09-08-2015, 02:24 AM
It is heart-breaking Mo -- there's really nothing worse to see or imagine.
I don't fathom that most of the Syrian refugees are cowards who are unwilling to fight for their families and their country. Nor do I believe that they're trashy scammers looking to prosper at other people's expense (though I agree with you that some of them certainly are, just like with any group of millions).
What are Syrian mothers and fathers who were living peacefully and comparatively well in a diverse secular country supposed to do in the midst of this civil war and ISIS assault on Syria?
If they fight for Assad's regime, their families will have targets on their chests for ISIS and other terror groups. If they fight with the "rebels", they will most likely be fighting alongside some terrorists (and, even if they're not, they become enemies of the state and thereby likely paint a different colored target on their family's chests). If they fight for ISIS, they're essentially selling their souls to the devil. If they do nothing, they're sitting ducks.
Based on some comments I've read, I get the strong sense that more than a few Americans view the Syrian Civil War as similar to the American Civil War. It's not. There aren't two sides fighting for clearly defined opposing principles. This isn't Syrians fighting Syrians alone -- there are a shitload of interlopers from other countries who don't give a damn about the good of the Syrian people; that's not why they interloped. And, this is not a war where civilians are off-limits; just the opposite.
All sides are killing innocent civilians because the terror factions have taken over entire regions and are integrated within the civilian population. I imagine, but don't know for a fact, that there are plenty of neutral civilians who pledged allegiance to one of the many fighting factions begrudgingly or under duress/ threat, and for a promise of familial protection from those on the other sides. Risky proposition alright - but then, so is desperation/survival migration of entire families and villages/towns.
Germany has stepped way up when it comes to Syrian refugees; I understand how they're nearing true break-point - like Turkey and Jordan and Lebanon. Austria, once again, is showing that it has a collective conscience and is opening its doors. The UK today announced that it will take in 20,000 Syrian refugees. I agree with Merkel; more European countries need to pitch in and offer safe haven. The U.S. can do better too; we've taken in about 2,000 Syrian refugees to date.
In my opinion, the Gulf States really need to step in and step way up, but I'm not holding my breath. And, if Netanyahu can in complete seriousness implore all European Jews to move to Israel (as he's done more than once over the last year), I imagine he can find room for at least a few hundred Syrians.
I'm not saying there's no threat to the receiving countries; it's worrisome to me that some Islamic extremists and bad people will be among the migrants and slip through the screening net. But, do we let the true/innocent refugees perish? I understand why many people answer "yes" or "maybe", even though I can't.
Anyway, there are no easy solutions to such a sad and complex problem; but I think it could be more quickly and efficiently addressed if the weight was distributed more evenly across countries.
These are just my ponderings; thinking out loud.
I don't fathom that most of the Syrian refugees are cowards who are unwilling to fight for their families and their country. Nor do I believe that they're trashy scammers looking to prosper at other people's expense (though I agree with you that some of them certainly are, just like with any group of millions).
What are Syrian mothers and fathers who were living peacefully and comparatively well in a diverse secular country supposed to do in the midst of this civil war and ISIS assault on Syria?
If they fight for Assad's regime, their families will have targets on their chests for ISIS and other terror groups. If they fight with the "rebels", they will most likely be fighting alongside some terrorists (and, even if they're not, they become enemies of the state and thereby likely paint a different colored target on their family's chests). If they fight for ISIS, they're essentially selling their souls to the devil. If they do nothing, they're sitting ducks.
Based on some comments I've read, I get the strong sense that more than a few Americans view the Syrian Civil War as similar to the American Civil War. It's not. There aren't two sides fighting for clearly defined opposing principles. This isn't Syrians fighting Syrians alone -- there are a shitload of interlopers from other countries who don't give a damn about the good of the Syrian people; that's not why they interloped. And, this is not a war where civilians are off-limits; just the opposite.
All sides are killing innocent civilians because the terror factions have taken over entire regions and are integrated within the civilian population. I imagine, but don't know for a fact, that there are plenty of neutral civilians who pledged allegiance to one of the many fighting factions begrudgingly or under duress/ threat, and for a promise of familial protection from those on the other sides. Risky proposition alright - but then, so is desperation/survival migration of entire families and villages/towns.
Germany has stepped way up when it comes to Syrian refugees; I understand how they're nearing true break-point - like Turkey and Jordan and Lebanon. Austria, once again, is showing that it has a collective conscience and is opening its doors. The UK today announced that it will take in 20,000 Syrian refugees. I agree with Merkel; more European countries need to pitch in and offer safe haven. The U.S. can do better too; we've taken in about 2,000 Syrian refugees to date.
In my opinion, the Gulf States really need to step in and step way up, but I'm not holding my breath. And, if Netanyahu can in complete seriousness implore all European Jews to move to Israel (as he's done more than once over the last year), I imagine he can find room for at least a few hundred Syrians.
I'm not saying there's no threat to the receiving countries; it's worrisome to me that some Islamic extremists and bad people will be among the migrants and slip through the screening net. But, do we let the true/innocent refugees perish? I understand why many people answer "yes" or "maybe", even though I can't.
Anyway, there are no easy solutions to such a sad and complex problem; but I think it could be more quickly and efficiently addressed if the weight was distributed more evenly across countries.
These are just my ponderings; thinking out loud.