at least 40 dead in hospital bombing

(17 Posts)
Aboutlastnight Mon 03-Dec-12 12:40:47

No one remember this? Kofi Annan's resignation? May have been in a couple of newspapers?

"International disarray over the bloody crisis in Syria has been starkly underlined when the UN envoy Kofi Annan announced that he was resigning because of the failure of what he said had become a "mission impossible".

The former UN secretary general said it had been a "sacred duty" to take up the position five months ago to try to find a solution to the conflict. But growing militarisation and a lack of unity among world powers had changed the circumstances.

"At a time when we need – when the Syrian people desperately need action – there continues to be finger-pointing and name-calling in the security council," Annan said on Thursday in a sometimes bitter and frustrated statement he made at the UN's Geneva headquarters.

Annan's six-point plan for peace in Syria was already moribund but his dramatic resignation will serve as its death certificate. It leaves the international community without an effective grip on the most violent chapter of the Arab spring, now morphing into a civil war that has already cost an estimated 20,000 lives.

Sluggish and ineffective diplomacy has been outpaced by a fast-moving and increasingly dangerous situation with the current focus on fighting for Aleppo, the country's second city.

Ban ki-Moon, the current UN chief, said he would appoint another envoy when Annan leaves at the end of August. The White House said his resignation showed the failure of Russia and China to act at the UN security council. "President Assad, despite his promise to abide by the Kofi Annan plan, continues to brutally murder his own people," spokesman Jay Carney told reporters aboard Air Force One.

Saski Mon 03-Dec-12 12:35:25

Syria is a bloody nightmare. The civillians are pawns. How incredibly sad.

EldritchCleavage Fri 23-Nov-12 13:12:01

What should the West be doing though?

Do we want e.g. to stop Syrian civilian casualties enough to send in ground troops (whose?) and risk war with Iran, the sponsor of the Assad regime?

CogitoErgoSometimes Fri 23-Nov-12 13:08:47

Because it's been going on for a long time whereas the bombardment of Gaza and Israel is far more recent. That said, the Israel/Gaza aggressive situation is always rumbling along in the background which means something drastic/visual has to take place for us to notice. Now there's a cease-fire it'll be off the front pages and something else will take its place... an atrocity in Afghanistan or Pakistan, for example. I'm sure there are plenty of individuals, organisations and even the FO working away on the Syrian problem but it's not necessarily 'news' unless it's some drastic change.

MrsMicawber Fri 23-Nov-12 12:02:22

Why is it any less emotive than the Gaza/Israel conflict of last week?

CogitoErgoSometimes Fri 23-Nov-12 08:58:20

It's not being 'allowed to continue' but stopping the slaughter is not a simple matter. A full-scale Iraq-style invasion is off the cards for obvious reasons. The Arab League doesn't seem to be involved. There is Western backing for the opposition as happened in Libya but certain islamist groups of rebels have rejected it. Reporting is regular.... recent article here Like all foreign wars, it's difficult for a public with no direct connection to maintain a sense of outrage.

MrsMicawber Thu 22-Nov-12 18:16:52

Because no one in the west is doing anything about it.

noddyholder Thu 22-Nov-12 17:45:54

I haven't seen this on news today and it sounds huge????????

MrsMicawber Thu 22-Nov-12 17:40:51

Exactly - I put this in chat precisely because no one really takes notice of how many people are dying

RichardSimmonsTankTop Thu 22-Nov-12 17:06:57

I don't understand why this can't stay in chat, either. We need wider awareness of these issues - people in news naturally know and care more about what's going on in the world.

Kind of ironic that an Op asking why nothing is being done is ignored in the busiest area of the site - and then relegated to 'In the News' - because if it's in the news we don't need to stress about right? hmm

Op - the answer to your question is lots of Syrians will die. Lots and lots. Just like in Gaza or Sudan or Iraq or any many other places across the globe. It's bloody depressing.

NewKateMumsnet (MNHQ) Thu 22-Nov-12 15:26:00

Hey everyone,

We're just going to move this to In The News, as we think that's the best place for it.

RichardSimmonsTankTop Thu 22-Nov-12 15:10:38


Devastating. I think people are bored about hearing about it. News fatigue or whatever. But there are people - civilians, children dying. We can't get complacent.

SoleSource Thu 22-Nov-12 15:03:05

My GM worked in a hospital that was bombed and infront of her.

MrsMicawber Thu 22-Nov-12 14:46:21

I feel like people are bored of hearing about what is happening there.

SoleSource Thu 22-Nov-12 11:10:19

sadsadsad ooh no words right now sadsadsadsadsad

MrsMicawber Thu 22-Nov-12 10:39:44

in Syria

How is this allowed to continue? How many people need to die?

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