Media flooded with 2 year old's lifeless body on a turkish beach.

I re-shared it on Facebook and it upset a friend who's very young son committed suicide in January. I didn't mean to upset her or anyone else on my friends list. I was just appalled by how most of the world just doesn't care.

Many don't want "immigrants" in their countries or cities or neighborhoods. I was thinking about this little boy, who's mom had lovingly dressed him for the crossing in dangerous waters because they hoped for a better life. A life that did not include barrel bombs, ISIS and other atrocities. All these people wanted was for their children to grow up and not see war.

As the mom of two children I've been thinking since my friend lost her child to suicide, how as a mom you get over the loss of a child. To lose 2 children in such horrific conditions. I feel for the children's father.

Kurdi family in a happier time

Many prayers for this poor man, who lost both boys and his wife, the boys mother, in a crossing between Turkey and Greece.  

I won't reshare the photo of Alan's lifeless body on the beach.  I am sharing this photo of him smiling while holding his dad's hand.  I'm sharing this photo, for all the children that Assad and other heads of state have left die.....

ISIS - Those fools have little in common with ISLAM.

Interesting article I read on Huffington Post this morning, Did prophet Muhammad warn us about ISIS?

Syria's Spotty Future

Syria's Spotty Future -  Pastel

This is one of a series of pastels I did with spots. This one I finished in June 2011. I name it Syria's Spotty future.  Considering it's 3 1/2 years later

The other 2 pastels I did in the same time frame, inspired by Syria's Arab spring. Also finished in June of 2011, after which I haven't really drawn.

Syrian women watching the sunset on another brutal day

Mosque in Damascus under a blood red sky

A Syrian Story.

Is a poignant short film by my 2nd husband. Check it out here. It has been shown at many film festivals and is still being chosen for more.

I don't blog about Syria anymore, but the Syrian people are still in my heart. It's horrible that it's going on almost 4 years later. It's horrible that the world not only watches by but different countries provide the arms for the different terrorist factions. Make no mistakes the average Syrian wants nothing to do with ISIS or Al-Queda, or  having a muslim state.  The average Syrian just wants a country where his children can grow in peace without fear for having an opinion that is different from it's ruler.

Home Grown Terror

My first experience with home grown terror was with the FLQ. I remember like it was yesterday, the kidnapping of Pierre Laporte in October 1970. I wasn't quite 8 when it happened and I was never the same again.  It was the first time I became aware of something outside my immediate environment.  I lost innocence that day. I realized how scary or dangerous the world could be.

Of course what followed included the Wars measures act, and having the army deployed in Montreal. To this day I'm still a little suspicious of mailboxes.

This week, there was 2 attacks on Canadian Armed forces personnel on Canadian soil. One in St Jean du Richelieu Monday, and the one in Ottawa yesterday.  Terror attacks meant to scare the fuck out of us. Perhaps ISIS incited. After all no self-respecting Muslim would ever join the likes of ISIS. They are nothing more then a terror group and a cult, that kills real Muslims. [70% or so of Syrians are Muslim, mostly Sunni] Canada is supposed to join the US fighting against ISIS in Syria and Iraq and ISIS made threats against Canadians, that we wouldn't even be safe in our own beds.....

For the record, I still support the Syrian people in their quest to not be led by murdering fools. Whether it be Assad or ISIS, neither are good for Syria  or the Middle East. 

I'd like to give my sympathies to the families of the 2 dead Canadian soldiers. They both did die serving their country but they didn't have to die. Gunned down or mowed down by  a car for no good reason except someone was a fucked up dick who instead of giving himself a good swift kick in the ass and getting on with life decided to kill someone else. Cowards really.

My daughter in the Navy called me yesterday to tell me that she was ok, and also that she could be deployed in the next 48 hours and was worried she would have to leave her cats without anyone to take care of them.

This Satuday

It's sad what happened in those neighbourhoods...

Articles I found yesterday and today point to the Syrian government punishing neighbourhoods where rebels were found by razing them down completely.  The official stance is that those homes were built without a permit and it's part of urban renewal. Well then why is it being done during a civil war and without any warning or chance for people to pick up their belongings?

It's so sad what has been going on in Syria. I don't care what anyone says, more and more civilians are being displaced and more of the country is being destroyed and to what end?

It's going on 3 years now.  In march it will be 3 years that the people rose in Syria. Those poor people :(

Sad but true

For the record I couldn't care less who plays in batman, I'm never going to see it. I do care about the poor people in Syria though.

Syria Chemical attack makes news across the world.

Syria, will Bashar ever leave?

It doesn't seem likely anymore that Bashar Al Assad will ever leave his cushy spot as the head of Syria. It saddens me more that his army is using chemical weapons against it's own people.

It also saddens me that some of the 'rebels' are imported from other countries and are affiliated with AlQueda. But I bet you Bashar had a lot to do with it. He's been saying from the start that the people against him are terrorists and now that is true for some.

But the average Syrian is not interested in a country being run by Al Queda or fundamentalist Islam. They just want to be free from the shackles of the Assad family.

I'm glad I visited the Middle East in 2010, because I doubt it will be safe to do so for years to come. Sadly many countries have large youthful populations who have no political power and no jobs. This will continue to fuel revolutions throughout the region.

There is a genocide in Syria!

Over 100.000 people killed 

6500 kids killed 

8000 women killed

 200.000 missing / detained 

500.000 people wounded.

 1.5 million refugees outside Syria 

5 million people displaced inside Syria 

7.5 million people have no support

 500.000 houses destroyed 

Chemical weapons, scud missiles, and war planes are used 

2 years and 4 months have passes, and we are still counting.....

Lebanon slowly gets dragged into Syria's problems

Not surprising after a speech by Hezbollah's leader, there were attacks in Hezbollah district of Beirut. Three rockets launched, only 2 exploded. Things are not improving in Syria and it is obvious that Hezbollah is fighting with Bashar Al Assad. That won't finish that well for them.

Sucks for the average Lebanese that will once again get stuck in the middle of sectarian violence.

Touching photo

Considering the war going on in Syria, it's amazing they know what is going on outside their country!

No one deserves to be blown up

My heart goes out to all the victims of bombings yesterday. 

That includes those who lost limbs, or their life at the Boston Marathon.

That includes the Syrians around Damascus being blown up by their own government.

That includes the Iraqi's all around Iraq yesterday that suffered a series of blasts. 

What is wrong with people who feel the need to blow up their fellow man??????

It's coming on 2 years and no resolution in Syria

It's almost the 2nd anniversary of the Syria uprising and no resolution seems likely anytime soon. It's really pitiful to realize that almost 2 years of government pounding on the people has not changed a thing. I knew when it started that it would go to it's logical end, I didn't expect it to last this long. I didn't think the Syrian Regime would rather die in power then do what's good for it's people. 

Nearly 2 years into the conflict, and there seems to be little good guys left. Article this morning on Al Jazeera suggests that atrocities have been committed both by the regime and now by the rebels.

I pray that soon all the Syrians will be free.... but it doesn't look good :(

Seasons Greetings.

I also feel like saying "Bah Humbug". I don't like Christmas, haven't' since being a small child. I still have memories of stalking the Christmas tree at age 3 and telling my mom the next morning there was no Santa, and no Christmas miracles. It was her, that I'd seen her. 

My mom would put the presents under the tree in the wee hours of the morning while I slept and she'd also add the baby Jesus in the crib.  She'd say the angels brought him in the middle of the night. Well not after I was 3. Then he was added Christmas day in the Manger scene!

Today won't be much different then any other day, but I won't leave the house. 

I can't remember when I started hating this time of the year, was it as a teen or was it when my kids were little and the whole pressure to go to in-laws and have gifts ready for a certain time. But I certainly hate it. 

I like the idea of celebrating yule this way I don't look like I don't like to party :)  I don't like to party much but.... well I do like it from time to time. 

My best gifts this year are that those people close to me are well. Those who have had surgery are still here and healing. :) 

My wish for the new year, may all the little Syrian children get to see a life without Civil War. Let Assad leave already before he kills half the country. The longer he stays the worst off the Syrian people will be.

Those poor Syrian children

Those poor Syrians in general. Things have not improved, in fact the civil war is spreading. Now there's a blackout in Damascus as the fight for Syria continues and Assad fails to see how much he's screwing his people over.  I keep praying at Assad leaves or that he happens to be a casualty of war. After all he's been saying he's going to die in Syria.

The Syrian conflict has inspired a whole series of cartoons, that expresses the feelings of the various sides.

The situation in the middle east is still deteriorating, with the situation in Gaza and the situation in Egypt not improving either. These are interesting times we live in.

Syria goes to the back burner of the news

Since Israel has started pounding Gaza, all eyes are focused on that scenario. The never ending Syrian conflict is now relegated to the back burner of the news. 

Despite choosing a new man, Sheikh Ahmad Mouaz al-Khatib, to represent the Syrian opposition, not much appears to have changed. Some days I read that the rebels have made advances other days it's Assad's regime tearing an area a new one.  I really wish Khatib can get most of Syria behind him and   end this civil war. 

Things are slowly deteriorating. Not only has Syria shelled in Turkey, Lebanon, the Golan Heights, but all it's neighbours are suffering from the civil war in Syria. Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq are all filling with Syrian refugees, an estimated 400,000 refugees. Though I think in Iraq, it's Iraqis that had left their country because of the war there, slowly returning due to the instabilities in Syria. 

With temperatures cooling those in refugee camps are in dire need of warmer clothes and blankets as winter approaches. 

The whole region is going to hell in a hand basket. It sucks that the average person has no control over this catastrophe mostly caused by greed, selfishness and the need to control others.

Intervention in Syria is well overdue

I've been feeling that someone should intervene in Syria and that's what the Emir of Qaatar seems to be saying as well.

In the past couple of days some of the worst destruction they have done in months has been done in Syria.

There has to be a resolution soon before there's nothing left but bodies in rubble.

Everyday I still cry for Syria

Not a day goes by that I don't check what goes on in Syria. It's sad that such a beautiful country is being completely destroyed because a select few don't want to let go of power.  I can't help but think about the millions of Syrians who are stuck in this civil war now with no place to go.

I can't help but think about an entire generation of children growing in this. Seeing their families, relatives, neighbours, homes, towns, cities, way of life and I could go on about the things that are being destroyed. 

I know the 'rebels' have no choice. They have lost too much to stop fighting now.  The fight must go on. I support the rebels cause realizing that there are abuses done there too. How that will affect this society once war is over?

I think of Lebanon that was embroiled in civil war for the better part of 20 years and the shattered souls it left. It scares me to think that what is going on in Syria could very well spill over into Lebanon, as it has multiple times already, it could also spill into Turkey, and Jordan.  It probably scares the living daylights out of Israel as well.

I don't know what to think anymore.  I see more victims and more rage and the vicious cycle of violence rears it's ugly head.  I see that Bashar Al Assad is nothing more then a chip off the old block. A butcher just like his father. And like Gadaffi, he will not stop until he is dead.

I still cry for you Syria and keep hoping that there is soon an end.