Aura of Death

BAGRAM, Afghanistan - A suicide bomber attacked the entrance to the main U.S. military base in Afghanistan on Tuesday during a visit by Vice President Dick Cheney, killing up to 23 people and wounding 20. Cheney was unhurt in the attack, which was claimed by the Taliban and was the closest that militants have come to a top U.S. official visiting Afghanistan. At least one U.S. soldier, an American contractor and a South Korean soldier were among the dead, NATO said.

It must be really weird to realize that 23 living, breathing, human beings are dead simply because you showed up someplace. But, somehow, I don't think that thought even occurred to Cheney.

Of course I'm not fixing the blame for the bombing on Cheney. It was, after all, a suicide bomber. It's just that those 23 people would still be alive if Cheney had never shown up.