What if the powers (and manufacturing companies) that are arming the Assad government and ISIL were forced to stop doing so, and what if the international community organized itself to seize and destroy the existing arsenals? How much longer could the fighting go on?
8
That's an excellent choice of a photo to support your editorial: every face that is turned toward the camera is female. (Granted, that's a big contrast with more representative pictures of the "refugees" in which healthy young men appear to be disproportionately represented.)
11
The UN is financially broke partly because of the extremely high administrative cost. UN employees are paid extremely well with way-above-standard benefits and live very luxurious lives. They would have more money for the refugees if employees are willing to live a little less extravagantly.
12
European nations are throwing themselves into tantrums trying to devise quotas for a few hundred thousand refugees. But, I fear that this is just a prelude to a much larger migration. How much worse will it be when climate change forces many millions to move to greener pastures?
4
Putting the blame for the current situation on the US's 2003 invasion of Iraq, as wrong as it was, is like placing the blame for World War 1 on Germany a century ago. And about as welcome to many Americans who completely agree that the war was wrong and that Bush and Cheney should be considered war criminals.
If you don't know what this means, you have no business making judgments about international relations. You may disagree, but if you don't understand, your grasp of history is far too limited compared to your judgmentalness.
If you truly wish for the US to return to isolationism, or to fully turn toward Asia and the nations to its south, then continue to hit the US with the invasion of Iraq stick.
At this point, many Americans feel that whether we act or not, when it comes to the Middle East, we will be told we did wrong. So why act? Or why act out of anything but self interest?
If you don't know what this means, you have no business making judgments about international relations. You may disagree, but if you don't understand, your grasp of history is far too limited compared to your judgmentalness.
If you truly wish for the US to return to isolationism, or to fully turn toward Asia and the nations to its south, then continue to hit the US with the invasion of Iraq stick.
At this point, many Americans feel that whether we act or not, when it comes to the Middle East, we will be told we did wrong. So why act? Or why act out of anything but self interest?
3
Our biggest mistake was thinking that our way of life is the only way that all people should live. The only people I have known from the Arab Middle East are Christians and the only Muslims I know are not Arabs, all of them are educated and live a life style similar to mine. We see what has happened in France when you allow in uneducated people who will never adapt to the western way of life. As bad as the regimes were before they were overthrown the problems in the Middle East are much worse now.
6
Carefully chosen photos show females, when, as noted by Europeans, the migrants are mostly male. One wonders why they abandoned their wives and children.
The real solution is to send these migrants to Muslim countries. They will fit in, not cause trouble for the authorities, and not be alienated from their neighbors. There are plenty of rich Muslim countries. As usual, they want the US or Europe to assume their responsibilities.
As for who caused this crisis, look deep within their societies. Can they get along with each other? No. As Gen. Clark noted a number of years ago, even Saddam Hussein had his hands full trying to control ethnic, sectarian, and tribal animosities. Societies that cannot govern themselves will always be governed by dictators. Assad may be terrible, but would we rather have ISIL or Al Qaeda?
The real solution is to send these migrants to Muslim countries. They will fit in, not cause trouble for the authorities, and not be alienated from their neighbors. There are plenty of rich Muslim countries. As usual, they want the US or Europe to assume their responsibilities.
As for who caused this crisis, look deep within their societies. Can they get along with each other? No. As Gen. Clark noted a number of years ago, even Saddam Hussein had his hands full trying to control ethnic, sectarian, and tribal animosities. Societies that cannot govern themselves will always be governed by dictators. Assad may be terrible, but would we rather have ISIL or Al Qaeda?
17
September 9, 2015
Honoring our humanity – our human family on nations – all must be very impressed in the last few days and as well with the vision by today’s Editorial.
"The greatest way to live with honor in this world is to be what we pretend to be."
Socrates
JJA Manhattan, N.Y.
Honoring our humanity – our human family on nations – all must be very impressed in the last few days and as well with the vision by today’s Editorial.
"The greatest way to live with honor in this world is to be what we pretend to be."
Socrates
JJA Manhattan, N.Y.
4
The states of the European Union and America must come to terms with the fact that all Muslims citizens are part of its citizens and as citizens in a free democracy they are entitled to ony entry especially issues affecting their lives and communities
1
Yes you are correct it is unconscionable that millions of human beings are made refugees by Syrian conflict, a conflict that started with a simple protest in Homs; Few interested foreign parties saw an opening to playout their own agenda. Syria a secular stable country in the midst of our ill-advised invasion of Iraq with someone at top that we did not approve of. The insertion of foreign intelligence agencies and their operatives changed the Protest in rebellion resulting in mass casualties (some were foreign mercenaries) caused by the government of Syria.
The solution is not just the rehabilitation of these refugees, but removal of the causes. In order to re-establish law and order in Syria the following should be undertaken under the UNSC.
Firstly stop all arms going into the hands of non-state actors, whether coming from within or foreign.
Block all financial help to the terror groups (ISIL, Al-Nusrah, Al-Qaeda). UNSC must sanction countries/people not abiding the resolution of UNSC.
Remove by force all foreign elements from Syria, let the government reestablish its writ.
If the writ of the government is not established the result would be very similar to Libya with a major exception; Libya is fairly sparse but Syria is in the middle of our civilization. This fire not only will engulf Syria but also Iraq, Lebanon, Turkey, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the Trucial States (GCC countries).
War is not the answer, Peace is.
PEACE
The solution is not just the rehabilitation of these refugees, but removal of the causes. In order to re-establish law and order in Syria the following should be undertaken under the UNSC.
Firstly stop all arms going into the hands of non-state actors, whether coming from within or foreign.
Block all financial help to the terror groups (ISIL, Al-Nusrah, Al-Qaeda). UNSC must sanction countries/people not abiding the resolution of UNSC.
Remove by force all foreign elements from Syria, let the government reestablish its writ.
If the writ of the government is not established the result would be very similar to Libya with a major exception; Libya is fairly sparse but Syria is in the middle of our civilization. This fire not only will engulf Syria but also Iraq, Lebanon, Turkey, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the Trucial States (GCC countries).
War is not the answer, Peace is.
PEACE
3
Why isn't Iran taking some of these refugees?
Sounds crazy until you consider Iran has been Assad's biggest supporter. Iran is therefore obligated to take some of the refugees since they are playing a part in keeping the war going. Also with all the cash and business investment coming to them from the nuclear deal they will have the financial capacity to support the refugees.
Sounds crazy until you consider Iran has been Assad's biggest supporter. Iran is therefore obligated to take some of the refugees since they are playing a part in keeping the war going. Also with all the cash and business investment coming to them from the nuclear deal they will have the financial capacity to support the refugees.
6
Iran will never take in Sunni Muslims.
1
Sorry, but this cannot be fixed with money. $4 billion today and $8 billion next year, and then $20 billion the next. It will not stop and giving people money and food does not fix root cause. Too many births by women that are property of man. No say, no education, just baby factories. And without education, they gladly continue as that is what their religions (a.k.a. male clerics and husbands) tell them.
So, it lies with the men. There in lies a big problem. The men will not change, haven't in 4000 years. Won't now.
The only thing that Europe and other countries can do is go to war with Islamic radicals. I know that means violence and death, but there is no other way for these peoples to get back to their lands and continue to worship Islam. Yes, fighting will continue as it always had within the middle east - sunnis vs. Shiites. But the west doesn't understand these wars and has not been tribal in hundreds of years. So the west will not be able to make them democracies or form them in what most of us would call the 21st century.
They live in 300 AD.
So, it lies with the men. There in lies a big problem. The men will not change, haven't in 4000 years. Won't now.
The only thing that Europe and other countries can do is go to war with Islamic radicals. I know that means violence and death, but there is no other way for these peoples to get back to their lands and continue to worship Islam. Yes, fighting will continue as it always had within the middle east - sunnis vs. Shiites. But the west doesn't understand these wars and has not been tribal in hundreds of years. So the west will not be able to make them democracies or form them in what most of us would call the 21st century.
They live in 300 AD.
4
I find it telling that the P word is not mentioned.
The civil war is the cause of the Syrian refugee crisis. Peace (& stability) would be an urgent priority, if the welfare of the people are really of concern to the mainstream elite. While the situation of the refugees and migrants may be dire, that dire situation started in Syria, and is obviously bad enough that leaving is even worse than where they are now.
So why aren't there calls for the quickest and most direct route to Peace in Syria? (except that uniting against ISIS may be the only fighting necessary)
The civil war is the cause of the Syrian refugee crisis. Peace (& stability) would be an urgent priority, if the welfare of the people are really of concern to the mainstream elite. While the situation of the refugees and migrants may be dire, that dire situation started in Syria, and is obviously bad enough that leaving is even worse than where they are now.
So why aren't there calls for the quickest and most direct route to Peace in Syria? (except that uniting against ISIS may be the only fighting necessary)
2
Fairness for all parties involved, including the refugees on the ran, the desperate countrymen they left behind, and the citizens of 1st world nations, demand action that (i) creates safe havens for refugees, (ii) protects core values and the "way of life" of 1st world nations and (iii) triggers positive change and social evolution in refugee homelands.
A two step action plan:
1. 1st world nations immediately fund, establish and operate top notch refugee centers that provide quality housing, food, education, medical and psychological care until the refugees can safely return home or apply for entry into a 1st world nation. All 1st world nations must agree that they will only accept immigration applications from refugees at these centers.
2. The 1st world nations can no longer show apathy to the wide spread corruption, brutality, religious extremism practiced in the countries these migrants are fleeing from. It's essential that 1st world nations create uniform policies and procedures that are pro-active in preventing a crisis.
Whatever the costs are for the 1st world nations to implement such an action plan, they're a lot lower than the costs that flow from violence, deaths of refugees on the ran and the chaotic flow of tens of thousands of refugees into 1st world nations that may trigger massive social, economic and civil disruption.
A two step action plan:
1. 1st world nations immediately fund, establish and operate top notch refugee centers that provide quality housing, food, education, medical and psychological care until the refugees can safely return home or apply for entry into a 1st world nation. All 1st world nations must agree that they will only accept immigration applications from refugees at these centers.
2. The 1st world nations can no longer show apathy to the wide spread corruption, brutality, religious extremism practiced in the countries these migrants are fleeing from. It's essential that 1st world nations create uniform policies and procedures that are pro-active in preventing a crisis.
Whatever the costs are for the 1st world nations to implement such an action plan, they're a lot lower than the costs that flow from violence, deaths of refugees on the ran and the chaotic flow of tens of thousands of refugees into 1st world nations that may trigger massive social, economic and civil disruption.
6
Best suggestion I've resd since the most recent immigration surge into Europe.
Well reasoned and well explained. Thank you
Mary Lynch Mobilia
Well reasoned and well explained. Thank you
Mary Lynch Mobilia
I believe the Western powers need to rethink their strategy in Syria. Assad may be a ruthless dictator, but, at this point, he is probably the only one who can put his country back together again. The U.S. and its allies should negotiate a deal with Russia and Iran, whereby Assad is allowed to stay -- and Saudi Arabia is told to stop fomenting religious wars in the Middle East. Right now the Syrian people do not need freedom and democracy; they need food, shelter, healthcare, and security. Our best interests are not served by playing geopolitical games against rivals such as Russia. We should compromise our high-minded ideals of democracy and human rights, and engage in a cold calculus of give-and-take with our ideological rivals. Under the circumstances, peace and stability in volatile regions of the world must take precedence over ideological purity.
17
One can be deafened by the US silence on this... especially knowing the prime responsibility the US have in destabilizing the Middle East. The US should grant asylum to a significant share of syrian, afghan and iraki refugees.
The human situation is a tragedy for those involved . There is also a lot of sanctimonious poppycock and criticism directed elsewhere. Why does the UN not place the blame where it belongs?. What does the UN, EU , US do about Russian support of the Assad regime?. What does the "civilized world" do to confront ISIS? What do the supporters of the Obama Iran Nuke deal have to say when Iran receives $100s of billions which will go to support the Assad regime. Where is Obama now after he stated "Assad must go" four years ago and reneged on his "red line"?
Why is there not a Coalition of the Willing to confront this calamity and atrocity at its source? It is always easier to ask for a check to assuage the moral conscience of those not willing to do what is required. Organize a telethon and the American people will raise many millions of dollars and everyone will feel better about the situation.
Evil will triumph when good men stand by and do nothing.
Why is there not a Coalition of the Willing to confront this calamity and atrocity at its source? It is always easier to ask for a check to assuage the moral conscience of those not willing to do what is required. Organize a telethon and the American people will raise many millions of dollars and everyone will feel better about the situation.
Evil will triumph when good men stand by and do nothing.
This is one of the best pieces so far on the Syrian refugee crisis. The 60 million "displaced person" figure is the sobering fact. Syria isn't the only place with problems, and the west isn't going to solve the refugee crisis worldwide by absorbing them. It's far better to focus on what we can do: funding humane conditions for refugees and trying to resolve conflicts so that they can go home. Because one thing is certain: if they reach the West, they will never go home, and the cost to Western countries will be far higher.
8
Managing refugees is a lovely humanitarian gesture. How about getting to the root cause of massive tides of war refugees: the illegal WARS against sovereign governments waged by Bush, Blair and the Clintons?
2
Josh,
For your personal information, my analysis was a friendly constructive criticism.
It isn’t antisemitism at all. It’s a very bad habit to brand somebody as an anti-Semitist every time we run out of good counterarguments.
Such an approach harms us. It’s an easy way out of the embarrassing situation. Instead of recognizing our own weak points and eliminating them, we just dismiss an friendly advice and stay on the same wrong course.
My analysis was extremely friendly - advising Israel to change the national course and start treating the neighbors with love and respect. Such an approach would demand the same reciprocity from the other side.
Trust and friendship are build one step at the time from both sides, but somebody has to make that first step.
There is no solution, peace and prosperity if we believe in the wrong principles. “Being majority” is very bad principle for both sides. It directly leads into extermination and elimination of the other human beings to ensure some imaginary majority, thus disregarding the Ten Commandments and everything else Moses, Jesus and Mohammed taught the humanity.
We have to try to make us as good people as we could be. Faith, morality and humanity are an individual sport, not the collective one. We are only responsible for our own actions.
We cannot have the wrong priorities as our most important national credo….
For your personal information, my analysis was a friendly constructive criticism.
It isn’t antisemitism at all. It’s a very bad habit to brand somebody as an anti-Semitist every time we run out of good counterarguments.
Such an approach harms us. It’s an easy way out of the embarrassing situation. Instead of recognizing our own weak points and eliminating them, we just dismiss an friendly advice and stay on the same wrong course.
My analysis was extremely friendly - advising Israel to change the national course and start treating the neighbors with love and respect. Such an approach would demand the same reciprocity from the other side.
Trust and friendship are build one step at the time from both sides, but somebody has to make that first step.
There is no solution, peace and prosperity if we believe in the wrong principles. “Being majority” is very bad principle for both sides. It directly leads into extermination and elimination of the other human beings to ensure some imaginary majority, thus disregarding the Ten Commandments and everything else Moses, Jesus and Mohammed taught the humanity.
We have to try to make us as good people as we could be. Faith, morality and humanity are an individual sport, not the collective one. We are only responsible for our own actions.
We cannot have the wrong priorities as our most important national credo….
1
The ironies are legion.
The Western Great Powers since WW I, and the Saudis given their own country (I mean of course, the Saudi family, not the rest of the people who lived on the Arabian Peninsula then) and a few of the other Tyrants installed by us and ousted over the almost 100 yrs since then, have brought all these miseries to fruition.
In South and Central America, the US and Spanish before them, similarly have created our own refugee problems.
And with a few percent of the entire world's wealth in the hands of its masses, nothing serious can be done.
That is to say, nothing short of major upheavals/revolutions to redress the pathological distribution of power/money now residing in the hands of a micro elite.
The Western Great Powers since WW I, and the Saudis given their own country (I mean of course, the Saudi family, not the rest of the people who lived on the Arabian Peninsula then) and a few of the other Tyrants installed by us and ousted over the almost 100 yrs since then, have brought all these miseries to fruition.
In South and Central America, the US and Spanish before them, similarly have created our own refugee problems.
And with a few percent of the entire world's wealth in the hands of its masses, nothing serious can be done.
That is to say, nothing short of major upheavals/revolutions to redress the pathological distribution of power/money now residing in the hands of a micro elite.
2
The U.S. certainly can take 800,000 refugees--immediately. Aren't these the kind of refugees America want? Middle class and well-educated. We have struggling cities like Baltimore and Detroit that could benefit from an influx of brain power. Syrians have already demonstrated tenacity and inner strength. Many of these refugees are teachers, multilingual, and hard working. We have a teacher shortage and our society needs an infusion of intelligence. We should start by taking 800,000 people and then 100,000 a year. Germany knows exactly what it's doing. Their investment will reap billions in productivity over time.
7
No, the solution is not to open Europe's doors and to allow an endless stream of refugees, many of whom are economic migrants, and some of whom are certainly covert ISIS fighters. The solution is to fix Syria.
We need a reality check: Assad was our *only* hope for restoring stability to Syria.
Anyone who strives for an honest interpretation of history has understood that the Arab world, in light of this "Arab Spring," flatly rejected the ideas of Democracy and peaceful co-existence amongst its many tribes. Any truthful reading of the Arab Spring will lead one to one conclusion, and one conclusion only: that the Arab world was better off with the Husseins, the Assads, and the Mobaraks.
The real problem was the flat-footed Western leaders who gave the rebels cause to believe that the USA and UK "had their back," vs. Assad. Rather, the situation in Syria might be far better had the West tacitly supported Assad's crushing of the rebellion at the outset.
What do we have now to show for our policies towards Syria? The establishment of a literal Caliphate under ISIS, and millions of refugees coming to Europe.
Absolutely sickening.
We need a reality check: Assad was our *only* hope for restoring stability to Syria.
Anyone who strives for an honest interpretation of history has understood that the Arab world, in light of this "Arab Spring," flatly rejected the ideas of Democracy and peaceful co-existence amongst its many tribes. Any truthful reading of the Arab Spring will lead one to one conclusion, and one conclusion only: that the Arab world was better off with the Husseins, the Assads, and the Mobaraks.
The real problem was the flat-footed Western leaders who gave the rebels cause to believe that the USA and UK "had their back," vs. Assad. Rather, the situation in Syria might be far better had the West tacitly supported Assad's crushing of the rebellion at the outset.
What do we have now to show for our policies towards Syria? The establishment of a literal Caliphate under ISIS, and millions of refugees coming to Europe.
Absolutely sickening.
6
As always the Islamic nations look the other way, many of which are rolling in cash. Islamic Brotherhood? I don't see it.
21
There is no empathy in the wealth Arab world even if you are the same brand, Sunni or Shia. Until the Moslems in the ME sort this conflict out there is very little the rest of the world can do about it. When sane people gain control than we can help, until that time it will be seen as meddling by infidels.
4
Where are the big contributions from companies like Haliburton that made billions destablizing the middle east under GWB? How much has the Bush, Cheney, Bolton and other families that were our architects of our middle east fodder given to the fund? How much have the big banks given, how much has the oil industry donated? Oh yes, we Americans are truely exceptional, I know that because Dick Cheney says so in his new book . . . .
7
The NYTimes reported three days ago the comments made by Mr. Netanyahu on the subject of caring for Syrian refugees:
"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday rejected calls from opposition politicians for Israel to accept refugees from Syria, saying that Israel was “a very small country . . . .” He also said that plans to construct a fence along the eastern border with Jordan would go ahead.
I wonder if Mr. Netanyahu realizes just how big Lebanon is in comparison to Israel. Lebanon is half the size of Israel.
"Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday rejected calls from opposition politicians for Israel to accept refugees from Syria, saying that Israel was “a very small country . . . .” He also said that plans to construct a fence along the eastern border with Jordan would go ahead.
I wonder if Mr. Netanyahu realizes just how big Lebanon is in comparison to Israel. Lebanon is half the size of Israel.
6
I'm sorry but the Arabs rule over 99% of the land in the middle east. Don't tell me that there is more room for resettling the victims of Arab wars in tiny Israel. Israel is confined to a small piece of land which the Arab world has dedicated itself to destroying. The Arab world is vast, they should step up and resettle the Syrian refugees, and follow that by finally giving citizenship to the refugees from their failed attacks against tiny Israel in 1948 and 1967.
5
That is a small item in the long list of things Netanyahu doesn't realize.
The discussion seems to omit the elephant in the room. The country with the greatest need for young labor and talent, the country with a European GDP and a robust democracy shaped profoundly by immigrants and principles of human decency -- is Israel. Israel should open its doors to the war orphans and widows of Syria, the dispossessed, those cast to the curb by religious bigotry. How better to contrast themselves with the worst impulses of enemies, and quell anxieties -- and make friends -- of its neighbors. God created the land of יִשְׂרָאֵל (Yisra'el) to shine a light to the world so that all would be amazed.
6
No way. Israel has enough issues with Palestinians and Hamas who would like nothing better if Isael did not exist.
5
Lunacy. Import more of its enemies, sure
5
While we dedicate more than a billion dollars to political action that will guarantee the exacerbtion of our ugly inequality at home (read Thomas Edsall in today's edition), we turn our backs on the consequences of the ungodly mess we created in the Middle East.
The ever-derestable former VP Dick Cheney has vilified President Obama's leadership in achieving anuclear agreement with Iran as "madness." Cheney should know very well about madness and 24/7 wrongheadedness. But he doesn't.
www.endthemadnessnow.org
The ever-derestable former VP Dick Cheney has vilified President Obama's leadership in achieving anuclear agreement with Iran as "madness." Cheney should know very well about madness and 24/7 wrongheadedness. But he doesn't.
www.endthemadnessnow.org
4
What the UN, the US, and the European countries, along with the rich Arab countries (God forbid they should let immigrants enter), should do is establish and fund livable, temporary shelters for those dispossessed by war, preferably in the Mid-East, with the proviso that neither they nor their descendants will have any claim to nationality where the shelters are established.
Europe should justly be wary about admitting so many immigrants who eventually will want the status of nationals, potentially altering the demographics of the host countries.
Europe should justly be wary about admitting so many immigrants who eventually will want the status of nationals, potentially altering the demographics of the host countries.
6
"In Jordan, more than 200,000 refugees stopped receiving any food aid at all last week. There are fears that children who depend on this food aid will suffer permanent damage from malnutrition." Without food supplies the concern will not long be physical harm to children, but death for 200 thousand. Apparently, the world - certainly the "richer" nations - view the ongoing tragic refugee problem as unsolvable. Therefore, as in wars throughout history, starvation becomes a tool or weapon. Rather than contaminate the region with nuclear explosions to fix everyone's mistakes (wrong nation designs, too many wars, too many unemployed, too few resources for the population, etc) we are witnessing the beginning of a sacrifice of people by ignoring the tragedy of so many displaced humans. Scary and frightful and shocking and horrific and ... tolerated. OMG.
4
Saudi Arabia and the UAE are among the wealthiest countries in the world. Shame on them for not taking in refugees, the majority of them Muslims, no less.
Shame on our politicians for not calling them out on it. Are campaign contributions more important than humanity?
Shame on the media for not reporting on it. Who owns the media, anyway?
Shame on our politicians for not calling them out on it. Are campaign contributions more important than humanity?
Shame on the media for not reporting on it. Who owns the media, anyway?
21
Yes, this is a humanitarian crisis. But where will it end? There are 60 million displaced persons in the world, and they all would love to come to the U.S., with Europe a second choice. Of 7 billion people in the world, many of those billions live in countries they really do not like due to poverty, ethnic/religious strife, authoritarian government, etc. Everyone wants personal freedom and a degree of economic security, i.e. the American Way of Life. Will we then add a few billion more to the tide of refugees and migrants? Syria is just the tip of the iceberg.
3
Hey what about all of the conflicts in Africa and all the displaced human-beings?
These refugees are fleeing wars largely created by US policy. We have destroyed Iraq as a viable state, killing an estimated one million people and dislocating three million. Libya was similarly destroyed and is now a completely bifurcated country with no functioning central government and a cash of arms for jihadist causes. Our demand that Assad step down was not because of his antvi-demoncratic and authoritarian policies. If that were our goal we would have invaded Saudi Arabia long ago or demanded that the very undemocratic ruler of Kuwait step down.
We went after Assad because we wanted him to close the Russian naval base and support US plans for energy pipelines in that region and he refused. So regime change was in order, even though it has caused 200,000 deaths and the humanitarian disaster that we are seeing today. But as Secretary Albright said about the 500,000 dead Iraqi children, "it's a small price to pay." Really?
When i watch this madness unfolding and read comments like Sec. Albright's I realize that we the American people have lost our collective minds or our collective souls. The last time we saw a crisis of this proportion was when Nazi Germany decided to re-order the borders of Europe in preparation for the thousand year Reich.
Unlike Germany of the 30's we have not become a collectively diabolical people. So how do we explain what we have done? Answer, we pretend that this is not the end result of our efforts. We have become the "good Germans."
We went after Assad because we wanted him to close the Russian naval base and support US plans for energy pipelines in that region and he refused. So regime change was in order, even though it has caused 200,000 deaths and the humanitarian disaster that we are seeing today. But as Secretary Albright said about the 500,000 dead Iraqi children, "it's a small price to pay." Really?
When i watch this madness unfolding and read comments like Sec. Albright's I realize that we the American people have lost our collective minds or our collective souls. The last time we saw a crisis of this proportion was when Nazi Germany decided to re-order the borders of Europe in preparation for the thousand year Reich.
Unlike Germany of the 30's we have not become a collectively diabolical people. So how do we explain what we have done? Answer, we pretend that this is not the end result of our efforts. We have become the "good Germans."
9
The US blundered in invading Iraq, but the Syrian refugee crisis is more due to direct meddling by the gulf states like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. In spite of having the land, infrastructure, money and skills to house such numbers, they are shamefully watching from the sidelines. Saudi Arabia especially has had a free reign for too long. It is their relentless push of the intolerant wahabbi Islam strain that caused ISIS to be created. The world needs to call it like it is and stop blaming the US for all evils. Let the Saudis take care of these refugees and clean up this mess.
Let's consider diverting the $ 3.5 billion we give to rich Israel each year towards the support of the 4 million Syrian refugees housed in the nearby less affluent countries of Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan. More will leave Syria, and it would be better to provide them with refuge close to home, so they can more easily go home when the civil war ends.
8
The root cause is the competition between countries for power instead of rational cooperation for the common good.
Most problems in human affairs exist because of this.
The dysfunction of the (dus)United Nations and the multitude of conflicts around the Earth are just manifestations of this.
If enough people wake up to the stupidity and tragedy of this mindset, it can change and these problems will be readily managed.
Of course, that will require most of us to accept each other as equal humans, needing to be listened to courteously and with an open mind as partners in problem solving.
Most problems in human affairs exist because of this.
The dysfunction of the (dus)United Nations and the multitude of conflicts around the Earth are just manifestations of this.
If enough people wake up to the stupidity and tragedy of this mindset, it can change and these problems will be readily managed.
Of course, that will require most of us to accept each other as equal humans, needing to be listened to courteously and with an open mind as partners in problem solving.
1
I think we should use our good offices to persuade Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar to er, care for these other migrants. We do our bit.
6
This crisis began because the U.S., under the auspices of Secretary of State Clinton, egged on a bunch of Syrian rebels during the so called Arab Spring - which has been anything but - and continues to deny its second most egregious mistake since the invasion of Iraq.
The NYT may not publish this comment as when I suggest it, it's rarely printed, but joining Russia and backing Assad or an Assad-like strongman is the only solution to this crisis and ultimately, to bring stability to the region. Syrians don't belong in Turkey or Jordon or Lebanon or Sweden or Germany. They belong home, and they had a perfectly stable home and decent lives with a secular government providing the trappings of a civilized society until we goaded on the malcontents. So it is incumbent upon the west to admit the mistake and fix it. Back the existing regime - with or without Assad - partner with Russia and drive ISIS out. There are no good guys left anymore, capable of "upholding our democratic virtues" as we so naively expected. The good guys have fled. All that's left now are fanatics or Assad's conscripts.
With regard to helping the surrounding countries, yes, we owe them aid. But the aid should both generous and temporary with the ultimate goal of returning refugees home to a stable countries. That's where swallowing pride comes in and admitting that the west, particularly Clinton, did these poor people no favors.
The NYT may not publish this comment as when I suggest it, it's rarely printed, but joining Russia and backing Assad or an Assad-like strongman is the only solution to this crisis and ultimately, to bring stability to the region. Syrians don't belong in Turkey or Jordon or Lebanon or Sweden or Germany. They belong home, and they had a perfectly stable home and decent lives with a secular government providing the trappings of a civilized society until we goaded on the malcontents. So it is incumbent upon the west to admit the mistake and fix it. Back the existing regime - with or without Assad - partner with Russia and drive ISIS out. There are no good guys left anymore, capable of "upholding our democratic virtues" as we so naively expected. The good guys have fled. All that's left now are fanatics or Assad's conscripts.
With regard to helping the surrounding countries, yes, we owe them aid. But the aid should both generous and temporary with the ultimate goal of returning refugees home to a stable countries. That's where swallowing pride comes in and admitting that the west, particularly Clinton, did these poor people no favors.
2
I think it would be a grand idea if the Editorial Board members of the Times would sponsor a family, have them live next door, accommodate their religious beliefs, then be criticized or worse, attacked for not respecting their faith. While humanitarian support should never be questioned, let's not forget, this group of people are conditioned to hate Jews, Christians, Gays, and Women. They are responsible for the mistreatment of their own fellow citizens and once they are resettled in Western countries, many will continue with their religious based archaic ways of life. I hope I am wrong. I want to be wrong. but history has backed up my beliefs for generations. Let's not forget on the soon Anniversary of September 11th, 3000 innocent people were murdered in New York alone, and there was jubilation in many Muslim capitals and barely a word from governments in the Middle East. There were no editorials criticizing radical Islam. The United Sates had to push Jordan and Saudi Arabia into condemning the acts. No one debated the cruelty, murder and terror towards our people. Are not the lives of freedom loving people as worthy? The media completely avoided criticizing Muslim Governments. I'm tired of being chastised for the problems this religion has created for the world. Most of us are tired of any religious extremists, even the ones in America. The Times is out of touch.
12
Dear New York Times,
Do you think that all of a sudden the Fox News audience turned into your liberal and educated subscribers and started writing thousands of comments, expressing concerns about this unsustainable situation for Europe and rejecting your representation of the facts?
Can you please find the courage also to represent the voice of concerned people that see a bit beyond the heartbreaking images we are being fed recently?
As a European and American I can tell you that there is not going to be a happy ending to this story for Europe. The human compassion intrinsic in our western way of living will come at an heavy cost.
I am really saddened about all this.
Do you think that all of a sudden the Fox News audience turned into your liberal and educated subscribers and started writing thousands of comments, expressing concerns about this unsustainable situation for Europe and rejecting your representation of the facts?
Can you please find the courage also to represent the voice of concerned people that see a bit beyond the heartbreaking images we are being fed recently?
As a European and American I can tell you that there is not going to be a happy ending to this story for Europe. The human compassion intrinsic in our western way of living will come at an heavy cost.
I am really saddened about all this.
8
I keep asking the questions which, so far, no one has answered, and the silence becomes more frightening each day: where have Barack Obama, John Kerry, Susan Rice, and Samanther Powers been for the last four years as this crisis has grown, festered, and now reached its inevitable climax? Do they still have their day jobs of running the foreign policy of this country? I ask, because they remain invisible and incognito as we watch human beings being treated as Inhumanely as the Jews were treated in the 1930s as the Nazis moved inexorably toward the Holocaust.
Let me narrow it down. Has President Obama personally contacted the president of Hungary to express American outrage over his country's despicable treatment of the refugees? If not, why not?
Let me narrow it down. Has President Obama personally contacted the president of Hungary to express American outrage over his country's despicable treatment of the refugees? If not, why not?
Obama's not yet sure the Syrian refugees will vote Democratic. If he can get confirmation of that, then he will make the call.
The basis of this editorial is the claim that one of the reasons that so many decided to migrate is that conditions in the refuge camps have deteriorated. However the fact is that this is not what any of the migrants give as their reasons for wanting to migrate.
The reasons they all give is that after waiting all this time in those camps for the war to be over, they have come to the conclusion that it won't be over any time in the foreseeable future, and so they decided to permanently leave the area and start a new life. Not a single one of them is leaving simply because the quality of the food and shelter has deteriorated. So the idea that restoring the "quality of life" in those camps is going to make a drop of a difference is completely misguided.
However the main thing that sets apart those that remain in the camps and those who have decided to migrate is money and being in good physical shape. The migrants all tell of the huge amounts of money that each step of this journey have cost them, and the migrants in all the photos are overwhelmingly young and fit. This is why the number of those migrating are only a tiny fraction of the total number of refuges.
Therefore the living conditions in those camps play no role at all in being a reason for those who decide to migrate. And as such the issue of money for the camps will not do a thing to reduce the number of those migrating, and has nothing to do with the issue.
The reasons they all give is that after waiting all this time in those camps for the war to be over, they have come to the conclusion that it won't be over any time in the foreseeable future, and so they decided to permanently leave the area and start a new life. Not a single one of them is leaving simply because the quality of the food and shelter has deteriorated. So the idea that restoring the "quality of life" in those camps is going to make a drop of a difference is completely misguided.
However the main thing that sets apart those that remain in the camps and those who have decided to migrate is money and being in good physical shape. The migrants all tell of the huge amounts of money that each step of this journey have cost them, and the migrants in all the photos are overwhelmingly young and fit. This is why the number of those migrating are only a tiny fraction of the total number of refuges.
Therefore the living conditions in those camps play no role at all in being a reason for those who decide to migrate. And as such the issue of money for the camps will not do a thing to reduce the number of those migrating, and has nothing to do with the issue.
3
I was interested in reading this thread to learn what liberal responses would be to this refugee crisis. Only several responses even suggested allowing Syrian refugees into America the Melting pot. When a contributor suggested the New York Times sponsor refugees the response deflected that suggestion and passed it on to NYC government.
Finger pointing that Israel ought to take in refugees seemed an alternative to this crisis, blame Israel.
The fear that many Americans have is that ISIL sleepers will be among the refugees and yes that is possible but doing the right thing often has risks. Now is the time for Obama to earn that Nobel peace prize and reach out to the Syrian refugees.
Finger pointing that Israel ought to take in refugees seemed an alternative to this crisis, blame Israel.
The fear that many Americans have is that ISIL sleepers will be among the refugees and yes that is possible but doing the right thing often has risks. Now is the time for Obama to earn that Nobel peace prize and reach out to the Syrian refugees.
In the 21st century we are all global citizens and it is our duty to care for one another both as individuals and nations to the "best of our ability" in times of global calamities. I would urge The Times to publish a list of charitable organizations, like it does for "America's Neediest" during Christmas. As the son of a refugee from persecution in eastern Europe a century ago, I'm ready to do my part to payback for all the opportunity and quality of life I had when America had an open "golden door." I hope The Times and other readers will join me.
2
A three-pronged solution is the only one that will work.
Immediately, substantially more money is needed to feed, house, and give medical attention to the millions of refugees that have already fled Syria to Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey. This would help stop exodus further abroad so that Syrians could eventually be repatriated to Syria once the conflict stops.
Commitments by world powers to take in more refugees. This is already happening in the wake of widely-publicized horrific events and photographs. I'm appalled that the White House and Congress have not acted sooner.
Most importantly, we need a negotiated or forced end to the Syrian war. Without this, people will continue to flee the horror and devastation there. Many actors are to blame: principally Assad; then Saudi Arabia, Iran and Russia who are arming various sides in their proxy war; and finally the US for their widely-held role in creating the conditions for the rise of ISIS. However, blaming gets nowhere. What we need now are solutions and action.
Immediately, substantially more money is needed to feed, house, and give medical attention to the millions of refugees that have already fled Syria to Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey. This would help stop exodus further abroad so that Syrians could eventually be repatriated to Syria once the conflict stops.
Commitments by world powers to take in more refugees. This is already happening in the wake of widely-publicized horrific events and photographs. I'm appalled that the White House and Congress have not acted sooner.
Most importantly, we need a negotiated or forced end to the Syrian war. Without this, people will continue to flee the horror and devastation there. Many actors are to blame: principally Assad; then Saudi Arabia, Iran and Russia who are arming various sides in their proxy war; and finally the US for their widely-held role in creating the conditions for the rise of ISIS. However, blaming gets nowhere. What we need now are solutions and action.
2
Bunk. the Muslim world is awash in oil money. Let the governments of Iran, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and other oil rich nations help these refugees. Doesn't the Koran demand charity for the practitioners of Islam?
19
The world does not owe anything to Muslims. Islamic nations are responsible for their own people, not people like me. Muslim nations are largely rich nations. Let them to pay for the care of their own people. Tell the people in question to use birth control, respect women's rights and stop telling men they need to have so many kids and msot of the problems of the ME will be fixed.
7
I am sorry that looking at the women in the picture depicted in this article, do not look like starving, ill treated, and or poor refugees by a long short. It is just not only their dresses, but their physical appearance, health etc. In addition I have know and seen other people from Syria, Iraq, Occupied Gaza , the West Bank, Africa etc who qualify as homeless refugees needing aid, food water etc. Neither as these women even close to thousand others who risk their lives crossing the Mediterranean in overcrowded and unsafe boats that skin by the dozen every day. These women and others like them do not need safe havens in Europe etc. They should be helped by rich Arab Counties in the Middle East. Where their is plenty of resources of all kinds to build new cities, towns etc. Where they can be employed to be productive, useful citizens adhering to their traditions, customs, culture, religion and other aspects of daily life. For that matter, neither should the UN get involved. This situation is purely and simply an Arab problem where there is plenty of room, resources etc. These folks can and should be assimilated into the Gulf States. Then again, they are not undesirable by a long shot.
6
If the world followed Thomas Piketty's idea of world-wide taxes on the world-wide 1%, there would be more than enough money to help refugees, do a lot of other things and, probably a lot less greed, corruption and wars.
3
Of course Saudi Arabia should help a lot more. But they won't. The US makes all this noise about how terrible Iran is but the Saudis are the true masters of this unreal mess. Hillary Clinton although for the Iran nuclear deal is practically stating the US is going to war against Iran anyway. Chaos and disaster seems to be the only result.
2
Let us give credit where credit is due for the disintegration of Iraq and Syria.
Reagan arms Afghan fundamentalists who change their name to Taliban and give bin Laden and Al Qaida an entire country to hone their dark arts. Reagan enlists Saudi support which comes in the form of Wahabbi madrasas, factories working triple shifts turning out nihilistic, death worshipping suicide bombers and jihadi's.
Bush the war criminal leads The Charge of The Fools Brigade into Iraq, disbands the Iraqi army, unleashes sectarian violence unknown in the modern Middle East, gives AQ another Field of Dreams,makes torture USG policy, subcontracts torture to, among others, Bashar al Assad of Syria, builds the prison that become the University of ISIS.
And here we are.
Reagan arms Afghan fundamentalists who change their name to Taliban and give bin Laden and Al Qaida an entire country to hone their dark arts. Reagan enlists Saudi support which comes in the form of Wahabbi madrasas, factories working triple shifts turning out nihilistic, death worshipping suicide bombers and jihadi's.
Bush the war criminal leads The Charge of The Fools Brigade into Iraq, disbands the Iraqi army, unleashes sectarian violence unknown in the modern Middle East, gives AQ another Field of Dreams,makes torture USG policy, subcontracts torture to, among others, Bashar al Assad of Syria, builds the prison that become the University of ISIS.
And here we are.
4
"Charity begins at home", there are so very many wants and needs in this country, our schools are begging for funds, our infrastructure is old and in need of refurbishing . I realize people are in need, however, our own people are also in need.
We can extend the hand of assistance after we help our veterans, look after our seniors and invest in America. Then we can assist, but not by taking the lead, but by joining the regional powers ( Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel, Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt ) and our European friends and by asking the Russian, Chinese and Japenese to join the assistance group.
We can extend the hand of assistance after we help our veterans, look after our seniors and invest in America. Then we can assist, but not by taking the lead, but by joining the regional powers ( Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel, Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt ) and our European friends and by asking the Russian, Chinese and Japenese to join the assistance group.
4
OIL MAGNATES of the Mideast are willing to sit on their billions and trillions of petrodollars and petroeuros while millions live as refugees under conditions of extreme hardship. If the intent of the oil rich countries is to follow the precepts of Islam, they need to begin by opening their countries and their financial resources to their Islamic brothers, sisters and children living under horrible conditions. As things stand now, they're playing a cyhnical game of chicken, watching to see which countries in the world wil pick up the ball for them so they can hoard their money rather than aiding their coreligionaries, as must be commanded in the holy writings. The so-called Islamic conservatives have lots to say about stoning people to death, beheading them or cutting of body parts. But when it comes to helping their brethren survive under great hardship, they're nowhere to be seen. If they're concerned about their honor, then they need to act honorably toward their fellow followers of Islam who are suffering and in great need. Now!
6
"The world's attention has been riveted on the refugee crisis unfolding in Europe . . ."
Don't know about the "world's" attention (global aid organizations and UN agencies have been desperately dealing with the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East for the past four years). But, not surprislngly, it is only since the crisis has spilled over into Europe that the White House and the NYT editorial staff have had anything to say about the situation.
Don't know about the "world's" attention (global aid organizations and UN agencies have been desperately dealing with the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East for the past four years). But, not surprislngly, it is only since the crisis has spilled over into Europe that the White House and the NYT editorial staff have had anything to say about the situation.
2
I'm disappointed that our government has the will to mount a global PR campaign for the Iran deal, but not to press for more assistance for these refugees. Every country who hasn't delivered their pledges should be publicly shamed, as should any country who has the ability to resettle refugees but has not already done so. Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf nations are the biggest offenders of the latter - they have resettled ZERO refugees despite their land and resources. Please join & share this petition asking our govt to begin formally pressing these nations to reverse their policies and begin resettling refugees immediately: http://wh.gov/iReyE
1
America should clearly do one of two things:
1. Take in a couple of million refugees from Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Libya, Egypt, Afghanistan, and the Ukraine and settle them all inside the DC Beltway, or
2. Stop setting up wars (euphemistically called "regime change") based on erroneous and incompetent CIA information fed to them by Mossad and fed by them to incompetent administration officials and politicians inside the Beltway.
There is no acceptable, even thinkable third option. Oh, yes, they could all be sent to Mexico and Central America to fill the population holes left by those who have fled those countries to come here.
1. Take in a couple of million refugees from Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Libya, Egypt, Afghanistan, and the Ukraine and settle them all inside the DC Beltway, or
2. Stop setting up wars (euphemistically called "regime change") based on erroneous and incompetent CIA information fed to them by Mossad and fed by them to incompetent administration officials and politicians inside the Beltway.
There is no acceptable, even thinkable third option. Oh, yes, they could all be sent to Mexico and Central America to fill the population holes left by those who have fled those countries to come here.
2
America did not cause this. Obama was idealistic and naïve when he openly supported the Arab Spring, but then we have a leader with no experience and no willingness to understand complexity or root cause. But then so does France.
Small admin costs is misleading. The UN is an admin and operations body, so it has high admin and ops costs. That is how it works. It is also understandable and necessary that many of the UN staff working around the world are afforded diplomatic considerations, however if they modified their security procedures towards that of their NGO counterparts living and working in the same environments they would be able to direct a greater share of funds towards assistance. There would be an added bonus in that their expat staff would be able to freely interact with the people they are trying to help. Armored vehicles shipped in from other countries and compounds surrounded by thick concrete walls, bullet proof glass, and armed guards plus the staff required to deal with all of that is not a small admin cost.
1
Eidtorial after editorial, the NYT editorial board continually gives totalitarian nations like Russia, Iran and Arab states a pass to pursue a liberal agenda of castigating western democracies. Why isnt the Editorial Baord recommending getting at thte root of this problem -- the corrup government of Basher Assad in Syria which is daily killing thousands of its Syraisn citizens, (tenfold more than ISIS) and causing millions of them to flee. With the wholehearted support of Russia and Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon, mass killing and mass anarchy in that nation goes unabated. Obama sits back touting his diplomatic achievement with Iran and meanshile freeing up more than 150 billion doallrs for Iran to spend fomenting war in Iran. Also, while NYT continues to lay blame on all of the West for not absorbing refugees, not a single gulf state Arab country including the Saudi Arabia has taken in ONE refugee.
2
Yes they encouraged us but we chose to invade Iraq and start the downfall of any order. We opened the doors for the radicals to enter. We supported a corrupt Iraq regime who created a civil war. We are the primary cause of the chaos.
In any event it is not necessary to blame anyone now, the situations what it is and we need to focus on what to do. Starting another war with Iran is definitely not an option.
In any event it is not necessary to blame anyone now, the situations what it is and we need to focus on what to do. Starting another war with Iran is definitely not an option.
We can't come up with $4 billion to help feed the many millions of people displaced by the current stupid wars, many of which we've done so much to help foment?
Did we spend it all when we gave our banks over $700 billion for their crimes? Have our coffers run dry from spending $68,000 per hour flying bombing planes over Syria? Or is the top 1% sitting on it all?
Did we spend it all when we gave our banks over $700 billion for their crimes? Have our coffers run dry from spending $68,000 per hour flying bombing planes over Syria? Or is the top 1% sitting on it all?
7
We've already given billions to the middle east, hundreds of billions. Where did that money go? If the world give $4 billion this year (a.k.a. the US), how much will they want next year.
Money is not the answer. These people have a right to go home. Get them home by ousting the radicals, even if it means violence and loss of life. And it will, but it will either way.
Money is not the answer. These people have a right to go home. Get them home by ousting the radicals, even if it means violence and loss of life. And it will, but it will either way.
Jordan, Turkey, and Lebanon need to be helped by the Arab Gulf States (i.e. Saudi Arabia and Quatar, to name the most filthy rich). Quatar has $200 BILLION for the World Cup, and not one dollar to help refugees? The world should boycott the World Cup.
The same for Saudi Arabia -- no money for refugees, closed borders. BUT they will donate money to build 200 mosques in Germany, according to one of Germany's leading papers:
http://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/fluechtlingskrise/die-golfstaaten-sch...
Whatever happened to the NYT? Where is the investigative reporting?
The same for Saudi Arabia -- no money for refugees, closed borders. BUT they will donate money to build 200 mosques in Germany, according to one of Germany's leading papers:
http://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/fluechtlingskrise/die-golfstaaten-sch...
Whatever happened to the NYT? Where is the investigative reporting?
9
Perhaps the throngs of fleeing refugees should follow China's lead in that no more than two children per family and practice birth control. Bringing children into the world when one cannot feed them nor provide for their basics needs of life is unconscionable. Also, seeing young virulent men running away from the conflict of their homeland instead of running towards it. . . . as the three young Americans and Brit who brought down a terrorist on a Paris train did. . . .should be brought into focus. Where is the responsibility?
3
I agree entirely. While the world's focus is on the flood of people entering Europe, these refugees, who have no resources and are in a more desperate situation, are forgotten.
Just last week the Editorial Board wrote a piece criticizing the policies of the Australian government to asylum seekers, in which refugees arriving by boat are not given asylum in Australia. I have been a strong critic of those policies for years - and the human rights abuses occurring in detention centers are unforgivable - but the current European situation is making me question some of my attitudes. It is admirable for Germany to accept so many who have arrived in Europe but that act means that (1) more people will be encouraged to take these hazardous journeys and (2) those 800000 refugee places are not going to people languishing in these camps who don't have the luxury of having $10000 to pay smugglers. As part of Australia's harsh policy toward refugees arriving by boat, it also increased its intake of refugees from camps and has now agreed to take in an additional 12000 Syrians from camps. Even with only humanitarian goals this is a complex problem but the people in camps should be our focus.
Just last week the Editorial Board wrote a piece criticizing the policies of the Australian government to asylum seekers, in which refugees arriving by boat are not given asylum in Australia. I have been a strong critic of those policies for years - and the human rights abuses occurring in detention centers are unforgivable - but the current European situation is making me question some of my attitudes. It is admirable for Germany to accept so many who have arrived in Europe but that act means that (1) more people will be encouraged to take these hazardous journeys and (2) those 800000 refugee places are not going to people languishing in these camps who don't have the luxury of having $10000 to pay smugglers. As part of Australia's harsh policy toward refugees arriving by boat, it also increased its intake of refugees from camps and has now agreed to take in an additional 12000 Syrians from camps. Even with only humanitarian goals this is a complex problem but the people in camps should be our focus.
1
No mention of the $2.1 billion given by the US for refugees in Jordan? Or of the paltry $60 million pledged but not paid by the Saudis for a war they have instigated against Assad? No mention of the $155 million distributed by Obama earlier this year for refugees in Lebanon on top of the hundreds of millions already given by us?
Why is the moral finger being pointed to the West when the ME countries, China and Russia are doing little to nothing for refugees?
Why is the moral finger being pointed to the West when the ME countries, China and Russia are doing little to nothing for refugees?
22
@ SW - Another good example of information that should have been provided. However, Editorials are not the place for tables. And as concerns a reply I just filed I quickly realized that ME is Middle East (being in New England and knowing how many Somalis are in Lewiston, ME affected my thinking).
The data you give should be presented by the Times in graphic form and then the US should be using our arguments in talking with its ally Saudi Arabia.
Larry
The data you give should be presented by the Times in graphic form and then the US should be using our arguments in talking with its ally Saudi Arabia.
Larry
@ SW - SW now I visited UNHCR where I find that USA ranks no. 11 in dollars per person (divide total by the population 321,000,000) and the same per dollar GDP. Sweden ranks 1 to 3.
Larry
Larry
Commendable. Those nations adjacent to Syria do indeed need help in dealing with the influx of civilians fleeing the battle zones. Strange though that in the aftermath of our 2003 Iraq invasion when hundreds of thousands of Iraqi Christians fled from jihadists to Syria that there was no similar call to provide Damascus funds to handle the wave of refugees. With an economy as weak as Jordan’s and behind that of Turkey, the only reports about the humanitarian crisis was that Iraqis in Syria were doing anything to survive. Maybe if that refugee problem was not the direct result of our invasion the world would have done more to help those Iraqi Christians.
The UN might be underfunded but they have not lost the ability to criticise Nations for their failure to unite Nations.
Time to review the UN's competence and functionality? A move away from New York to Africa could help their focus.
Time to review the UN's competence and functionality? A move away from New York to Africa could help their focus.
5
No doubt they do need more help. Perhaps the rich Muslim countries all around the area should kick in a few bucks - and some visas.
16
The US should provide funds for aid to refugees but don't take refugees in. The problems in Syria and the region in general have been going on for thousands of years and will probably continue until the end of the world.
Best to show what compassion we can and provide funding but don't get involved and risk getting caught in what is essentially a tribal conflict that has been going on for a very long time.
Remember "Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it".
Let's not make the mistake of getting more involved than we already are.
Best to show what compassion we can and provide funding but don't get involved and risk getting caught in what is essentially a tribal conflict that has been going on for a very long time.
Remember "Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it".
Let's not make the mistake of getting more involved than we already are.
8
Why does this get so much attention? When the same thing happens on the African Continent we rarely hear a thing.
10
Spot on comment. Central African Republic has suffered a genocide as deep as that in Rwanda, and Obama and Susan Rice (remember her for turning a blind eye to the slaughter of 1 million people on Clinton's watch) do nothing except send Samantha Power to see the carnage for herself. We send not one penny of relief to SubSaharan African refugees. Why are the people of the Middle East, who can go to wealthy ME neighboring countries with similar values and cultures, more important than black Africans, Haitians or any other "group" on the planet?
6
The current massive movement of refugees due to the genocide occurring in ISIS-occupied Syria and Iraq is a lot like Ebola.
Not our problem.
Why should we care?
So we think.
Until it comes here or to Europe.
No problem can be solved without a well-thought plan that is not merely a moment by moment reaction to the problem.
Cameron promises more airstrikes and to take in more refugees.
This is not a well-thought plan organized by a group of allies.
Not our problem.
Why should we care?
So we think.
Until it comes here or to Europe.
No problem can be solved without a well-thought plan that is not merely a moment by moment reaction to the problem.
Cameron promises more airstrikes and to take in more refugees.
This is not a well-thought plan organized by a group of allies.
@ SW - SW I am just back from Burlington-Winooski area in Vermont, and it is evident that you are not familiar with the fact that the US State Department brought a large group of Somali Bantu to Burlington. Somalis do not regard themselves as black but in American "race" terminology they are assigned to a "black race". So that is one move by the State Department that was good.
Sweden takes in large numbers of Somalis and thanks to working at the Red Cross, I have met and talked with a couple of hundred and have Somali and Eritrean friends who are doing very well here.
As far as I know, all these refugees are not welcome in Saudi Arabia, and the few I know who spent time in Saudi Arabia did so only as a temporary measure.
Larry
Sweden takes in large numbers of Somalis and thanks to working at the Red Cross, I have met and talked with a couple of hundred and have Somali and Eritrean friends who are doing very well here.
As far as I know, all these refugees are not welcome in Saudi Arabia, and the few I know who spent time in Saudi Arabia did so only as a temporary measure.
Larry
Again The Times wants to focus on the 'shiny thing', that being the refugees. Yes, something needs to be done, but the 'what' has nothing to do with these people. The real issue is ending the Assad hold on power. Until that happens the killing will go on. With Russia ready to expand its support for Assad, you can count on another 200,000 being killed, with another 2 million refugees spilling out of Syria. This is really an Iranian and Russia problem, for without their support of Assad, he would be long gone. Time to put more sanctions on these players. One's stiffer then the Crimea and nuclear ones. Money talks.
4
The problem with forcefully removing Assad is the same as the problem with removing Saddam and Qaddafi: with what do you replace those brutal regimes? In Syria, the most likely candidate seems to be ISIL, as the Kurds are a different ethnic group than the majority of Syrians and are unlikely to be welcomed over much of the country outside of the northern sliver of Syria where most of them live. Is ISIL a better alternative to Assad?
The USA must do more to help. After all, this crisis has been caused by the feckless foreign policy of Barack Obama. In 2009, Iraq was fairly stable and under the watchful eye of American military leaders; Syria was stable, under Assad (a nicer, smarter version of Saddam Hussein) and his stern, but consistent regime, which protected most minorities; and Libya had somewhat the same system, under Khaddafi. Flash forward to today, after our tacit backing of the "Arab Spring" and we have chaos, as ISIS rushed in to occupy the vacuum that emerged when we signaled our consent to upset the power structure of those countries. Throw in our pandering to Iran, which had every other Gulf State scared out of their wits, and we've made a mess of things.
2
We could broker a peace and stop insisting Assad must go.
All sides have committed atrocities blah blah but we got a many thousand year old ball rolling at warp speed when we went smashing into Iraq.
If our military or "intelligence" is balking, they've been wrong with every regime change they've attempted lately. Who would we like put in instead, one of the supposed moderate rebels?
Is anyone at the Pentagon or CIA conscious or just running a playbook?
Our budget should be bursting with payments to the neighboring countries taking refugees. Registered under Iraq collateral damage column (endless).
All sides have committed atrocities blah blah but we got a many thousand year old ball rolling at warp speed when we went smashing into Iraq.
If our military or "intelligence" is balking, they've been wrong with every regime change they've attempted lately. Who would we like put in instead, one of the supposed moderate rebels?
Is anyone at the Pentagon or CIA conscious or just running a playbook?
Our budget should be bursting with payments to the neighboring countries taking refugees. Registered under Iraq collateral damage column (endless).
5
The current crises seem more a way to force Muslims out of these countries so they can colonize Europe. The religion conquered so much a thousand years ago with unbridled immigration and a high birth rate......it is using the same strategy now.
10
Yes Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey and Iraqi Kurdistan are the primary homes for Syrian refugees, news only to the Times Editors. Since this has been known for a long time, what we need from the newspaper of record are data, not in an editorial, but in a series. Public Editor Margaret Sullivan had a column a few days ago headlined "Awash in Data..." certainly not true for this subject.
Over at "As European Migrant Crisis Grows, U.S. Considers Taking In More Syrians" @ http://nyti.ms/1UFzKEK (no comment section) I read: ”The United States currently limits the number of migrants from Syria to 1,500 per year-"
Compare that with these data from Swedish Migrationsverket: Syrians already in Sweden seeking formal asylum: Week 33 - 1000, Week 34 - 1100, Week 35 - 1400.
These 3500 Syrians are already here in Sweden a country with population 9,300,000. Yet the USA, population 321,000,000 and richest country in the world sets a quota for an entire year that matches the number of "asylsökande" Syrians for one week in Sweden.
So New York Times start giving us the data to reveal the truth about my native land. And USA - act!
Only-NeverInSweden.blogspot.com
Dual citizen-USA-SE
Over at "As European Migrant Crisis Grows, U.S. Considers Taking In More Syrians" @ http://nyti.ms/1UFzKEK (no comment section) I read: ”The United States currently limits the number of migrants from Syria to 1,500 per year-"
Compare that with these data from Swedish Migrationsverket: Syrians already in Sweden seeking formal asylum: Week 33 - 1000, Week 34 - 1100, Week 35 - 1400.
These 3500 Syrians are already here in Sweden a country with population 9,300,000. Yet the USA, population 321,000,000 and richest country in the world sets a quota for an entire year that matches the number of "asylsökande" Syrians for one week in Sweden.
So New York Times start giving us the data to reveal the truth about my native land. And USA - act!
Only-NeverInSweden.blogspot.com
Dual citizen-USA-SE
2
Let the Times also report that the US currently accepts more than 50% of the UNCHR's refugee quota, with close to 40% of those refugee slots going to ME people.
@ SW - Thanks for the reply but it is a little too short to help me understand how to compare your data with my data. To be specific, if the US sets 1500 as the maximum number of Syrians it will take in one year does this mean that the UNHCR refugee quota for the USA is so small that 1500 is 50% of the Syrian element of the UNHCR quota. And what are ME people. Does ME stand for Maine in that sentence. Since you are a Verified you can answer at length, hope you will.
Larry
Will look into UNHCR quota but the Time difference SE-USA sometimes makes finding time difficult.
Larry
Will look into UNHCR quota but the Time difference SE-USA sometimes makes finding time difficult.
@ SW - SW I write this because comments will probably close before I can find the UNHCR data that you apparently used. Always helpful to cite the source. I have visited UNHCR site but so far cannot find the information needed. I did find that USA is not number one in money contributed using $/person or $/$ gdp. It is no. 11
Larry
Larry
This is the truth of the current 'European' refugee crisis. In reality, the people who are currently reaching Greece and beyond are relatively well off compared to many Syrian refugee. If they were able to sell assets to pay people smugglers, they are from the middle, or even upper classes.
The real desperation and suffering is in the camps in Lebanon and Turkey and Jordan. Helping the privileged few who make it to Europe is not a long-term solution. The UN needs to be supported by the international community to provide humanitarian relief on the ground, regardless of their political stance on Assad.
The real desperation and suffering is in the camps in Lebanon and Turkey and Jordan. Helping the privileged few who make it to Europe is not a long-term solution. The UN needs to be supported by the international community to provide humanitarian relief on the ground, regardless of their political stance on Assad.
35
The refugees mostly are Muslims fleeing war-torn Syria and Iraq. Instead of heading for neighboring Islamic states, these Muslims are heading towards Europe which may be considered Dar-ul-harb . As per Wikipedia, "these are the countries where the Muslim law is not in force, in the matter of worship and the protection of the faithful and dhimmis. It is unclean by definition, and will not become clean until annexed to the House of Peace. Its denizens are either to be converted or, if people of the book, tolerated as long as they pay the jizia."
For a non-Muslim, this paradox is not only baffling but reeks of hypocrisy and opportunism. When we see the Islamist terrorists killing cartoonists and secularists in other countries enjoying silent support from the Muslim masses, this exodus towards Europe is inexplicable.
The OIC and rich countries of Muslim Ummah therefore, are not trusted by the Muslims themselves in times of their distress. Doesn't it call for soul-searching by those, thumping their chests against the new crusade against their religion?
For a non-Muslim, this paradox is not only baffling but reeks of hypocrisy and opportunism. When we see the Islamist terrorists killing cartoonists and secularists in other countries enjoying silent support from the Muslim masses, this exodus towards Europe is inexplicable.
The OIC and rich countries of Muslim Ummah therefore, are not trusted by the Muslims themselves in times of their distress. Doesn't it call for soul-searching by those, thumping their chests against the new crusade against their religion?
6
Mr Obama and the USA appear to have dodged the bullet in this sad episode. So far nobody is screaming at either. Obama changed the subject by going to Alaska the remotest place on earth—barring Antartica. Superficial analysis of his policies makes sense: Getting involved with so many unknowns, fractions in a Middle Eastern chaos, is unlikely come to good. But, after the previous administration created unfathomable chaos, and unfixable, totally destabilized Middle East the next President cannot say, "That's all Folks!" let's go home.
Once America went to war for justifiable reasons and cleaned up afterwards. That is how it became de facto world leader, elder of the family, heavy, and respected. Not after George, Dick, and Don and their minions made a mess, and Obama's advisers had no clue what to tell him, and he faltered by his color lines in the sand red line for the poison gas, and some other color for a criminal like Assad killing and displacing his citizens by the tens of millions. Lines in the sand!? They don't last.
There was no effort in the part of administration to lay out the picture of devastation, misery, and killing took place a country once called Syria. American congress long ago stopped trying to do the right thing, but adopt a policy of mischief making: shutting down the Federal Government, trying to prevent poor people getting health insurance, inventing insane ways to limit freedoms that was won by bloodshed and great heroism of some upright people.
Once America went to war for justifiable reasons and cleaned up afterwards. That is how it became de facto world leader, elder of the family, heavy, and respected. Not after George, Dick, and Don and their minions made a mess, and Obama's advisers had no clue what to tell him, and he faltered by his color lines in the sand red line for the poison gas, and some other color for a criminal like Assad killing and displacing his citizens by the tens of millions. Lines in the sand!? They don't last.
There was no effort in the part of administration to lay out the picture of devastation, misery, and killing took place a country once called Syria. American congress long ago stopped trying to do the right thing, but adopt a policy of mischief making: shutting down the Federal Government, trying to prevent poor people getting health insurance, inventing insane ways to limit freedoms that was won by bloodshed and great heroism of some upright people.
2
"About 12 million Syrians — more than half the country’s prewar population — have been displaced since fighting began in 2011. More than four million have fled the country, with most going to neighboring Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon. In Lebanon, Syrian refugees are now a quarter of the population."
Is that temporary, or the new normal? What exactly are we to help with? Permanent migrants, or temporary refugees?
We need to face these questions. Either we help them go home, or we help them make new lives in new places. We must not re-create the Palestinians problem of permanent refugees on a much larger scale, of a whole region.
If they are to go home, it must be timely. They can't stay in limbo for a generation or two or three. That is the Palestinian nightmare.
If they won't go home again in their lifetimes, then societies must be helped to take in such huge numbers. Would Germany care to take in a quarter of Syria, say 6 million people all at once? No. France another 6 million? Again no. Well, neither can smaller and poorer countries, certainly not without massive help, massive and very real help, not just words and promises of Gulf money that never quite comes.
The real answer is to be made in Syria. The real solution is to be done by Kerry talking to the Russians and Iranians, and ending what the US is doing there on terms. What terms? For refugees' purposes, that doesn't matter. They just need to be able to go home and live.
Is that temporary, or the new normal? What exactly are we to help with? Permanent migrants, or temporary refugees?
We need to face these questions. Either we help them go home, or we help them make new lives in new places. We must not re-create the Palestinians problem of permanent refugees on a much larger scale, of a whole region.
If they are to go home, it must be timely. They can't stay in limbo for a generation or two or three. That is the Palestinian nightmare.
If they won't go home again in their lifetimes, then societies must be helped to take in such huge numbers. Would Germany care to take in a quarter of Syria, say 6 million people all at once? No. France another 6 million? Again no. Well, neither can smaller and poorer countries, certainly not without massive help, massive and very real help, not just words and promises of Gulf money that never quite comes.
The real answer is to be made in Syria. The real solution is to be done by Kerry talking to the Russians and Iranians, and ending what the US is doing there on terms. What terms? For refugees' purposes, that doesn't matter. They just need to be able to go home and live.
21
Mark Thompson: France has had a deplorable nightmare with its population of Muslim young that have not found employment or managed sympathy with French identity and the plan is for hundreds of thousands more to migrate to France? Has this not been thought through?
1
This is indeed inexcusable, and self-destructive on the part of both Europe and wealthy Gulf States: Europe can hardly complain about the flood of desperate refugees at its borders if it doesn't help, and the prospect of instability in Jordan and Lebanon can hardly be beneficial to the Gulf States.
By way of contrast, it should be noted that the United States has been the largest contributor to aid for the refugees.
By way of contrast, it should be noted that the United States has been the largest contributor to aid for the refugees.
3
Reagan arming what became the Taliban, giving birth to AQ, and The Charge of The Fools Brigade into Iraq is precisely what caused this mass, slow moving, catastrophe.
5
I‘m a Finn, living in Saint Petersburg, and observing what is happening to Europe with refugees. It saddens me that this situation is direct continuation of US foreign policy. And now US are only looking, commenting and giving advises. ISIS emerged after Hussein was killed and got stronger when US left Libya. Another sad failure; liberation of Libyan nation. In my opinion it’s US who should pick the bill, not EU.
9
The U.S. clearly is not without blame - we did indeed take down Saddam Hussein and encouraged the rebels against Assad in Syria as well - helping to create the chaos and lack of governance now engulfing those two nations. But it is too facile to blame the US and say that we must pick up the tab. Doing so completely ignores the role played by Putin's Russia and the ayatollah's Iran - those two countries have been arming and supporting Assad and helping drive the civil war in Syria. It ignores the role played by citizens and governments of Arab petro-states who have been funding various Sunni groups (including ISIL) in the conflict. And it ignores the EU's turning a blind eye to the brewing conflict at its backdoor for several years even as Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon have been forced to take in waves of refugees (and, as the editorial notes, without much financial help from the outside world). The U.S., the EU, the Arab petro-states (Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait & UAE), Russia and China all have to stop blaming each other, stop passing the buck, and cooperate to alleviate the surmounting costs faced, particularly, by Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon. And it won't hurt if all of them take in some additional refugees.
As usual, Europeans expect that the U.S. will protect them from foreign aggression, whether its from Russia or the Islamic nations. No matter that thousands of U.s. soldiers and citizens die when doing so. But as soon as Europe is effected by blow back from the same aggression, the U.S. is blamed. Hey, Mr. Jyrki, if it wasn't for the U.S. bailing Europe out of their self-inflicted messes of WWI and WWII, there wouldn't be a Europe today. You would be part of Nazi Germany or the U.S.S.R.
There'd be no Finland were it not for US in WWII. The Finns whipped the Soviets once but once the Germans invaded, Finland became a prize picking. Remember "Finlandization" and all the problems of being a small nation between giants, before you dump on the US for trying, even badly, to do the right thing.
And when the heck was the US in Libya? That was Britain, before the War way over 70 years ago.
And when the heck was the US in Libya? That was Britain, before the War way over 70 years ago.
It makes SO much more sense to help refugees close to home, rather than allow Europe to be overrun. I hope Merkel and other leaders come to their senses on this.
Let's help the people in the camps, rather than those who ignore laws and just expect European countries to pay their way once they show up.
Merkel's putting on a grand show of kindness toward migrants and refugees while ignoring the needs and desires of the EU's own people. Why not use that money to build proper, clean camps in countries bordering the conflict zones?
Rather than support mass, unending immigration, Europe, the Gulf States (yes they need to contribute!), the U.S. and other world leaders should put their resources toward quality safe havens, where children could be educated, the refugees' customary food served, their traditional customs practiced.
Birth control MUST be provided, along with the food and medical care. IUDs, implants - things that work long term, until a woman is ready to have children by choice.
The decades of rescuing millions (largely in Africa) through our vaccine and food aid programs, with no counter balancing birth control, coupled with ignorance and religion has resulted in uncontrolled population growth.
We HAVE to get our population under control, or in trying to save everyone now we'll sentence our grandchildren to a future of terrible overcrowding, war, poverty and despair.
Let's help the people in the camps, rather than those who ignore laws and just expect European countries to pay their way once they show up.
Merkel's putting on a grand show of kindness toward migrants and refugees while ignoring the needs and desires of the EU's own people. Why not use that money to build proper, clean camps in countries bordering the conflict zones?
Rather than support mass, unending immigration, Europe, the Gulf States (yes they need to contribute!), the U.S. and other world leaders should put their resources toward quality safe havens, where children could be educated, the refugees' customary food served, their traditional customs practiced.
Birth control MUST be provided, along with the food and medical care. IUDs, implants - things that work long term, until a woman is ready to have children by choice.
The decades of rescuing millions (largely in Africa) through our vaccine and food aid programs, with no counter balancing birth control, coupled with ignorance and religion has resulted in uncontrolled population growth.
We HAVE to get our population under control, or in trying to save everyone now we'll sentence our grandchildren to a future of terrible overcrowding, war, poverty and despair.
50
Not a word about the palestinians from "refugee camps" in Syria who are treated differently (worse) than Syrian nationals by Jordan etc. in this op-ed. I wonder why the editorial board didn't think this subject was important enough to mention.
13
A few thousand refuges reach Europe and stay there. Yet Europeans pretentiously act as if they are heros. Letting 1,000 refuges in per month, French think that they are shouldering a major part of the weight. On the other hand, a combined 4,000,000 to 5,000,000 refuges are living in Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon for 4 years now.
4,000,000/1,000=4000 times French are lesser heros than Turks, Jordanians or Lebanese.
4,000,000/1,000=4000 times French are lesser heros than Turks, Jordanians or Lebanese.
6
Maybe not quite on the subject, but something to put into the mix: Just looking at pictures, there seem to be two populations of refugees. The Syrians crossing Eastern Europe to Austria and Germany, the men are beardless, the women bareheaded or with simple scarves, many women in jeans, secular in a word... and the pictures of refugees who are parked in neighboring countries, say the one in this article from Lebanon, are more conservative-looking. They're not interchangeable.
8
Thank you NY Times and thank you Bill Appledorf for pointing the finger where it deserves to be pointed. I am a US citizen who works in Lebanon, and the sudden arrival of over a million people in a tiny country with a population of four million has stretched Lebanon to the breaking point. The US should be acting in concert with the Gulf countries--the parties who are largely responsible for this horrendous mess--to try to ameliorate some the damage they have caused. Why are the Gulf countries not taking in tens of thousands of refugees from a war they helped to fuel with massive arms shipments and mercenaries? Why is the US, which set the region on fire by invading Iraq and then disbanding the Iraqi army, aiding neighboring countries and offering asylum to refugees itself? True, President Obama wisely elected not to exacerbate the nightmare by sending in ground troops but the US allies in the Gulf have poured fuel on the fire the US lit. For ethical, political and humanitarian reasons the US should do much more to prevent this catastrophe from escalating. Let's hope we Americans do as the late Howard Zinn suggested and look at ourselves in the mirror and say, "I am an imperialist." Now is the moment to bear the genuine burden for sins of Bush/Cheney/Wolfowitz et al. We are by far most directly responsible for causing this mess, and we need to face our responsibilities for it by allowing in refugees to our country and by paying the very expensive costs of our colonial error.
47
The Syrian civil war is a result of the Arab Spring. Obama only later got into the game by trying to pick sides, then slowly training, arming and funding "moderate" rebels. The US has done many, many bad things in the ME under Bush and Obama, but we did not start the Syrian Civil war.
1
You must be crazy.
These people will undermine their host countries in Europe. The Pals already tried once to overthrow the government of Jordan.
I think they are all getting exactly what they deserve
These people will undermine their host countries in Europe. The Pals already tried once to overthrow the government of Jordan.
I think they are all getting exactly what they deserve
1
The same self examination you see imperative to the US also applies to all of the rich Arab Gulf Countries that have their fingerprints all over this disaster as well. In particular is Saudi Arabia which coddles the sick oppressive Wahhabists who perpetrated 9/11 and who continue to foster war and strife in the region. Saudi Arabia is deserving of pariah status more so than North Korea.
The wealthy Gulf countries need to help: Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrai (to name a few) have not accepted one (not one!) Syrian refugee. How is this even possible? Germany and other countries in Europe are doing far more than they ought to be asked.
The Gulf states should be ashamed. Their lack of action is certainly immoral, and ought to be considered criminal. (Children are dying!) The international community must demand the Gulf States change their policy on accepting refugees.
The Gulf states should be ashamed. Their lack of action is certainly immoral, and ought to be considered criminal. (Children are dying!) The international community must demand the Gulf States change their policy on accepting refugees.
52
KJ, I agree 100%. I posted this link in a previous comment to a petition urging the government to begin urging these nations to begin resettling refugees immediately: http://wh.gov/iReyE
I hope you'll sign and share the link to continue raising awareness.
I hope you'll sign and share the link to continue raising awareness.
1
The reason the Gulf countries have not accepted refugees is because they don't want a sizable population of Muslims from a different sect living in their countries. The Gulf countries tend to be Sunnis. Most of the refugees are Shites, Kurds, Christians and many of the people are secular.
So much for the misguided outrage in comment streams of related articles that Arab nations aren't doing anything. These 3 are swamped with refugees. Winter is coming, which means even more misery. The very least the US can do is pay up its share of the money the UN should have long since gotten.
13
I think the outrage was directed at the rich Gulf States, which aren't doing anything. It's poorer Jordan and Lebanon that have born the brunt of the refugee crisis, as well as Turkey, which is better able to handle the strain.
Also, that's pretty unfair to the United States, which has been far and away the most generous donor of aid for the refugees:
http://syrianrefugees.eu/?page_id=199
We are also spending more heavily than other countries on the fight against ISIS.
Also, that's pretty unfair to the United States, which has been far and away the most generous donor of aid for the refugees:
http://syrianrefugees.eu/?page_id=199
We are also spending more heavily than other countries on the fight against ISIS.
22
During the Holocaust as one group of European Christians murdered European Jews, most other European Christians did NOTHING to stop it.
I am, therefore, not surprised that neither European and American Christians, nor most and mostly non-European Muslims feel any great compulsion to stop one group of non-European Muslims from killing non-European Muslims.
I suppose the difference is that European Christians were the powerful majority trying to destroy, European Jews a defenseless minority, and genocidal non-European Muslims in groups like ISIS are a powerful minority wreaking havoc on the defenseless majority.
But that difference is far too tiny or insignificant to matter to anyone.
I am, therefore, not surprised that neither European and American Christians, nor most and mostly non-European Muslims feel any great compulsion to stop one group of non-European Muslims from killing non-European Muslims.
I suppose the difference is that European Christians were the powerful majority trying to destroy, European Jews a defenseless minority, and genocidal non-European Muslims in groups like ISIS are a powerful minority wreaking havoc on the defenseless majority.
But that difference is far too tiny or insignificant to matter to anyone.
2
Turkey (not an Arab country), Jordan and Lebanon have been bearing the brunt of this crisis at their doorstep. The Arab countries towards which the outrage should (correctly) be directed include Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar and Kuwait (Kuwait! after we freed them a generation ago). Between them, those Arab states have not taken in a single refugee. However, they have, apparently, granted work visas to a very miniscule number of Syrians, and now consider themselves to be above reproach for doing so.
4
"Rich countries — including Saudi Arabia and the gulf states — need to increase their donations to the United Nations immediately. And nations that have made pledges but haven’t fulfilled them need to pay up."
So the NYT mentions Saudi Arabia and the gulf states, but can't name and shame the number one deadbeat in town, the United States. (As of late last year it hadn't paid yet its 2013 and 2014 U.N. dues and was 1 billion in debt.)
So the NYT mentions Saudi Arabia and the gulf states, but can't name and shame the number one deadbeat in town, the United States. (As of late last year it hadn't paid yet its 2013 and 2014 U.N. dues and was 1 billion in debt.)
8
How offensively dishonest: you fail to note that while the United States may not have paid its UN dues, it has contributed far more than any other country to aid for the Syrian refugees:
http://syrianrefugees.eu/?page_id=199
By way of contrast, if you scroll down the chart, you'll note that France has scarcely donated anything.
http://syrianrefugees.eu/?page_id=199
By way of contrast, if you scroll down the chart, you'll note that France has scarcely donated anything.
14
Indeed, France contributes so little to Syrian refugee assistance in Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon that it is not even among the top 10 donor countries. The US is number 2.
1
The US has contributed more money than those countries AND actually resettled some refugees - how many refugees have the Gulf nations resettled collectively? ZERO. That's why it's imperative that the international community, very much including the US, should be pressuring them daily to begin resettlement. This petition urges our government to do exactly that: http://wh.gov/iReyE
1
Perhaps The Times could sponsor a few thousand of the refugees to be relocated in the city. Put a little action behind their words.
26
NYC always has welcomed immigrants. We understand how their energy and dreams contribute to our communities.
17
If the US would get rid of its moocher states, the red ones that get more back from the big, bad, government than they pay in, maybe this country could open its doors to more refugees.
2
Great! I think we can sleep eight hundred in the lobby of the times compound and two or three dozen cooking smelly things in the conference room would bring home to the editorial board a few truths.
1
Send food aid. Hopefully the women and children, unlike the men who are traipsing all over Europe, won't wag their fingers and refuse the aid, or throw it onto the ground.
16
Send money, it is much more useful.
In the beginning the French and British Empires concocted an ethnic sectarian conflicting cauldron out of the husk of the Ottoman Turk Empires. The ethnic Turks, Persians, Arabs and Kurds were mixed and matched with sectarian Jewish sects, Shia Muslims, Sunni Muslims, Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants. There were no civil secular plural egalitarian democratic nation states then or now. No place where all are human beings were created equal with certain unalienable rights.
In the middle was the end of World War II when and where the U.N.. the European Empires, Jim Crow America and the Soviet Union stole land from Christian and Muslim Arabs as a solution to millennia of European Christian anti- Semitism culminating in their Holocaust. In a vote of 33-yes, 13- no and 10-abstentions European Jewish refugees were given priority of place over the natives.
In the end was America engaging in 60+ years of overt and covert regime change war against Iran, the Israeli Six -Day War, the American invasion and occupation of Iraq, Arab Spring, the Syrian Civil War and the rise of ISIS/ISIL.
Most of the refugees fled to neighboring nations or locales. In addition to Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan and Syria are Gaza and the West Bank. Syria is no longer a refuge.
There are 50 European nations with a population of 745 million. While the 28 nation EU has 503 million with a GDP of $18.5 T. America has 320 million citizens with a GDP of $ 16.7 T. That is 15% of humanity and 50% of GDP.
In the middle was the end of World War II when and where the U.N.. the European Empires, Jim Crow America and the Soviet Union stole land from Christian and Muslim Arabs as a solution to millennia of European Christian anti- Semitism culminating in their Holocaust. In a vote of 33-yes, 13- no and 10-abstentions European Jewish refugees were given priority of place over the natives.
In the end was America engaging in 60+ years of overt and covert regime change war against Iran, the Israeli Six -Day War, the American invasion and occupation of Iraq, Arab Spring, the Syrian Civil War and the rise of ISIS/ISIL.
Most of the refugees fled to neighboring nations or locales. In addition to Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan and Syria are Gaza and the West Bank. Syria is no longer a refuge.
There are 50 European nations with a population of 745 million. While the 28 nation EU has 503 million with a GDP of $18.5 T. America has 320 million citizens with a GDP of $ 16.7 T. That is 15% of humanity and 50% of GDP.
8
This is a seriously dishonest view of history.
There had always been Jews in the Middle East, and more European Jews had immigrated under the Ottoman and British Empires. The UN merely partitioned Palestine between the existing Jewish and Arab residents, whereupon the surrounding states started a war of aggression and lost, with the consequence that many Arab residents of Palestine were displaced, as were Jews who were evicted from neighboring Arab countries.
As to GDP, Europe and the United States (essentially a European nation) have high GDP's because they are highly educated, democratic, capitalist, and dedicated to the rule of law. Nations that follow their example themselves become rich, e.g., Japan, South Korea, and increasingly, China. Nations that remain uneducated, superstitious, or ideological do not.
Israel itself is a spectacular example of this, a tiny nation with few resources and a heavy military burden that has achieved a European standard of living, while the surrounding states, with greater resources, remain mired in poverty. The reason for this is simple: the Israeli Jews who immigrated from Europe brought with them the European way of doing things, and it was as successful there as it has been everywhere else.
There had always been Jews in the Middle East, and more European Jews had immigrated under the Ottoman and British Empires. The UN merely partitioned Palestine between the existing Jewish and Arab residents, whereupon the surrounding states started a war of aggression and lost, with the consequence that many Arab residents of Palestine were displaced, as were Jews who were evicted from neighboring Arab countries.
As to GDP, Europe and the United States (essentially a European nation) have high GDP's because they are highly educated, democratic, capitalist, and dedicated to the rule of law. Nations that follow their example themselves become rich, e.g., Japan, South Korea, and increasingly, China. Nations that remain uneducated, superstitious, or ideological do not.
Israel itself is a spectacular example of this, a tiny nation with few resources and a heavy military burden that has achieved a European standard of living, while the surrounding states, with greater resources, remain mired in poverty. The reason for this is simple: the Israeli Jews who immigrated from Europe brought with them the European way of doing things, and it was as successful there as it has been everywhere else.
5
@ blackmamba - black, I appreciate the history lessons of course, lessons that to judge from reading comments are lost on a large fraction of commenters, but what I appreciate most today is that closing paragraph. My comment, awaiting review, makes the same point in a different way and perhaps can benefit by my adding your final paragraph in a reply to myself, when and if my comment appears.
Note also as I have noted several times recently, Times reporters do not present numbers and data in relation to population size and GDP but instead simply write USA gave most.
Larry
Note also as I have noted several times recently, Times reporters do not present numbers and data in relation to population size and GDP but instead simply write USA gave most.
Larry
"There were no civil secular plural egalitarian democratic nation states then or now. No place where all are human beings were created equal with certain unalienable rights." Not true! There is a civil, secular, plural egalitarian, democratic state, albeit not perfectly so, as all other democracies, republics etc. are not, in the ME, and its name is Israel. And if Abbas would put humanitarian need above politics and not insist that palestinians from Syria be allowed to enter the west bank while retaining the "right" of return to Israel, such plaestinians would be much safer as are Israeli Arabs. But no.... The right of return is soooo much more important than the safety of Abbas' palestinian brothers even though the latter most likely never live to see that "right" exercised.
We spend 700 Billion dollars per year for a military meant to kill real people.
Why can't we donate 1 or 2 Billion dollars a year to keep people alive?
Why can't we donate 1 or 2 Billion dollars a year to keep people alive?
97
We already to, considerably more than that. Your comment doesn't display knowledge of this, and I would suggest you study the lavishness of the foreign aid budget to inform you before you post again.
1
I believe the U.S. contributed about $12.6 billion in humanitarian aid in 2015, according to http://ftsbeta.unocha.org/.
2
The Syrian refugee crisis tells us more about Bibi Netanyahu’s national strategy than all the NSA eavesdropping efforts over the last decades.
The fact that the government of Israel refused to accept a single refugee from Syria strongly indicates that Netayahu’s cabinet chose the course of the permanent conflict with their Arab neighbors.
Any normal government would use this human catastrophe to rebuild the cooperation bridges with their first neighbors. When are we supposed to extend the helping hand to our first neighbors unless during the time of dire need?
If any nation in the world should be extremely sensitive to the tragic destiny of the refugees running away to save their lives that should be the Israeli Jews with the extremely painful memories of what happened to the European Jews during the WWII when even the smallest help and friendly gesture meant a lot to the persecuted individuals.
It’s the perfect moment for Tel Aviv to rethink their long-term strategy and switch to coexistence with their Arab neighbors.
If Bibi’s government refuses to do it maybe we should rethink our national strategy. The US taxpayers should not be expected to subsidize any eternal conflict.
It’s the perfect time for Israel to make the first step and offer a friendly hand of support to the people in need.
The fact that the government of Israel refused to accept a single refugee from Syria strongly indicates that Netayahu’s cabinet chose the course of the permanent conflict with their Arab neighbors.
Any normal government would use this human catastrophe to rebuild the cooperation bridges with their first neighbors. When are we supposed to extend the helping hand to our first neighbors unless during the time of dire need?
If any nation in the world should be extremely sensitive to the tragic destiny of the refugees running away to save their lives that should be the Israeli Jews with the extremely painful memories of what happened to the European Jews during the WWII when even the smallest help and friendly gesture meant a lot to the persecuted individuals.
It’s the perfect moment for Tel Aviv to rethink their long-term strategy and switch to coexistence with their Arab neighbors.
If Bibi’s government refuses to do it maybe we should rethink our national strategy. The US taxpayers should not be expected to subsidize any eternal conflict.
It’s the perfect time for Israel to make the first step and offer a friendly hand of support to the people in need.
58
This is completely dishonest. Israel does not have the kind of relationship with its Arab neighbor that would permit it to adopt such a course. It doesn't even have a peace treaty with Syria and continues to occupy some Syrian land. But what's really offensive is that you single out this tiny nation for criticism when it is in a difficult situation, and ignore all the nations that really could be doing something and aren't. It's so stereotypically antisemitic -- whatever happens, single out the Jews.
8
We should take a billion out of our Israel welfare check and use it for the refugees. Period.
1
I too am very ashamed of Israel's response to this crisis in general and Mr. Netanyahu's role specifically. His answer is to erect a bigger wall, it's been 70 years since the Holocaust and we have learned nothing of humanity and ethics.
How come the Ukrainians are still staying in their homeland fighting Russian rebels while these young Arab "refugee" men sporting Iphones and brand name T-shirts in all those pics on buses and roads in Europe are running away to Germany????
40
I've wondered the same thing, but the truth is, what are the alternatives? The Assad government is murderous and its army overburdened, and the "good" rebels are a ragtag bunch with inadequate support. Those young men don't have a solid government for which to fight. If Assad stepped own, the Syrians could form a coalition government with the moderate opposition and join to defeat ISIS.
Similarly, the Iraqi government is so mismanaged that its army isn't a capable fighting force.
Similarly, the Iraqi government is so mismanaged that its army isn't a capable fighting force.
1
There are more than 200000 Ukrainian refugees in other countries and over 800000 internally displaced persons, most of whom are not fighting.
Raluko, I have sympathy for these young men, who are running desperately towards their futures. All they have are their iPhones and the shirts on their backs.
When I was in Harran, in southeastern Turkey, near Kobane on the Syrian border, my friends and I were approached by a young man who offered us a tour. We spent the day with him, and got to know him a little. He learned English in order to have contact with tourists and to make some money; but he also spoke Kurdish at home, Turkish in school, and Arabic out on the street for business. He was very smart and very kind. He was also very frustrated with his father, who had nine children and no intention of slowing down. He asked us -- what future did any of them have? He requested that we pay him for the tour out of sight of the main square where he dropped us off, so that he could hide half of the money in his shoe. The half in his pocket was for his father, and the half in his shoe was his stash to get out. He dreamed of attending university in western Turkey. I hope he made it. I'll never know, but I often think of his frustration, and all that wasted human potential in that region which has now become a war zone.
When I was in Harran, in southeastern Turkey, near Kobane on the Syrian border, my friends and I were approached by a young man who offered us a tour. We spent the day with him, and got to know him a little. He learned English in order to have contact with tourists and to make some money; but he also spoke Kurdish at home, Turkish in school, and Arabic out on the street for business. He was very smart and very kind. He was also very frustrated with his father, who had nine children and no intention of slowing down. He asked us -- what future did any of them have? He requested that we pay him for the tour out of sight of the main square where he dropped us off, so that he could hide half of the money in his shoe. The half in his pocket was for his father, and the half in his shoe was his stash to get out. He dreamed of attending university in western Turkey. I hope he made it. I'll never know, but I often think of his frustration, and all that wasted human potential in that region which has now become a war zone.
2
The solution cannot be resolved by throwing money down a well... (Remember Afghanistan). Instead, other countries also need to shoulder some refugee burden. Countries like the United States and Canada ought to allow in more refugees. Furthermore, Assad seriously needs to go for some progressive change, shame that Vladimir Putin doesn't care for humanity. Clearly, more efforts should be diverted to both helping refugees and also trying to create a solution to the Middle Eastern Crisis by negotiating with Russia.
4
I agree with your points that the West can (and should) do more to help the refugees, and that the only way to treat the cause instead of the symptoms of this crisis is to continue working towards a resolution to the Syrian war. But, like this article, you ignore the fact that the Gulf nations have more than enough land & resources to assist beyond just writing checks; after all, they've collectively resettled ZERO refugees thus far, while 1 in 4 people in Lebanon is now Syrian. Please ask our government to formally request that Saudi Arabia and the rest of these nations begin resettling refugees immediately: http://wh.gov/iReyE
1
What does squalor, poverty, oppression and suffering always lead to? Anger, hate and violence. What caused the conditions that led to the refugees fleeing their homelands? They are fleeing anger, hate and violence created by squalor, poverty, and oppression.
It is convenient to blame religious extremism as being responsible for jihadism. True, there is a strong connection. But the horrible living conditions that these people have been under for years, if not decades, provides a breeding ground for violence.
Many tens of millions are suffering in the Arab lands. Our so called allies are causing much of it. Turkey is attacking the Kurds. The Israelis and Palestinians are in a state of constant war. Egypt is crushing its people. Saudi Arabia is attacking Yemen. Iraq seesaws between Sunni killing Shia and Shia killing Sunni, depending on the direction of the wind. Sudan? Pakistan?
These are the lands of the "other refugees". They will be trying to escape also.
Inequality has come full circle. The super wealthy have turned their backs on the super poor and chaos has ensued. The situation can no longer be contained. We are witnessing the beginning of a mass relocation of humanity. The wealthy and powerful still do not realize that bread is much cheaper than bombs. But yet, we never hesitate to buy bombs.
It is convenient to blame religious extremism as being responsible for jihadism. True, there is a strong connection. But the horrible living conditions that these people have been under for years, if not decades, provides a breeding ground for violence.
Many tens of millions are suffering in the Arab lands. Our so called allies are causing much of it. Turkey is attacking the Kurds. The Israelis and Palestinians are in a state of constant war. Egypt is crushing its people. Saudi Arabia is attacking Yemen. Iraq seesaws between Sunni killing Shia and Shia killing Sunni, depending on the direction of the wind. Sudan? Pakistan?
These are the lands of the "other refugees". They will be trying to escape also.
Inequality has come full circle. The super wealthy have turned their backs on the super poor and chaos has ensued. The situation can no longer be contained. We are witnessing the beginning of a mass relocation of humanity. The wealthy and powerful still do not realize that bread is much cheaper than bombs. But yet, we never hesitate to buy bombs.
39
You don't seem to understand that mass immigration to wealthy nations benefits the super rich by lower wages while also increasing consumption.
If Germany and Sweden really want to help the refugees the money spent to support them in their countries would go a lot further in Lebenon and Jordan. That money would easily support two to three times the number in the Middle East.
27
Germany and Sweden start spending money on the refugees when they arrive in their countries.
Are you arguing that they should spend that money to 'resettle' them in Lebenon [sic] and Jordan and then some more? And no, especially the small country of Lebanon, where already one quarter of the total population are Syrians, can hardly absorb any more.
Are you arguing that they should spend that money to 'resettle' them in Lebenon [sic] and Jordan and then some more? And no, especially the small country of Lebanon, where already one quarter of the total population are Syrians, can hardly absorb any more.
The Times Editorial Board, always quick to find fault with Mr. Netanyahu and Israel, might have paused for moment here, to note that Israel has been providing medical care to Syrian refugees.
24
True. In small numbers and then they are usually sent back.
Netanyahu announced that Israel was not going to take in refugees because of concerns about demographic balance, something that if said by any other "Western" leader would cause furious cries of racism to emanate from the usual areas. So if it ok for Netanyahu to be worried about the makeup of his country should we grant Orban the same indulgence?
1
Muslims constitute about 20 percent of Israel's population, and are doing quite well there compared to Muslims living in almost every other part of the Middle East. Mr. Netanyahu and all of Israel knows enough about the history of Hungary not to need any lessons on the subject from you.
It seems It would be far less expensive and more humane if countries used the UN as a clearing house and diligently funded the refugee program and agencies rather than each country attempting to deal with these crises alone. The world is increasingly in more conflict (man's inhumanity to man) so if not the UN as a central clearing/organizing agency than some other agency needs to be created that knows what it's doing and has the wherewithal to do whatever is required.
4
The size of this "refugee" problem - tens of millions with no connection to food, water or shelter - indicates that it is clearly a genocide problem, approaching horrible mortality rates at galloping speed. Isn't this the same threat as international war? Shouldn't the United States, and the UN, take extraordinary action exactly as when millions of civilian deaths from outright war are threatened?
The US military and its Western military allies are the only physical forces on earth equipped to deal with this situation as a physical challenge. You cannot think about expense and let those tens of millions die - we will surely pay for that.
The US military and its Western military allies are the only physical forces on earth equipped to deal with this situation as a physical challenge. You cannot think about expense and let those tens of millions die - we will surely pay for that.
3
Clearly producing huge families in marginal ecological regions with non-functioning economies and corrupt autocratic governments is not working.
Yes, I have a compassion deficit. I'm ok with that, especially when the compassionate choice rewards bad behavior, and that bad behavior includes creating people who will hate me for my nationality and lack of religious belief.
But there is a problem with demanding that people to care for another person's children without giving them a voice in whether those children exist and what those children are taught, even if it is indirect, and must pass through layers of bureaucracy, and may be voted down.
Yes, I have a compassion deficit. I'm ok with that, especially when the compassionate choice rewards bad behavior, and that bad behavior includes creating people who will hate me for my nationality and lack of religious belief.
But there is a problem with demanding that people to care for another person's children without giving them a voice in whether those children exist and what those children are taught, even if it is indirect, and must pass through layers of bureaucracy, and may be voted down.
35
How about a voice in whether or not to invade someone else's country or arm sides in a civil war there? Compassion may not be the only thing lacking here, sorry.
Evidently "compassion deficit" compels you to explain the piles rubble, where once there were cities, and as another poster pointed out "12 million refuges" —four million external, eight domestic; that is more than half the population of the country, now running away at the cost having their children drowned— with "marginal ecological region" theory which some people call a civil war.
But, what do I know about wars I don't even own a Soviet-style uniform.
But, what do I know about wars I don't even own a Soviet-style uniform.
Unbelievable... An entire op-ed saying the Middle Eastern countries currently helping Syrian refugees (Turkey, Lebanon) aren't getting enough help or credit for their efforts, and nowhere - nowhere! - is it suggested that the "rich nations" in the region (Saudi Arabia, Qatar, et al.) open their own borders. If Saudi Arabia gave Lebanon $1 Billion tomorrow, of course it would help - but it wouldn't do anything to change the fact that 1 in 4 people there are now Syrian. The UN, the EU, the U.S. should all be calling on these countries to open their borders and begin resettling refugees immediately.
This petition asks our government to begin urging the Gulf Nations to do exactly that: http://wh.gov/iReyE
Please consider signing and sharing.
This petition asks our government to begin urging the Gulf Nations to do exactly that: http://wh.gov/iReyE
Please consider signing and sharing.
15
When large numbers of refugees flee from a national civil war, those fleeing tend to be a relatively diverse population and more upwardly mobile than economic refugees. Since the Syrians --like the Sri Lankans -- come from all classes of society, they are likely to be less of a burden on a host country than an influx of the poor. One also would expect many to return home if a stable government is established anytime soon. Finally, such refugees could better exercise political influence from abroad if they are in stable living circumstances rather than in refugee camps. These are all reasons to view Syrian refugees as less onerous than others.
3
The UN is 3 billion dollars short of funds to provide food, shelter, and medicine to the world's poorest. Meanwhile, here in the USA, we spend $610 billion a year on defense. Charles and David Koch have $81 billion between them (although they probably have to share). The Walton's have $130 billion to split 4 ways.
Just sayin'
Just sayin'
72
What about Israel accepting the refugees from Syria?
Have Moses and Jesus banned such act of mercifulness anywhere in the Holly Books?
Should not the only democracy in the Middle East lead by personal example?
Not accepting the refuges puts the state of Israel really low on the humanitarian rank list, next to the Saudi Arabia. Anybody at the same level with the Saudis should be extremely worried about their worldviews...
Have the Jews forgotten how desperate the refuges running for their lives could be? The WWII ended mere eight decades ago.
If we must never forget the Holocaust we also should never fail to recognize the other humans in danger of total extermination and offer them shelter and protection.
What are the politics good for if they destroy our love for the other people?
Are we really let the people die in order to assure some irrelevant majority?
Just check the Ten Commandments, there is no single word regarding any majority. There are several instructions how to protect and care for our neighbors...
Have Moses and Jesus banned such act of mercifulness anywhere in the Holly Books?
Should not the only democracy in the Middle East lead by personal example?
Not accepting the refuges puts the state of Israel really low on the humanitarian rank list, next to the Saudi Arabia. Anybody at the same level with the Saudis should be extremely worried about their worldviews...
Have the Jews forgotten how desperate the refuges running for their lives could be? The WWII ended mere eight decades ago.
If we must never forget the Holocaust we also should never fail to recognize the other humans in danger of total extermination and offer them shelter and protection.
What are the politics good for if they destroy our love for the other people?
Are we really let the people die in order to assure some irrelevant majority?
Just check the Ten Commandments, there is no single word regarding any majority. There are several instructions how to protect and care for our neighbors...
13
Israel has accepted more than 1 million Russian refugees, tens of thousands of Ethiopeans. Many Jews subject to mounting anti -Semitism in France and Belgium and elsewhere are leaving Europe and are welcomed in Israel. Israel is the home for Jewish "refugees". There are many Arab and Muslim nations that can accept their fellow Arab/Muslims as an expression of their pan-Arabism such as Egypt, Sudan,SA, UAE, Qatar,Libya,Algeria,Morocco, Yemen, Somalia.
3
Israel and Syria remain in a state of war with each other. The U.S, acepted no refugees from Japan during World War II. Israel is a country largely made up of refugees from other places and does provide medical care to ill and wounded Syrians. Jewish people rank high among the most charitable people in the world. Apart from writing this comment and presuming to teach Jews about the Ten Commandments, what have you personally done to help the Syrian refugees?
1
Israel should take in Muslim Arabs?? Are you serious?
1. None would want to go to Israel.
2. Israel would just mix them in with the Palestinians (whose rights they don't care much about) and exacerbate all of Israel's complications.
1. None would want to go to Israel.
2. Israel would just mix them in with the Palestinians (whose rights they don't care much about) and exacerbate all of Israel's complications.
2
This flood of refugees, particularly from the Middle East, is not going to stop soon. What prospects are there for conflict abating?
Given that the US bears a lot of responsibility for the chaos because of the disastrous war we started in Iraq - and over the objections of millions of Americans whose opinions were roundly ignored and not even well reported by the NYTimes, among other news organizations - we should open our doors to as many refugees who want to come this far. The burden shouldn't fall only on the countries of Europe.
As for Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan, as another commenter suggests, they are already reeling from earlier waves of refugees. In Jordan, on the border with Syria, there is already a refugee camp city with, I believe, a population of nearly half a million. Total number of refugees in Jordan, per UNHCR, the UN refugee organization, is 646,141. Turkey has a million and a half.
Given that the US bears a lot of responsibility for the chaos because of the disastrous war we started in Iraq - and over the objections of millions of Americans whose opinions were roundly ignored and not even well reported by the NYTimes, among other news organizations - we should open our doors to as many refugees who want to come this far. The burden shouldn't fall only on the countries of Europe.
As for Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan, as another commenter suggests, they are already reeling from earlier waves of refugees. In Jordan, on the border with Syria, there is already a refugee camp city with, I believe, a population of nearly half a million. Total number of refugees in Jordan, per UNHCR, the UN refugee organization, is 646,141. Turkey has a million and a half.
46
We need to accept hundreds of thousands of refugees today. America is too preoccupied with nonsense--defunding Planned Parenthood, the Duggars, Trump and his antics. We need to reconnect with the real world. Our government has caused much of this Middle East destabilization.
2
Keeping refugees closer to home in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan is a far better plan, financed by western and Gulf governments and oil revenues.
81
The humanitarian UN agencies and NGOs do not have the funding to meet their mandates. It is complicated because the needs are excruciatingly high but the way that funding works is through broad appeals that many see as inflated, or, in best cases, estimates. Donors view these funding estimates suspiciously and so tend to negotiate down, hence the huge discrepancy between $4.5 billion in stated needs compared with $1.67 billion actually donated. There needs to be a much better way of assessing needs, even in dynamic, massive humanitarian disasters, so that donors can be more assured (and convince their constituencies) that the funds will be used precisely for these needs. The Syrian crisis is complicated and yet, if not now, when?
1
The USA bears far greater responsibility than Germany, for example, to pay to support refugees in situ and to welcome them to American soil.
W. Bush's aggression in Iraq was the proximate cause for the rise of ISIS, and the USA is still training fighters to insert into Syria, still arguing with Russia about whether Assad will stay or go.
And yet the USA is cheer-leading European uptake of the humanitarian catastrophe the USA has created. Syria instantly became a geopolitical battleground for regional rivals like Saudi Arabia and Iran and for global rivals like the USA and Russia when Assad stupidly massacred protesters impoverished by 4 years of global-warming induced drought.
Rather than to rush into the Syrian political space to promote calm and negotiate a political settlement, hard-liners on all sides beyond Syria's borders threw their respective gauntlets down, armed their proxies, and escalated violence to a horrendous extreme.
Who thought about refugees then? And who is thinking about them now? Where are the negotiations between the Gulf States, Iran, Russia, NATO, and the USA? The hypocrisy in this situation is maddening. Oh, the poor refugees. Oh, the stupid Hungarians. Oh, how nice the Germans are. Meanwhile the political actors shedding crocodile tears are still trying to dominate Syria militarily.
The USA broke Iraq, NATO broke Libya, and everyone is having a field day shooting up Syria. Exactly the chaos ISIS ordered.
W. Bush's aggression in Iraq was the proximate cause for the rise of ISIS, and the USA is still training fighters to insert into Syria, still arguing with Russia about whether Assad will stay or go.
And yet the USA is cheer-leading European uptake of the humanitarian catastrophe the USA has created. Syria instantly became a geopolitical battleground for regional rivals like Saudi Arabia and Iran and for global rivals like the USA and Russia when Assad stupidly massacred protesters impoverished by 4 years of global-warming induced drought.
Rather than to rush into the Syrian political space to promote calm and negotiate a political settlement, hard-liners on all sides beyond Syria's borders threw their respective gauntlets down, armed their proxies, and escalated violence to a horrendous extreme.
Who thought about refugees then? And who is thinking about them now? Where are the negotiations between the Gulf States, Iran, Russia, NATO, and the USA? The hypocrisy in this situation is maddening. Oh, the poor refugees. Oh, the stupid Hungarians. Oh, how nice the Germans are. Meanwhile the political actors shedding crocodile tears are still trying to dominate Syria militarily.
The USA broke Iraq, NATO broke Libya, and everyone is having a field day shooting up Syria. Exactly the chaos ISIS ordered.
128
But then how many Ford Class aircraft carriers at $ 13 billion a piece can American afford? Or F-22 Raptors at $ 150 million a piece?
1
Exactly right, Bill.
When Colin Powell warned us about Iraq, he said "You break it, you own it."
We have a moral obligation to aid those our foolish adventuring in Afghanistan and Iraq has hurt. We do not have a moral obligation to kill more Iraqis, more Syrians, more Iranians, more Afghanis -- but we should do all we can to help those we have put in harm's way.
The United States -- not Germany, not Austria, not Greece, not Italy -- should bear the brunt of our meddling in the affairs of the nations of the Middle East.
When Colin Powell warned us about Iraq, he said "You break it, you own it."
We have a moral obligation to aid those our foolish adventuring in Afghanistan and Iraq has hurt. We do not have a moral obligation to kill more Iraqis, more Syrians, more Iranians, more Afghanis -- but we should do all we can to help those we have put in harm's way.
The United States -- not Germany, not Austria, not Greece, not Italy -- should bear the brunt of our meddling in the affairs of the nations of the Middle East.
3
The Arab League warned Bush & Cheney that invasion of Iraq would open the gates of hell. The big fools pressed on, opened the gates.
USA bares great responsibility.
USA bares great responsibility.
3