Should Canada open our gates and accept any and every refugee or should we control the amount of refugees we take in?
Updates on the growing global refugee crisis
Sat, 2015-09-05 15:04
#52
Sat, 2015-09-05 15:23
#53
Should Canada open our gates and accept any and every refugee or should we control the amount of refugees we take in?
Well, what is the current policy? I know you have to prove that you are a legitimate refugee. But is it the case that, once the government accepts your bona fides as a refugee, they're legally required to let you in? Sincere question, because I really don't know.
If they're obligated to accept anyone who is determined to be a refugee, then I don't see how they could "control the amount of refugees" being taken in, without changing that policy.
Sat, 2015-09-05 15:32
#54
I believe that there are quotas or "targets". Without some kind of management of numbers it would quickly become "the tragedy of the commons".
Sat, 2015-09-05 15:39
#55
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/true-north/2015/sep/04/harpers-ca...
Undeserving people exploiting the generosity of a benevolent government. Cheating an application process. Taking advantage of welfare. Stealing our jobs. That is the image of “bogus refugees” that Canada’s Conservative government has spent years carefully cultivating. But a single photo of a drowned child has shattered all the stories meant to harden Canadians. 3-year old Alan Kurdi’s fate off Turkey’s shore has seared the reality of the refugee crisis into our consciousness and left Canadians stunned about our government’s complicity in the death of a child.
Those now putting Canada’s refugee policies under scrutiny will realize that this much else is clear: the Harper government has more than one refugee’s death on its hands. It is not simply that Alan Kurdi’s family’s attempt to reach Canada was hampered by the government. Nor that Canada’s Immigration Minister ignored a hand-delivered plea. Under the Harper government’s overhaul of the immigration and refugee system, those fleeing war, poverty or persecution arrive not to a haven but a hazard. Never has this country been more unkind and unwelcoming.
Sat, 2015-09-05 16:11
#56
Should Canada open our gates and accept any and every refugee or should we control the amount of refugees we take in?
Well, what is the current policy? I know you have to prove that you are a legitimate refugee. But is it the case that, once the government accepts your bona fides as a refugee, they're legally required to let you in? Sincere question, because I really don't know.
If they're obligated to accept anyone who is determined to be a refugee, then I don't see how they could "control the amount of refugees" being taken in, without changing that policy.
I really don't know either.
I've seen some comments elsewhere stating Canada should throw open our gates and let anyone and everyone in. Give them a house and some spending money. My knowledge of economics is on par with a kid selling lemmonade but housing feeding and giving money to 250'000 refugees doesn't strike me as a wise move.
I'm also seeing pictures cropping of of refugees who also pose in ISIS AK47 weilding black flag waving pictures.
Sat, 2015-09-05 16:24
#57
Should Canada open our gates and accept any and every refugee or should we control the amount of refugees we take in?
Well, what is the current policy? I know you have to prove that you are a legitimate refugee. But is it the case that, once the government accepts your bona fides as a refugee, they're legally required to let you in? Sincere question, because I really don't know.
If they're obligated to accept anyone who is determined to be a refugee, then I don't see how they could "control the amount of refugees" being taken in, without changing that policy.
Only refugees that make it into Canada can claim refugee status, so, if we can keep them off our land we have no obligation.
The other means through which we accept refugees is from camps and they are prescreened before they get anywhere near Canadian soil.
An easy means of helping refugees is to expedite family reunification requests as there is family willing to vouch that the person is who they say they are even if they are lacking in documents and they have a support network that can help them aclimatize to life in Canada.
The government only provides resettlement aid to refugees they choose, not those who have family in Canada. This is self-defeating. The aunt of the boy who died had two brothers both with families she wanted to sponsor but she could only afford one at a time. In situations such as this Canada should waive the requirement of sponsorship of relatives and instead use family connections to quickly identify refugees that can be allowed to come here quickly and with a minimum of documentation through partial or full government sponsorship. Syrian communities in Canada would be happy to help settle an influx of refugees as they arrive.
Sat, 2015-09-05 16:27
#58
Thanks for the info, Pondering.
Sat, 2015-09-05 22:26
#59
What Threatens Iraq the Most? (and vid)
http://www.presstv.com/Video/2015/09/04/427670/Iraq-US-Daesh-
"We are responsible for all of this...To the western leaders, If they hadn't destroyed Iraq and Syria, this little boy would still be alive."
George Galloway discusses the refugee crisis and root causes, including the destruction of Iraq etc.
Sat, 2015-09-05 23:25
#60
Thanks for the info, Pondering.
Your welcome. What turned this situation into a crisis is not an explosion of refugees. It is a crisis because they are making it to European shores.
I found the following very interesting:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/europes-migrant-crisis-eight-r...
There are about 60 million people around the world who have been displaced – that is, forced to leave their homes due to conflict and unable, for the moment, to return. By far the largest group, two-thirds, are “internally displaced persons” – that is, they do not leave their country. The second largest, many millions in size, are those living in camps across the borders of their country – of the four million Syrian refugees and IDPs, 1.9 million are camped in Turkey, 1.1 million in Lebanon, 630,000 in Jordan. These camp refugees do not generally try to come to the West (except a handful who are sponsored by agencies).
Sat, 2015-09-05 23:42
#61
Death of Syrian Infant Exposes Canadian Complicity in Refugee Crisis
http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2015/09/05/cana-s05.html
"Prime Minister Stephen Harper has reponded to a public outcry over Canada's callous treatment of refugees with crocodile tears, dissembling and strident attacks on the opposition parties for not fully supporting the Canadian Armed Forces' combat mission in Iraq and Syria..."
Sun, 2015-09-06 01:14
#62
Death of Syrian Infant Exposes Canadian Complicity in Refugee Crisis
http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2015/09/05/cana-s05.html
"Prime Minister Stephen Harper has reponded to a public outcry over Canada's callous treatment of refugees with crocodile tears, dissembling and strident attacks on the opposition parties for not fully supporting the Canadian Armed Forces' combat mission in Iraq and Syria..."
Speaking in British Columbia Thursday, Harper urged people not to drive themselves “crazy with grief” and recognize that there are strict limits on what Canada can do to aid the refugees. The real issue, he declared, was to get at the “root cause” of the refugee crisis. This he claimed was the growth of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS, or alternately ISIL).
I don't think he's wrong.
Sun, 2015-09-06 01:51
#63
Western imperialism's wars in the region is the 'root cause' of both...
Sun, 2015-09-06 02:47
#64
The US-led coalition's airstrikes are not resolving the problem. There are under-reported civilian deaths from these bombing missions. What exactly is this so-called mission going to accomplish? Canada maintaining resolve in yet another mission is only making matters worse.
The bombing needs to stop. Diplomacy would go a long way in defusing more death and destruction. Refugees truly want to go home but they currently cannot due to fighting. Citizens of Iceland have said they will take in 11000 Syrian refugees to a country of 33000. Certainly Canada could do something helpful.
Sun, 2015-09-06 04:12
#65
Citizens of Iceland have said they will take in 11000 Syrian refugees to a country of 33000. Certainly Canada could do something helpful.
mmphosis, I'm sorry to be picky, but according to Wikipeddia the population of Iceland is 329,100 as of (apparently) sometime in 2014.
For the position of Icelanders on taking in refugees see two articles:
http://icelandreview.com/news/2015/09/05/close-90-percent-icelanders-wil...
http://icelandreview.com/stuff/views/2015/09/01/stream-support-zr
Note that according to the poll a strong majority of Icelanders is in favour of accepting at least 150 refugees which would correspond to 17,000 for Canada's 35 million people.
Germany, a country of 81 million people, accepted 73,000 refugees in the first quarter of 2015.
According to
http://www.unicef.ca/en/syria-the-most-dangerous-place-to-be-a-child-you...
Jordan, a country of 8.1 million people has 629,000 refugees. Turkey has 1.8 million.
Sun, 2015-09-06 06:17
#66
kropotkin, we should find a photo of the walls along the US-Mexican border as well. And of Donald Trump.
I presume babblers know that the US stole 55% of Mexico's territory, including "Alta California" (what is now the US state). Most "illegal" Mexican migrants were simply moving to what once was Mexico.
I'm going to start another thread about the demos and actions for refugees within Canada, and I guess statements by politicians can go in there too.
Sun, 2015-09-06 12:19
#67
Speaking in British Columbia Thursday, Harper urged people not to drive themselves “crazy with grief” and recognize that there are strict limits on what Canada can do to aid the refugees. The real issue, he declared, was to get at the “root cause” of the refugee crisis. This he claimed was the growth of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS, or alternately ISIL).I don't think he's wrong.
Other than relatives of the dead I don't see anyone driving themselves crazy with grief. The only "strict" limits we have are those imposed by Harper.
The entire region was made unstable with the invasion of Iraq, a war begun by the United States. We "aided" the rebels in Libya by bombing that country and turning it into a failed state. We then suddenly developed a conscience and decided to block the bank accounts of Gadaffi and family. The bank accounts of other despots are perfectly safe unti we decide they too should be overthrown. ISIS is using weapons we sold and we just made a massive deal to sell weaponry to Saudi Arabia, who beheads people all the time. Much of our wealth is derived from aiding and causing centuries of oppression in various countries. We are responsible for global warming which is causing a lot of the strife.
We have approximately 40,000 Syrians in Canada today. Many of them have family trying to escape Syria. Harper cut back on family reunification in favor of bringing in whomever business wants and temporary workers. That isn't how you build a country. Family reunifications helps people achieve success through mutual support.
If we told those 40K Syrians already in Canada to submit names of relatives that are refugees we could cherry pick refugees likely to be successful in Canada because they already have support networks here. We could even require families to provide the roof over the heads of family members who are refugees for at least a year while picking up the rest of the tab (medical coverage).
Harper's comment is ugly. He wants us to turn away from the tragedy and pretend we have nothing to do with it. He wants our decisions made coldly without a shred of humanity or compassion, the way corporations are run, but countries are not built like companies. The well-being of the people should be the paramount concern of a country whereas monetary profit is the primary concern of businesses. We are not building a business we are building a country and countries should have character and values.
Most Syrians who live here now are Canadians or in the process of becoming Canadians. We should be helping Canadians with family in war-torn regions.
Harper's comment is revealing. He has no genuine compassion and doesn't believe the state has any obligation to help people. He sees Canada purely as a business intended to generate financial wealth.
We have no moral right to stop anyone from coming to Canada. The Earth doesn't belong to us. The only authority we have to create borders is "might makes right". We aren't going to give that up but we have no moral right to turn away from tragedies we helped create. The problem is certainly not that grief is driving us crazy. We throw up our hands and turn away from it far too easily as it is which is exactly how Harper wants it.
Sun, 2015-09-06 12:41
#68
kropotkin, we should find a photo of the walls along the US-Mexican border as well. And of Donald Trump.
I presume babblers know that the US stole 55% of Mexico's territory, including "Alta California" (what is now the US state). Most "illegal" Mexican migrants were simply moving to what once was Mexico.
I believe the pic at Post 28 is a portion of the US/Mexican border.
Born In East LA was a funny movie about a serious subject. The deportations of Latino's from California has been going on since at least the 1930's. The Natve Americans in the territory were wiped out in the Gold Rush in what can only be called a genocidal mania.
"During the Gold Rush, miners, loggers, and settlers formed vigilante groups and local militias to hunt Indians living outside the mission communities—a genocide largely ignored by American history. The Native population, estimated at 150,000 in 1845, was by 1870 less than 30,000." [123] This means that less than 20% of the population remained.
Sun, 2015-09-06 13:21
#69
The US-led coalition's airstrikes are not resolving the problem. There are under-reported civilian deaths from these bombing missions.
Hundreds of civilians killed in US-led air strikes on Isis targets – report (theguardian.com)
What exactly is this so-called mission going to accomplish? Canada maintaining resolve in yet another mission is only making matters worse.
The bombing needs to stop. Diplomacy would go a long way in defusing more death and destruction. Refugees truly want to go home but they currently cannot due to fighting. Citizens of Iceland have said they will take in 11000 Syrian refugees to a country of 33000.
Iceland, which has a population of little over 330,000, welcomed 1,117 immigrants in 2014, according to government figures.
More than 11,000 Icelanders offer to house Syrian refugees to help European crisis (independent.co.uk)
Certainly Canada could do something helpful.
mmphosis, I'm sorry to be picky, but according to Wikipeddia the population of Iceland is 329,100 as of (apparently) sometime in 2014.
I think that the number I used was rounded up to the nearest 10,000. As of January 2015, you are indeed, correct. Mannfjöldi 1. jan. 2015 329.100 (hagstofa.is)
For the position of Icelanders on taking in refugees see two articles:
http://icelandreview.com/news/2015/09/05/close-90-percent-icelanders-wil...
http://icelandreview.com/stuff/views/2015/09/01/stream-support-zr
Note that according to the poll a strong majority of Icelanders is in favour of accepting at least 150 refugees which would correspond to 17,000 for Canada's 35 million people.
Germany, a country of 81 million people, accepted 73,000 refugees in the first quarter of 2015.
According to
http://www.unicef.ca/en/syria-the-most-dangerous-place-to-be-a-child-you...
Jordan, a country of 8.1 million people has 629,000 refugees. Turkey has 1.8 million.
Thanks for the reply and links to those articles.
Sun, 2015-09-06 13:30
#70
The Guardian: 'Bomb Assad and Save the Refugees'
http://off-guardian.org/2015/09/04/the-guardian-bomb-assad-and-save-the-...
"The Guardian is currently providing us with a good example of what is often called the 'problem-reaction-solution' method of controlling public discourse.
So we need to ask why the western media are suddenly headlining this ongoing human tragedy? Why the blatant attempt to create mass hysteria through manipulation of basic human emotions - fear (of the alleged incoming hordes of displaced people) and outrage (for their plight)?
Is it because the media and its masters are suddenly discovering their humanity and conscience? Well, it's always possible, but I think we'd be unwise to make that a first assumption.
And in fact, a more likely answer presents itself in the Guardian's response to the crisis it has chosen this moment to define..."
Sun, 2015-09-06 13:43
#71
when i saw the pic at #28 i thought of other "great walls" in history and how they didn't prevent the collapse of those nations.
2nd thought was how many people think today's civilization over those throughout history has advanced is grossly untrue.
3rd thought was "history" is one long story about people who can't get over themselves and their desire to control others. it's like an addiction. once ya start more is never enough.
i'm terrified Canadians will bend once again to the dominator trance and vote against their own best interests
Sun, 2015-09-06 14:14
#72
He is from Kurdistan, parts of which are claimed by Turkey, Syria and Iraq and a part that is autonomous. What are those borders based on in this fluid situation is beyond me. I don't think the fact that his family was fleeing a war that has displaced millions is in dispute.
Sun, 2015-09-06 14:14
#73
The Guardian: 'Bomb Assad and Save the Refugees'
http://off-guardian.org/2015/09/04/the-guardian-bomb-assad-and-save-the-...
"The Guardian is currently providing us with a good example of what is often called the 'problem-reaction-solution' method of controlling public discourse.
So we need to ask why the western media are suddenly headlining this ongoing human tragedy? Why the blatant attempt to create mass hysteria through manipulation of basic human emotions - fear (of the alleged incoming hordes of displaced people) and outrage (for their plight)?
Is it because the media and its masters are suddenly discovering their humanity and conscience? Well, it's always possible, but I think we'd be unwise to make that a first assumption.
And in fact, a more likely answer presents itself in the Guardian's response to the crisis it has chosen this moment to define..."
Hm. According to that article, Aylan Kurdi has been misrepresented by the media as Syrian, when he was in fact Turkish. Which contradicts what pretty much everyone else, including the left and refugee advocates, has been saying.
EDIT: Oh, okay, they were Syrian, but were FLEEING from Turkey, having gone to live there at some point earlier. OffGuardian sees an anti-Assad bias in calling them Syrian.
Sun, 2015-09-06 14:15
#74
He is from Kurdistan, parts of which are claimed by Turkey, Syria and Iraq and a part that is autonomous. What are those borders based on in this fluid situation is beyond me. I don't think the fact that his family was fleeing a war that has displaced millions is in dispute.
Yeah, I edited my post before I read yours. Thanks.
Sun, 2015-09-06 14:26
#75
Syrian Kurd resident in Turkey I understood.
Speaking of mistakes...
NDP's Fin Donnelly Needs To Own Up To His Mistake
http://cnews.canoe.com/CNEWS/Canada/2015/09/05/22548808.html
"...Donnelly did hand an application to Alexander, but it was for a different Kurdi family member - for Alan's uncle. Canada had received no such application from Alan's family."
Sun, 2015-09-06 15:59
#76
We have no moral right to stop anyone from coming to Canada. The Earth doesn't belong to us. The only authority we have to create borders is "might makes right".
I've seen it said many times that "borders are just lines drawn on a map" -- the implication being that we should all be free to travel the earth and live wherever we wish. Birds don't obey borders, fish don't obey borders, so why should we?
Thing is, if someone wants to live in Canada, I think it's likely not because they like the land on our side of the border best of all the lands of the earth, or because it's always been their dream to live next to a Great Lake. It's probably because of our society -- what we've built, the choices we've made, and so on.
I think that's pretty much why so many refugees in Europe are "just passing through" most of Europe to get to Germany. Is it the majestic Alps they crave? To cross "see the Black Forest" off their bucket list? Or is it because Germany has one of the most prosperous economies in the EU, and a high standard of living?
I've actually read that many refugess refuse to fill out paperwork in Hungary, for fear that they might be forced to have their lives saved by Hungary.
Sun, 2015-09-06 17:04
#77
Netanyahu Says Israel Not Indifferent, But Too Small to Host Refugees
http://www.rt.com/news/314589-netanyahu-refuse-host-refugees/
"We must protect our borders against illegal immigrants and against the perpetrators of terrorism. We cannot allow Israel to be flooded with infiltrators,' he added, as quoted by the Times of Israel.
During the Cabinet meeting, Benjamin Netanyahu also announced plans to immediately start constructing a fence along the country's eastern border with Jordan.
'To the extent that it's possible we will encompass Israel's borders with a security fence and barriers that will allow us to control our borders,' Netanyahu said..."
The Arab World's Wealthiest Nations Are Doing Next To Nothing For Syrian Refugees
http://www.mintpressnews.com/the-arab-worlds-wealthiest-nations-are-doin...
"Six Gulf countries - Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain - have offered zero resettlement places to Syrians.."
Sun, 2015-09-06 18:38
#78
Refugee crisis escalates: violent clashes on Lesvos, eggs & boos against EU-officials on Kos
with video
On the island of Lesvos, hundreds of migrants attempted to get on board of a ferry without the necessary papers, clashes erupted between security units and the angry people. In Kos, a mob of angry residents hurled tomatoes and eggs, swore and booed the EU Migration Commissioner Avramopoulso and EC Vice Timmermans as they visited the island to see the refugee crisis with their own eyes.
With several thousands of refugees and migrants to have stranded and been trapped on the Greek islands, the situation gets occasionally out of control, as desperate refugees living in appalling conditions try to move further to Europe, local communities to be divided in ‘activists’ and ‘xenophobic’ fronts, while the state and local authorities seem endlessly overwhelmed with the situation.
quote:
Kos: “hellish living conditions” and attacks by xenophobic “thugs”
Many activists reported on Thursday night of “a violent attack on refugees” by a group of 15-25 people brandishing bats physically attack refugees on Kos, while shouting “go back to your countries” and other slurs. They also threatened activists, including an Amnesty International staff member. An activist who was taking photographs had her camera removed and suffered minor injuries. Police did not stop them and riot police only intervened after the physical attacks had started and used teargas to disperse the crowd.”
Mon, 2015-09-07 03:24
#79
Germany is 'Exploiting' Refugee Suffering to Recruit 'Slaves' via Mass Immigration - Marine Le Pen (and vid)
http://www.rt.com/news/314593-germany-refugee-slaves-le-pen/
"...While the French National Front leader criticized German actions and their political knock-on effect in the EU, Turkish PM Ahmed Davutoglu said that the German portion of the refugee influx is 'ridiculously small'.
He accused the EU of building a 'Christian fortress' in Europe, pointing out that Turkey had already accommodated more than two million people from Syria and Iraq.
The Turkish PM's comments came in reply to Hungarian PM Viktor Orban's statements calling for the defense of Europe's prosperity, identity and 'Christian values' against Muslim immigrants.
'As long as Austria and Germany don't say clearly that they won't take in any more migrants, several million new migrants will come to Europe..."
Islamic State Terrorists Caught Crossing Into Europe Posing as Refugees
http://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2015/09/01/islamic-state-terr...
"Five men have been arrested as they attempted to cross the Bulgarian-Macedonian border with decapitation videos and Islamic State propaganda on their phones. The terrorist suspects had been posing as refugees.
In a move that suggests how seriously authorities are taking the case, the Bulgarian State Agency for National Security (DANS) has now taken control of the investigation under the supervision of the regional prosecutor's office in Kyustendil..."
Mon, 2015-09-07 10:52
#80
Europe Has to Deal With Refugee Disaster Caused by US - Nicolas Maduro
http://www.rt.com/news/314592-maduro-china-rt-interview/
"Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro pinned the blame for the worst refugee crisis to hit Europe since WWII on the United States.
'Who bombed Libya? Who took the lives of more than 100,000 Libyans?
Who is now bombing Syria? Who financed the terrorists that are now seeking to destroy it?' he questioned..."
Mon, 2015-09-07 13:37
#81
Maybe it is just because they are reaching European shores that we are so much more aware, but I can't help feeling the strength of public reponse has something to do with the whiteness of refugees coming from Syria. Do you think I'm wrong?
Mon, 2015-09-07 13:37
#82
New Zealand Herald: The big passport scam: Pakistanis dumping IDs to become Syrian
A Pakistani identity card in the bushes, a Bangladeshi one in a cornfield. A torn Iraqi driver's license bearing the photo of a man with a Saddam-style mustache, another one with a scarfed woman displaying a shy smile.
Documents scattered only metres from Serbia's border with Hungary provide evidence that many of the migrants flooding Europe to escape war or poverty are scrapping their true nationalities and likely assuming new ones, just as they enter the European Union.
Many of those travelers believe that using a fake document - or having none at all - gives them a better of chance of receiving asylum in Germany and other western European states. That's because the surest route to asylum is to be a refugee from war and not an economic migrant fleeing poverty.
Mon, 2015-09-07 13:52
#83
NATO Powers Move to Exploit Refugee Crisis to Intensify Bombing of Syria
http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2015/09/07/syri-s07.html
"Even as tens of thousands of Syrians flee to Europe, the NATO powers are preparing to step up the bombing of their war-torn country and the drive for regime change in Syria.
It is the US and NATO-backed intervention in Syria, along with the financing of Islamic fundamentalist organizations by their allies in the Gulf monarchies, which created the conditions for the emergence of ISIS.
Civil war has been deliberately stoked as part of a policy of undermining and overthrowing the Assad government. Now, as tens of thousands of Syrian refugees stream into Europe, the NATO powers intend to exploit the crisis to intensify their drive to regime change in Syria, which will only force more Syrians to flee their country.
Louise Arbour Says Military Alliance 'Not the Answer' To Syrian Refugee Crisis (and vid)
http://www.cbc.ca/radio/thehouse/refugee-crisis-changes-the-tune-of-the-...
"Arbour cautioned against placing too much emphasis on a military response to the crisis in Syria, pointing to Libya as an example of what not to do.
'Canada was out there with others, bombing, then walked away. Look at Libya today - an absolute disaster. And I'm very concerned that is what's happening now with the military position Canada is taking..."
Worst Refugee Crisis Since WWII (LIVE UPDATES)
http://www.rt.com/news/314206-refugee-crisis-migrants-europe/
07 Sept, 1721 GMT: "Hungary's Defense Minister Csaba Hende has resigned following an emergency cabinet meeting to discuss the response to the refugee crisis."
Mon, 2015-09-07 14:41
#84
Mothers and children Kos, Greece, August 13 2015. Refugee women carrying their children comfort each other after surviving the deadly trip to cross the borders. Photograph by Angelos Tzortzinis (via facebook: Art Against, No Border)
Athens, 28th July 2015. Many (almost 240) refugee children, even infants, dehydrated at Pedion Areos Park today. Photo via twitter (@miapotaidia) and facebook (NoBorders)
Kos island, Greece August 2015 Tourists lying on the beach, while refugees from Syria and Africa arrive on the Greek island of Kos inside an inflatable boat after crossing the deadly Aegean Sea borders. Photograph by Yannis Behrakis. Source: f/b Art Against
Mon, 2015-09-07 15:41
#85
That last picture says it all epaulo!
Is Dropping More Bombs on Syria the Way To Solve the Refugee Crisis?
http://stopwar.org.uk/news/is-dropping-more-bombs-on-syria-the-way-to-so...
"We must resist attempts to turn humanitarianism into a pretext for war says Kevin Overden, for it is war, above all, which creates refugees.
The moral depravity of what Cameron is doing is sickening. He is not even trying to make a convincing case for how dropping more bombs on Syria will somehow bring to an end the many-sided war there, which the West's policy has helped foment. So why push for bombing at all, with so much doubt even among the military top brass, and with an unworkable policy of both regime change and stopping ISIS?
At this moment, it is in order to avoid having to break with the inhuman asylum and immigration policy and to allow refugess in. Something that is 100 percent guaranteed to help and not to make matters worse.
It is to exploit the suffering of millions of people who are on the move in order to justify an enhanced British military presence in the Middle East, even though that will create more refugees. It is to use deaths such as Aylan's...
The callousness and cynicism are staggering. Cameron is seeking to use the immediacy of the shock of what is happening to divert that solidarity into support for wider war..."
Mon, 2015-09-07 16:17
#86
That last picture is shocking. How can they just lie there? I am way older and in poorer shape but as soon as I sighted them I would be as far out as I could safely get to help them haul in the raft.
Mon, 2015-09-07 18:11
#87
Turning the Cradle of Civilization Into Its Graveyard - by Diana Johnstone
http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/09/07/turning-the-cradle-of-civilizatio...
"...The results of this madness are washing up on the shores of the Mediterranean. Images and sentiment have replaced thinking about causes and effects. One photo of a toddler causes a media and political uproar. Are people surprised?
Didn't they know that toddlers were being torn to pieces by US bombing of Iraq, by US drones in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen? What about the toddlers obliterated by NATO's war to 'free Libya' from its 'dictator'?
The current refugee crisis in Europe is the inevitable, foreseeable, predicted result of Western policy in the Middle East and North Africa. Gaddafi's Libya was the wall that kept hundreds of thousands of Africans from migrating illegally to Europe, not only by police methods but even more effectively by offering them development at home and decently paid jobs in Libya.
Now Libya is the source of economic migrants and of refugees from Libya itself, as well as from other lands of desperation. The refugee crisis should be seen as the warning signal that the United States and its NATO allies - especially Britain and France - are bringing the world to a state of chaos that is going to keep spreading and that is approaching a point of no return..."
* * *
'He has given Canadians great cause for pride, not only because he was entrusted by the international community to command NATO's forces in Libya, but also because of his skills in prosecuting the mission.
For this he garnered the trust of NATO members and most importantly, the people of Libya.
Hopefully, it will stand as a model for future military missions...'
Feb, 2012 - Statement in the H of C for RCAF Lt Gen Charles Bouchard
'The future of Libya now belongs to all Libyans. The announcement of the death of former dictator Muammar Gaddafi may mean the end of a long oppressive regime and decades of brutal fighting for democracy.
Our troops have done a wonderful job in Libya over the past few months. I want to salute the efforts and courage of our troops. New Democrats are proud to have supported Libyans in their quest for democracy...' - Canada's NDP, 2011
Mon, 2015-09-07 18:34
#88
Greek northern borders 7 September 2015
Refugees try to break through a fence to board a train to reach Serbia.
Photograph by Stoyan NenovPresevo, Serbia 24 August 2015
A Syrian refugee carries his daughter on his shoulders as they walk along a road in the town of Presevo, trying to get to Germany via Hungary. Defying borders. Refugees walk for days on their deadly and desperate journey to enter Fortress Europe. Photograph by Marko Djurica
Calais, France 5 September 2015
The refugees of Calais march in the streets to demand freedom of movement and human rights. They are trapped in Calais, trying to cross the borders and enter England. French & British activists support in solidarity, as well as many others in several European countries. Photographs by Guy Smallman
Tue, 2015-09-08 03:20
#89
Vladimir Putin Interview with Russian Media
http://thesaker.is/vladimir-putin-interview-with-the-russian-media/
What is your assessment of the refugee crisis?
VP: We talked about this on numerous occasions a long time ago. I believe this is an absolutely expected crisis. If you remember, or look it up in your archives, we in Russia, yours truly in particular, said a few years ago that we are in for large-scale problems if our so-called western partners continue with their misguided foreign policy..."
Refugee Crisis: How Neocons Destabilized Europe - by Robert Parry
http://newcoldwar.org/refugee-crisis-how-neocons-destabilized-europe/
"The refugee chaos that is now pushing deep into Europe - dramatized by gut-wrenching photos of Syrian toddler Aylan Kurdi, whose body washed up on a beech in Turkey - started with the cavalier ambitions of American neocons and their liberal-interventionist sidekicks who planned to remake the Middle East and other parts of the world through 'regime change'.
Instead of the promised wonders of 'democracy promotion' and 'human rights', what these 'anti-realists' have accomplished is to spread death, destruction, and destabilization across the Middle East and parts of Africa and now into Ukraine and the heart of Europe.
Yet, since the neocon forces still control the Official Narrative, their explanations get top-billing - such as that there hasn't been enough 'regime change'...
Tue, 2015-09-08 11:11
#90
Excellent links NDPP, thank-you.
Tue, 2015-09-08 21:03
#91
Amid Refugee Crisis in Europe, NATO Powers Prepare War Escalation in Syria
http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2015/09/08/syri-s08.html
"Even as hundreds of thousands of refugees stream into Europe from the Middle East, Africa and the Balkans, the NATO powers are preparing to escalate the war in Syria, which has already driven millions to flee their homes.
On Monday, Paris and London both announced plans to step up the bombing of Syria, with French President Francois Hollande calling for the ouster of Syrian President Bashar al Assad.
The Elysee presidential palace let it be known that Hollande's plan was to 'neutralize' Assad. During the press conference Hollande insisted that Assad's departure from power was 'necessary' and that Syrian rebels must play their role in a post-Assad government.
As the 'rebels' are anti-Assad Sunni Islamist militias funded by the CIA and Persian Gulf sheikdoms, one must assume that the fate Hollande intends for Assad is similar to that of Muammar Gaddafi after NATO-backed Islamists toppled his regime in Libya.
The main responsibility for the current refugee crisis, the greates since the end of WWII, lies not with Assad, but with the criminal foreign policy of the NATO powers. They have not only financed and armed Sunni Islamist militias in a proxy war to install a puppet regime in Syria, but have pursued other wars around the world that forced tens of millions to flee their homes.
The refugees arriving in Europe are drawn from millions of Syrians, Iraqis, Ukrainians, Afghanis and Pakistanis fleeing bloodshed and social collapse resulting from neocolonial wars..."
The #RefugeeCrisis: What's Palestine Got to Do With It? - by Harry Fear (and vid)
http://www.rt.com/op-edge/314745-refugee-crisis-palestine-israel/
"It is as if a grenade has gone off in the Middle East and North Africa, and the regions are now hemorrhaging people. The result: shocking images of little boys washed up on beaches.
I recently followed the European migration trail from Greece, through Macedonia, Serbia and Hungary and met some of those 'fleeing death from war and hunger,' as the Pope puts it. Almost all I met were refugees - not migrants. The vast majority of them were displaced from Syria, and among them were some Palestinians who had been displaced multiple times.
The Palestinians were rendered refugees from Israel's creation, they found themselves displaced into Syria, and most recently, displaced again into Lebanon, before embarking on epic journeys seeking safe futures in richer Europe. Witnessing the never-ending stream of desperate people, I was astounded at the magnitude of the man-made crisis..."
Thu, 2015-09-10 14:10
#92
Refugee Crisis: Where Are The Gulf Countries?
http://aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2015/09/refugee-crisis-gulf-countri...
"The Syrian conflict has created over four million refugees. Add to that nearly two million more fleeing persecution in Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia, and this becomes a crisis that no amount of European generosity can address.
The problem is likely to get worse. The war in Yemen, which resulted in an almost 80 percent of the population needing humanitarian assistance and the long-running Libyan conflict - have yet to release their burden of displaced and desperate people. When they do it could add millions more to the nation's refugee exodus.
Of course, the solution has to be an end to these conflicts and the associated persecution. But none of these conflicts shows signs of abating soon. Why are some Muslim governments seemingly indifferent to this plight, and why are people from the region flowing to Europe for safety and prosperity?
It is not because regional countries lack the capacity to cope with the problem. The region has unimaginable wealth. The region has no shortage of space or jobs. Millions of professionals and labourers are imported from across the world to serve the lifestyle, ambitions and enterprises of these states.
The most profound words in recent days come from a 13-year-old Arab refugee. He didn't want asylum or a hand-out. He simply asked that the war in Syria be stopped."
Fri, 2015-09-11 16:29
#93
Politicians Refuse to Accept Muslim Refugees in France (and vid)
http://www.presstv.com/Video/2015/09/10/428615/France-Muslim-refugees
"Some small town politicians are openly refusing to accept any Muslim asylum-seekers."
Fri, 2015-09-11 22:33
#94
Capsized Boat Survivors Claim Aylan Kurdi's Father is People Smuggler (and vid)
http://www.rt.com/news/315116-passengers-reveal-kurdi-smuggler/
"Passengers of the boat that capsized in the Agean Sea, taking the lives of at least 12 people, including a Syrian toddler, whose tragic image has become iconic for the current refugee crisis, have accused his father of being a 'people smuggler'.
The story that [Aylan's father] told is untrue. I don't know what made him lie, maybe fear,' Ahmed Hadji Jawwad, who lost his 11-year-old daughter and 9 - year old son, told Reuters.
'He was the driver from the very beginning, until the boat sank.' He added that Kurdi 'organized this trip,' and his wife confirmed the details..."
European Powers Prepare to Sink Refugee Vessels in Medi
http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2015/09/11/refu-s11.html
"As hundreds of thousands of refugees flee to Europe to escape war in the Middle East and Africa, the European powers are drawing up plans to block the flow of refugees into Europe by sinking the vessels in the Mediterranean..."
Fri, 2015-09-11 22:48
#95
A German Motorist on Media Lies About Refugees
"F*cking media and press - I am sick of it!"
Fri, 2015-09-11 23:17
#96
A German Motorist on Media Lies About Refugees
"F*cking media and press - I am sick of it!"
That was great.
Fri, 2015-09-11 23:58
#97
You might not like this one as much. but it's still worth a read I think, warts and all
Staying with Germany, Thierry Meyssan says German capitalists are rubbing their hands together at the thought of how they will use these refugee flows to make money, while NATO's plans are even more sinister. Remember USA's Victoria Nuland's famous 'Fuck the EU!' Meyssan maintains they're doing it now.
The Phony 'Refugee Crisis'
http://www.voltairenet.org/article188623.html
"Six months ago, I was astonished by the blindness of the EU leaders who failed to understand that the intention of the US was to weaken their countries...including by means of the refugee crisis.
Last month the magazine Info Direkt confirmed that according to the Austrian intelligence services, the passage of Syrian refugees to Europe was organized by the US."
Germany: 800,000 Refugees - And Then What?
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2015/09/germany-800000-refugee...
"The worry for some politicians is that Germany will not be able to bear the financial and logistical demands in the end."
Sat, 2015-09-12 18:08
#98
Read This Before the Mainstream Media Uses a Drowned Refugee Boy to Start Another War
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-09-08/read-mainstream-media-uses-drow...
"Warmongers in government and the media are perversely but predictably trying to conscript Aylan's corpse into their march to escalation. They are contending that Aylan died because the West has not intervened against Syria's dictator Bashar al Assad, and that it must do so now to spare other children the same fate.
Aylan's family were Kurdish refugees, from Kobani, who had to flee that city when it was besiged, not by Assad, but by Assad's enemy: ISIS. And ISIS is running rampant in that part of Syria only because the US-led West and its regional allies have given them cover by supporting and arming the jihadist-dominated uprising against Assad.."
Mulcair Stands Behind Donnelly After Kurdi Family Confusion
http://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/election/mulcair-stands-behind-donnelly-a...
"Last week Donnelly told reporters that the family of Alan Kurdi had applied for refugee status in Canada last March, and that he hand-delivered a letter to Chris Alexander, the citizenship and immigration minister, asking for help, but the family heard nothing more. Donnelly's statements quickly made headlines around the world.
It later emerged that Alan Kurdi's parents were not the subject of the application, which was instead for his uncle, Mohammed Kurdi. That application was incomplete and was sent back as it did not meet requirements for proof of refugee status. Donnelly offered no explanation for the misunderstanding..."
For Syrian Refugees, Smartphones Are A Lifeline - Not a Toy
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/for-syrian-refugees-smartphones-are-a-lifel...
"...There's no rule that refugees must be poor. More than half of Syrians have been displaced by the country's four-year-old civil war. [Invasion by western-backed takfiri mercenaries is more accurate] That includes teachers, accountants, doctors, researchers, lawyers, business people - the pillars of the country's relatively large middle class.
In fact, it's more likely that the refugees who make it to Europe are wealthier than those still in the camps in Turkey, Lebanon or Jordan, because of the cost of the journey. It can cost $2500 to get smuggled into Greece from Turkey overland. Plenty of young men of the social media generation are fleeing to avoid being conscripted into the Syrian army and forced to fight for the regime of President Bashar al Assad.'
Sun, 2015-09-13 00:09
#99
#RefugeeCrisis: What The Media Is Hiding (MUST WATCH!)
"Bomb Syria For Aylan!" - The SUN
Sun, 2015-09-13 01:36
#100
Refugees: 'Thanks For Shelter, But We Wouldn't Need It If West Hadn't Intervened in Syria'
"Syrian hostages after being ransomed from ISIS reached Germany and reunited with their families."
Refugee Crisis Raises Security Concerns
"Infiltrated refugee influx has lead to 40 thousand unregistered migrants on the continent. Security breaches have raised concern about who is coming among asylum seekers."
Sun, 2015-09-13 01:58
#101
Mother Agnes-Mariam: Syrian Refugee Crisis Caused By Western Provocation (and audio)
https://thewallwillfall.wordpress.com/2015/09/08/mother-agnes-mariam-syr...
"Mother Agnes-Mariam, Christian Palestinian nun stationed in Syria for last 20 years. Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize in 2014. Mother Agnes tells Europe to look into their conscience and determine how their interference provoked displacement.
The Western powers have created a lawless intervention that denies the sovereignty of Syria. Sister Agnes asks Canadians to consider how they would feel if their powerful neighbor interested in their country in the same way.
She ends with her advice to Canada, Great Britain and US regarding how to stop the refugee crisis."