Horrific Child Massacre in Houla - Anyone else having nightmares after reading it???

[catfart]

Words escape me, I've read the article on the BBC website about this and now I cannot get it out of my mind. The part which hits home even more is Leana Hoseas' Analysis on it I've cut and pasted, I've been in tears the last hour. How brutal, those poor babies.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-18221461

^Leana Hosea
BBC News
The "massacre" video which has emerged from Houla bears the sound of a man screaming:

"These are all children! Watch, you dogs, you Arabs, you animals - look at these children, watch, just watch!"

On a bedroom floor dozens of little children lie dead, their arms and legs strewn over one another. Many of their eyes are still open, bearing a look of shock and fright. They are all covered with blood and obviously suffered terrible deaths.

A girl, who is perhaps seven years old, wearing a headscarf and pink diamante belt, lies face to face in death with a much younger boy.

Another little boy in a yellow jumper lies with his arms stretched out, almost cradling the head of the girl next to him. Blood covers both their faces and soaks their hair.

People off camera are shouting: "Oh God, oh God, oh God."
Surely its time something needs to be done.....this can't happen again.^

This has been happening since March 2011.

We have as much blood on our hands as China and Russia for allowing this to escalate.

I forced myself to look at the photos. I didn't want to because they were so horrific but I thought being in my cushy life trying to minimise the impact on me was selfish. For a bit I felt guilty for enjoying the sunny day with my family but then realised I should make the most of it as I am so lucky. As long as while doing so I didn't forget it all. I really want to do something. I don't know what...

I'm the same Bronze, I saw the photos but theres no way I could watch a video.

Bronze, I know how you feel. I want to do something too. It seems so far removed, but we can lobby our MP's. I'm so upset by this, that just seems nothing.

Thought this article from The Guardian was interesting, 'According to an article in the New York Times, Obama hopes to enlist President Vladimir Putin's support over a transition of power in Syria during a meeting next month ? the first between the pair since Putin's return to the Kremlin.' link below.

www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/may/27/us-condemns-syria-massacre-russia?newsfeed=true

Seeing as Russia is going to make some bull shit excuse up making out they can't be sure who did it (my prev post to this) I don't hold out much hope for that...pontificate over whether that child killed by a mortar or have their throat slashed...can't tell so can't do anything...I can see Assad and Putin in bed together having a nice cocoa.

We need to make sure that the pressure on our Government mounts, doesn't drop' as I'm sure you like I want to erase those horrific images from your memory, move on, but we mustn't.

No words.

Forgive my ignorance but what is actually going on in Syria? I used to be a news junkie but with my daughter and busy life I never keep quite up to date.

Protests started against the regime as part of the Arab Spring uprisings last year. As in Libya, it's basically a civil war now.
Assad has three children by the way. How can you look yourself in the mirror knowing that you have allowed other parent's children to be brutalised and murdered like that?

uesful overview from the BBC

Rwanda,Syria,Congo,Brazil. It's the same old s**t the world over. Govts will whinge on but they won't actually do anything. Worst that will happen is Assad will get a free pass for him and his family to leave Syria (with his $billions).

I will never,ever,ever whine about my life again. Ever. I can't believe what is happening. Who could do that to children but the worst possible psychopaths.

So... who's watching C4 tomorrow evening at 8pm?

www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches/episode-guide/series-111/episode-1

I've just read the overview:

"Key leaders and figures in the West welcomed the young couple, convinced that the softly spoken London-trained ophthalmologist and his beautiful British-born former investment banker wife would bring reform and modernisation to a country that had been run by an iron-fisted dictator for nearly 30 years. But it seems the West was duped. Instead of a transparent and progressive leadership, what has emerged during a year-long bloody uprising is evidence of the regime's gross systematic human rights abuses, including widespread killings and torture, while the Assads look on. "

With the 8pm (before the watershed) start, hopefully there will be no graphic images. It breaks my heart to read descriptions of the photos and video footage mentioned, let alone to see this for myself.

We should not intervene. The Arab League should.

I don't want to see the loss of one more British soldier in countries that we should never have been involved in: Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, etc

WetAugust - if the Arab league won't intervene should we still sit back?

First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me.

The UK should intervene more than it is (we are already involved, the uk has been arming the rebels in Syria for months to help them overthrow Assad) because it is a force for good in the world. The Arab League don't have the military means or ability to do it. History has proven that looking the other way and only looking after your own is, well, it doesn't stop massacres of children. Like it or not we are a part of the international community and have responsibilities to other human beings.

Imperfectionist. You are so right. I want to
do something but what? I have written to my MP countless times over the years but it doesn't achieve anything.

After seeing what I saw on YouTube I cannot carry on as normal telling myself it's something that is happening far away to other people.

No - we should not get involved.

We are not the World's policeman. Syria is not the only disgusting regime in the World. We can't sort them all out.

Bonnie I think the best thing you can do is raise awareness of what is happening, describe it to friends and family who do not know or don't read the news, post links on Facebook so your friends are conscious of it, influence those close to you to agree that something must be done, rather than them avoiding the depressing headlines. Helping turn public opinion towards one supporting action - whether more diplomacy or military intervention - in Syria, will go a long way. If this gov fear the wrath of the electorate for getting further involved they may not risk losing the next election. That is what Assad is banking on.

I posted on Facebook today and got zero
response . I have tried to discuss it with friends before and they have changed the subject. I'm beginning to think that I'm either an irritating twat or I should get myself some new friends!

Bonnie, I think its just so harrowing and disturbing people can't look or want to forget it immediately, avoidance. I doubt many people here will actually look at those images because they know it will pretty much ruin they're day, let alone that footage, that footage is never going to leave my mind and I saw only 5 seconds of it, had to turn it off, it was too much, cannot imagine how the survivors of that massacre will ever recover. Like Imperfectionist says, best thing we can do is raise awareness, keep talking about it.

I was wondering how long it would take before being told, we are not the worlds policeman :( I'm not getting dragged into that one, pictures and footage speak for themselves. I couldn't say that to those villagers in that video could you?

Interesting article this morning on the Beeb, Hague is off to Russia....they also mention that the Syrian government received arms from Russia via a ship on Saturday.......
www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-18231502

I am so uninformed aout what is going on - have started to look at some of the links on here and educating myself
I've also looked at the images

Its 49 children confirmed who died now.....

There was a another massacre in Syria yesterday.

I feel so bloody useless... what can WE do?

Kunoichi - I'll be watching that tonight www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches/episode-guide/series-111/episode-1

Messy, I don't know other than try and keep ourselves as informed as possible, lets see if Hague manages to de-bullshit Putin today, they've blocked any action that could have helped avert this.

Bonnie, I didn't see that in the news :(

Apparently China have finally been making noises condoning it. Maybe headway will be made if Russia can also get themselves sorted out