Good idea.  This is one of the few places I can go to free of the political polarization crap that pervades American society.  I look at it as Internet oasis.  Oasis the band, that's another story I guess.  I can remember one music forum I used to go to long ago.  There was a guitarist who was such a fanatical Oasis fan that if anyone ever said anything negative about them, he would go berserk.  Once he made quite a scene and even the moderator seemed embarrassed.  Fun times. 

[the mojo hobo]

I also hope not to appear cynical.  But based on what I've read about this kind of thing, the methods, objectives, etc., this might just be a test run.  It's strictly my impression and it's all based on sheer speculation, but I do think it was probably just practice. 

If this is true they probably learned a lot. Looking at the small number dead and the large number of amputees it would appear the bombs had a wide horizontal dispersion but a narrow vertical dispersion. If the bombs had been raised above the ground a few feet there would have been many more deaths. Speculation on my part.

[gweimer]

Speaking of explosions, this is what I woke up to this morning.  My front door is about 100 yards behind the flames.  I heard the truck explode as I got ready to leave for work.

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/51581577/ns/local_news-columbus_oh/