The Attack That Happened in Pakistan Tuesday

If you haven't heard, at least 141 people are dead and at least 132 of them were children.



The attack was on the Peshawar school. Reportedly, 7 attackers went into the school gaining access by wearing military uniforms. Eye witness reports saying the men had explosive vests and they didn't appear to take any hostages but instead started firing indiscriminately when they entered the school.

All 7 of the attackers are dead and the Taliban has taken credit for this massacre. We also have an alleged Taliban commander telling the media why children were targeted. Saying:



Another quote referencing that this attack is just the trailer (for further attacks).

And while it should be noted that there are huge casualties here, it is actually not that rare for the Taliban to attack schools. Reportedly, in the past 5 years, over 1,000 Pakistani schools have been attacked by the Taliban. That has included people opening fire on school buses, throwing grenades into playgrounds. And this is the enemy! An enemy that fears education! An enemy that fears not being ignorant!

You attack a school of children?! Even Afghan Taliban has condemned Pakistani Taliban! Saying:



You attack children because you are not men! You attack schools and education because you know those who are educated, those who are not living under and denser than a rock will not believe in your cause!

It all boils down to this constant reminder that there's this kind of evil out there in the world. And we can either choose to be terrified or scared, and that turns into general, overall hate. Or, it can be this thing that brings us together against this very evil, in a black and white sort of sense, way.

But, ultimately, like everything else, we'll see.

Syria's Chemical Catastrophe

Activists in Syria are claiming thirteen hundred (1,300) people have been killed in a government rocket strike, on a residential area.



These Syrian activists are utilizing the internet to report the alleged atrocious attack they're claiming they've endured, and they're also accusing the Syrian government and President Bashar al-Assad of bombing the suburbs of Damascus (early last week), with chemical weapons. The Syrian government, however, adamantly denies these claims, and says the reports are merely a distraction.



If these reports are true, and, Assad did in fact unleash chemical weapons, this would be the most egregious chemical attack since Saddam Hussein used gas to kill thousands of Kurds in 1988. Either way, this act is nothing short of a massacre.



Reportedly, local warheads (rockets with chemical agents) hit the Damascus suburbs of Ain Tarma, Zamalka, and Jobar. They hit right before dawn as families were sleeping.



Hospital reports and images show victims with little to no physical damage on their bodies; which could show evidence of the use of chemical agents.



Dr. Khaled al-Doumi, a director of a medical center near the site stated:



A UN team is in Syria, probing to see if this did happen, and if it was because of President Assad.



The hope here is that these chemical experts investigate the area of the bombings, right away. But, the catch is that they need permission from Syria to do anything in the country. It's probably all going to get wrapped up in bureaucracy, so, who knows if that will ever occur.

The pictures of the aftermath are hard to look at. There are many children who were killed.



The European Union has condemned the suspected use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government. While the French foreign minister said that if these claims are true, a reaction of force must be taken. Adding that if the UN council cannot do it, decisions would be made otherwise.



The Turkish foreign minister also joined in saying the UN must act, as all red lines have been crossed.



The German foreign minister called for more efforts to confirm that this happened. The US joined in, saying that this must be urgently investigated. But, will actually anything happen? Thanks to the UN security council, I don't know. But, what I do know, is that China and Russia will not join in. And, it's terrible to see because it's just more of what we've been seeing. Over 100,000 people have been killed (in conflicts that started back in 2011). Millions displaced. And, really, no positive end seems in sight.



A website called The Revolting Syrian, which has posted many disturbing images of the aftermath, stated:



And, that's the thing: it's important we don't forget. Daily, these people wake up to a world of uncertainty and violence that we could never begin to comprehend or handle. And, if these allegations are true, and indeed, chemical weapons were used against the people of Syria, , I hope for a swift and actual response from the international community.

In either way, my heart and thoughts go out to all of the victims in Syria.

Egypt's Ebullition Escalates

Egypt's newly drafted constitution may ban religious political parties.



It looks like the army-backed interim government is setting it up so the Muslim Brotherhood will no longer be a political party.



And so, in Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood may, in fact, be seen as a terrorist organization, especially after all these clashes with the government have left over 800 dead.



Among the other proposed amendments in this constitution, the ban against Mubarak's National Democratic Party, would be lifted. And, on top of that, a judge has now ordered that the former Egyptian autocrat be freed from prison.



Government sources, and Mubarak's lawyers have told the New York Times that Mubarak would be freed soon. But, the government has not officially confirmed the order, indicating that it may seek other ways to keep Mubarak in jail.

Mubarak, of course, in jail, and on trial, for the death of over 900 peaceful protesters, during the 2011 revolution. And, even though he has been reportedly ordered to be freed, he's kind of, universally despised.

There's a ton of different stories, a lot of different versions of everything coming out of Egypt. During all these chaos in Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood was accused of attacking Christian Communities. Although, a spokesman from the Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party said:



So, who knows?