Dire Consequences

SUCCESS COMES AT A PRICE

On Sunday, May 24, 2009, the United Nations Security Council sent a coalition of military squads from various nations to take action against the Taliban at the nuclear weapons facility in Pakistan. The UN forces secured the facility and its weapons, managing to kill all Taliban members in the area. However, they were too late to stop the Taliban from releasing a large amount of radiation into the atmosphere. According to the associated press, one UN official explained, “Fifty miles in any direction around this plant is going to be devastated for years, but other countries will be safe as our Special Forces team shut down the Taliban before massive amounts of radiation could enter the atmosphere and make its way towards other nations.” Fortunately, other countries do not expect to be as severely affected by the nuclear fallout as Pakistan. However, Pakistani residents are fleeing the radiation zone for safety. The Red Cross, along with other Non-Governmental Organizations, has started providing food and shelter for the survivors. At the same time, UN officials are monitoring the checkpoints set up by the Pakistani intelligence service “to search for terrorists and make sure they are put away.”

Germany criticized the UN’s plan, expressing their opinion that the radiation could have been contained had they played a role in the strike. However, UN officials note that “there will be no nuclear war and only a minimal amount of radiation can be expected to harm surrounding countries.” In other news, President Zadari of Pakistan has yet to speak to the public about the current situation. When he does, he will have to ask other members of the UN for help with the food, shelter, medical care, and financial aid his country will need in order to recover from the radiation and its ongoing effects. President Zadari’s political future remains in question and will be affected by how he handles his country’s hardships.

Written by: Corey Parks

Edited by: Ashley Barlow