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US Embassy in Sweden Evacuated

Threatening letter contained mysterious substance

By Kevin Spak,  Newser Staff

Posted Oct 17, 2012 8:38 AM CDT

(Newser) – The US embassy in Stockholm was evacuated today, after receiving a threatening letter with a mysterious white powder inside, Reuters reports. Police briefly sealed off the area, which is in a wealthy neighborhood of the Swedish capital, but eventually allowed the staff of about 150 reenter the building. "We have lifted the barriers and seized this letter, which is being examined as part of a preliminary investigation into unlawful assault," a police spokesman said.

Unidentified man makes thumbs up gesture towards Swedish police and emergency workers arriving at the US embassy in Stockholm, Sweden, Oct. 17, 2012.
Unidentified man makes thumbs up gesture towards Swedish police and emergency workers arriving at the US embassy in Stockholm, Sweden, Oct. 17, 2012.   (AP photo / Scanpix Sweden / Claudio Bresciani)
US embassy in Stockholm, Sweden is cordoned off by Swedish police during investigations into a suspicious package, Oct. 17, 2012.
US embassy in Stockholm, Sweden is cordoned off by Swedish police during investigations into a suspicious package, Oct. 17, 2012.   (AP photo / Scanpix Sweden / Claudio Bresciani)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 13 comments
awojoone1
Oct 17, 2012 11:39 PM CDT
How many MARINES are stationed at the Swedish embassy????  Between 24 and 30  !!!   How many MARINES in Benghazi   ZERO,  NONE ZILCH  NADA   !!!!    Which is the MORE dangerous  Benghazi or  Sweden  ?????      APPARENTLY  SWEDEN  !!!!!    oblah--blah fuckingg lied!!!!!
right2dave
Oct 17, 2012 11:42 AM CDT
Swedish should stick to what they do best porn.
JackNelsonSteward
Oct 17, 2012 9:29 AM CDT
Our embassies, consulates, missions are our most vulnerable official national offices on foreign soil. They are not intended as defensible positions in an urban war.  They are officially territory of the United States of America and striking them in some way always costs us.  Sometimes the cost is merely monetary ... and sometimes our very highest foreign officers are killed in their duties. Attacking the diplomatic territories draws either treasure or blood, or both ... and they are MUCH more available targets than any military base. The security it takes to harden them into armed camps capable of defending themselves against well-organized, trained and executed assaults from determined attackers is VERY costly ... another of the cuts in the " ... Thousand Cuts"  of the proverbial "Death By ... " I think those who have taken us as enemies have noticed this and have begun to exploit the "tenderness" that exists in the facilities of our foriegn service. We are left with a choice:  We can spend the massive amounts of money it will cost to "harden" our embassies, our consulates ... our missions, which will undoubtedly require the deployment of our Marines and Soldiers to "every corner of the world."  Our diplomatic offices, there for the purpose of maintaining a working and as cordial as possible relation with the host nation, will become, instead, armed camps, bunkers. Of course we don't HAVE to spend the money ... we can withdraw large numbers of our foreign  service officers and leave missions ... withdraw ... from places that would require the dearest price, leaving the remaining missions fewer ... and maybe more attractive? ... as targets. We can withdraw the contact we currently have with parts of the rest of the world. Tough choice ...
 

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