Terrorist Attack Outside U.S. Consulate

Initial reports indicate that four individuals, armed with pistols and shotguns, staged an attack on a Turkish police post outside of the U.S. consulate in Istanbul this morning. Three police officers and three of the attackers are dead. There do not appear to be any U.S. casualties. From FOX News:

Armed men attacked a police guardpost outside the U.S. consulate in Istanbul on Wednesday. Turkish officials called it a terrorist attack and said three officers and three of the assailants were killed.

At least one of the attackers opened fire at the post near the consulate's main entrance at about 11 a.m., a U.S. embassy spokeswoman said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

There were no reports of casualties among American consulate employees, she said.

"There is no doubt that this is a terrorist attack," Istanbul Gov. Muammer Guler said.

The nasties and the crazies are still out there, and they would love to score a big hit on an American interest anywhere in the world.

USMC 9971 OUT