Those long ago words were written by Emma Lazarus and they referred to the immigrants coming to America. But today the millions of people fleeing the war torn Middle East, in particular Syria and Iraq, are heading to Europe. Their journey is long and arduous, and their hopes are just like those long ago immigrants to America. Leaving their homes, their loved ones, and their homeland they are looking for a safe harbor, a place to raise their children, a place to live out their lives in peace.
Some of those migrants are taking a path through Greece, on their way to other countries in Europe.
For many of the travelers Greece is just a stepping stone, but it is probably the country with the least resources to act as a transit point.
Germany is a popular destination point.
But tensions are rising.
While Europe is the primary destination the United States has accepted limited numbers of Syrian refugees.
This is a crisis of massive proportions. It will take a large scale response.
We initiated a war against Ba'athi Iraq. I remember that one clearly. And there is a difference between initiating a war and instigating one.
So, tell me; tell us… What's the Swedish faerie tale version of history these days? What wars have America supposedly instigated in the Middle East since the fall of the Soviet Union, according to your Euroweenie faerie tale histories?
Yes, I suspect this will be difficult for you. It's axiomatic in your circles that nobody is allowed to question the validity of Euroweenie faerie tale histories, so you'll not have an answer ready and you'll have to work one up yourself.
But then we're talking about "quality of life migrants" and not refugees, aren't we?
I would think that any of the people who are fleeing Syria or Iraq are fleeing war and/or persecution and should be considered refugees. Those from African countries may fall more into the migrant category.
To decrease the push factor we should ramp up aid to refugees across the ME and Africa. Ideally we should also work to end the (often american instigated) wars there, which we have very limitied means to do.
Ending the conflicts is the best but most difficult of solutions. Aid to refugees is a positive, but of only temporary, help.
As for the American war in Iraq, it did not create the disruptions that you are seeing across the entire Middle East. In fact, the camps that were set up in anticipation of displaced people because of the invasion were not even used. The tactics of the Islamic State are homegrown. And it is the violence that has been unleashed on the populations of Syria and Iraq by them that has snowballed into a huge refugee crisis.
To decrease the pull factors there are a host of issues we must adress. Such as lowered financial gains (the danes just cut them down by half - but then the danes were always sensible folks), temporary residency as opposed to permanent and so on.
This might be a deterrent, but what you would still offer is possibly preferable to what they have in the camps or at home. Both of these ideas could backfire, creating a permanent underclass of people who are in Europe, which could further exacerbate the tensions you are already seeing there.
Maybe another way would be to hire a fleet of large ships to embark from Greece and carry millions of ME/African refugees to the USA. I can't see there would be any protests in the US over that.
Well, we do already get millions from various places. Apparently Europe is an attractive place to be, especially the wealthier countries. I'm sure she will come to terms with any issues she may have.
Vote counters have it called today. Obama has got 34 openly declared supporters for the Iran nuclear deal in the Senate, enough to prevent an override of his intended veto of a Republican resolution of opposition to the plan. Head counts had already revealed that Obama would prevail in the House of Representatives, but, having enough to prevail in the Senate is important because it affects the calculus of those Senators still on fence. Obama needs another nine (9) Senators for a filibuster to block the Republican bill from passing the Senate in the first place.
I read the post about the Refugee Trip Advisor. He has a point about the ease in which people can find information on the journey, cell phones and the internet have made the details more readily available. The journey can still be difficult and exhausting though.
"I am always amazed at the chess game that is US politics."
Perhaps ‘shell game’ might be a more apt description. The Republicans are now considering holding a vote instead to approve the deal, which they can then vote down, on the theory that the headlines will read something about Obama's deal having failed to pass in Congress, rather than about them having been unable to block it.
210 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 210 of 210"…(often american instigated) wars there…"
We initiated a war against Ba'athi Iraq. I remember that one clearly. And there is a difference between initiating a war and instigating one.
So, tell me; tell us… What's the Swedish faerie tale version of history these days? What wars have America supposedly instigated in the Middle East since the fall of the Soviet Union, according to your Euroweenie faerie tale histories?
Yes, I suspect this will be difficult for you. It's axiomatic in your circles that nobody is allowed to question the validity of Euroweenie faerie tale histories, so you'll not have an answer ready and you'll have to work one up yourself.
Jeffrey,
Those links didn't work, but I found the blog through Google and have bookmarked it so that I can read it later. Thanks.
Marcus,
But then we're talking about "quality of life migrants" and not refugees, aren't we?
I would think that any of the people who are fleeing Syria or Iraq are fleeing war and/or persecution and should be considered refugees. Those from African countries may fall more into the migrant category.
To decrease the push factor we should ramp up aid to refugees across the ME and Africa. Ideally we should also work to end the (often american instigated) wars there, which we have very limitied means to do.
Ending the conflicts is the best but most difficult of solutions. Aid to refugees is a positive, but of only temporary, help.
As for the American war in Iraq, it did not create the disruptions that you are seeing across the entire Middle East. In fact, the camps that were set up in anticipation of displaced people because of the invasion were not even used. The tactics of the Islamic State are homegrown. And it is the violence that has been unleashed on the populations of Syria and Iraq by them that has snowballed into a huge refugee crisis.
To decrease the pull factors there are a host of issues we must adress. Such as lowered financial gains (the danes just cut them down by half - but then the danes were always sensible folks), temporary residency as opposed to permanent and so on.
This might be a deterrent, but what you would still offer is possibly preferable to what they have in the camps or at home. Both of these ideas could backfire, creating a permanent underclass of people who are in Europe, which could further exacerbate the tensions you are already seeing there.
Maybe another way would be to hire a fleet of large ships to embark from Greece and carry millions of ME/African refugees to the USA. I can't see there would be any protests in the US over that.
Well, we do already get millions from various places. Apparently Europe is an attractive place to be, especially the wealthier countries. I'm sure she will come to terms with any issues she may have.
Vote counters have it called today. Obama has got 34 openly declared supporters for the Iran nuclear deal in the Senate, enough to prevent an override of his intended veto of a Republican resolution of opposition to the plan. Head counts had already revealed that Obama would prevail in the House of Representatives, but, having enough to prevail in the Senate is important because it affects the calculus of those Senators still on fence. Obama needs another nine (9) Senators for a filibuster to block the Republican bill from passing the Senate in the first place.
That's seven (7) senators he still needs for a filibuster.
I had seen a headline mentioning that Obama was on top with the Iran deal. I am always amazed at the chess game that is US politics.
Jeffrey,
I read the post about the Refugee Trip Advisor. He has a point about the ease in which people can find information on the journey, cell phones and the internet have made the details more readily available. The journey can still be difficult and exhausting though.
"I am always amazed at the chess game that is US politics."
Perhaps ‘shell game’ might be a more apt description. The Republicans are now considering holding a vote instead to approve the deal, which they can then vote down, on the theory that the headlines will read something about Obama's deal having failed to pass in Congress, rather than about them having been unable to block it.
Now that's just bordering on the weird.
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