Row over Syrian refugees divides America

[webfact]

Row over Syrian refugees divides America



"This could be the greatest Trojan Horse of all time"

WASHINGTON: -- A row over resettling Syrian refugees in the United States is raging nationwide.

Some Republicans like billionaire businessman and presidential hopeful Donald Trump are warning that so-called Islamic State could be trying to smuggle militants into the country.

“This could be the greatest Trojan Horse of all time,” Trump told a campaign rally at Worcester, Massachusetts.

“You look at that migration and I am looking at it. And I am the first one to bring it up. Three weeks ago, I am sitting. I said: ‘Isn’t that a shame.’ Then I said to myself: ‘Wow, they are all men.’ And then you look at what five or six people did in Paris. And we have to get smart.”

Reports that at least one attacker in Friday’s Paris massacre may have slipped into Europe among migrants registered in Greece has prompted several Western countries to question their willingness to take in refugees.

But Democrats like Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, see things very differently.

“The majority of the Syrian refugees are women, children and elderly,” he said on Wednesday.

“It has been pointed out that many of these families are the families of people that exemplified American values, opposed the other factions in Syria, really were our allies.”

“Welcoming the world’s vulnerable who seek the safety of America is not new to us,” tweeted President Barack Obama, standing by his pledge to admit some 10,000 refugees from Syria within the next year.

The White House says Obama would veto a proposal from Republican lawmakers in the US House of Representatives, calling for additional scrutiny of refugees from Syria or Iraq.

The proposed requirements “would provide no meaningful additional security for the American people, instead serving only to create significant delays and obstacles in the fulfillment of a vital program that satisfies both humanitarian and national security objectives,” it said.

Both the House of Representatives and the Senate would have to approve the legislation for it to get to Obama.

The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) has expressed concern about reactions in some countries in the aftermath of last weekend’s events in France.

UNHCR spokesperson Melissa Fleming has stressed that the vast majority of those coming to Europe are fleeing persecution and conflict.

“Many are fleeing extremism and terrorism – from the very people associated with the Paris attacks,” she said.

“A world that welcomes Syrians can help defeat extremism. But a world that rejects Syrians, and especially Muslim refugees, will just feed into their propaganda.”


-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2015-11-20

[ezzra]

"“The majority of the Syrian refugees are women, children and elderly,” he said on Wednesday."

Many women has laden with explosive vests has detonated themselves among people and police,

the very last on in Paris few days ago, so to say that the refuges are only women, kids and the elderly,

is a fallacy..

Why dose Obama want to take a gamble on the life of the American people by allowing dubious

and questionable people in the USA now? could it be that he's the one who had a big hands

in making theses people refugees in the first place?......

[apetley]

By far the biggest cause for the rise of Middle Eastern Terrorism was the Bush Clan and their wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with absolutely no plan for the end game and the consequences that followed.

[arrowsdawdle]

By far the biggest cause for the rise of Middle Eastern Terrorism was the Bush Clan and their wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with absolutely no plan for the end game and the consequences that followed.

If you were informed at all you would be ill-informed.

[ggt]

Most all Republicans and a good many Democrats want the US to step back and examine their vetting process for Syrian refugees in an attempt to secure our country from the same fate of Paris, France...err on the side of caution...better safe than sorry...

Many Democrats...Obama being the most vocal...want to politicize this issue calling Republicans panic stricken, cowards, inhumane and so on...portraying the refugees as just a bunch of frightened women and children fleeing a war torn country...the numbers simply do not substantiate this fantasy...

Americans have become use to the President siding with Muslims over his own people and country...take the Iran deal as just one example...

Edited November 20, 2015 by ggt

[Scott]

A post containing a religious slur has been removed.

[Usernames]

What is wrong with an extra layer of security? What is the agenda of people who oppose this?

[Scott]

What is wrong with an extra layer of security? What is the agenda of people who oppose this?

I think the point is that if greater security is needed, then incorporate it into the existing system.

Years ago, when around 10,000 refugees, mostly Kurds, were taken out of Iraq after Saddam Hussein had re-invaded the north and the no fly zone, I was involved in the relocation.

Every single person had to be vetted by the FBI (there was not a homeland security or NSA at that time). It got a little nonsensical since we were having to submit the names of newborn babies.

Those refugees, by the way, were flown to Guam where they were housed at a military camp to undergo a much, much more intense screening and then had to wait for resettlement.

Whether another layer will provide more protection, I don't know. It is good, however, that security issues are being discussed and that they are being taken seriously. That is not only good for the US, but it will also hopefully make for a bit more warmer welcome for the refugees.

[rethaier]

By far the biggest cause for the rise of Middle Eastern Terrorism was the Bush Clan and their wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with absolutely no plan for the end game and the consequences that followed.

If you were informed at all you would be ill-informed.

Why is he ill-informed? He is correct. I think you are the ill-informed.

[Usernames]

By far the biggest cause for the rise of Middle Eastern Terrorism was the Bush Clan and their wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with absolutely no plan for the end game and the consequences that followed.

If you were informed at all you would be ill-informed.

Why is he ill-informed? He is correct. I think you are the ill-informed.

Bush created a catastrophe. But there is a long history preceding Iraq/Afghanistan. http://2001-2009.state.gov/r/pa/ho/pubs/fs/5902.htm

[ourmanflint]

~Not a fan of Trump, but every country must have the right to accept or turn away people it does not want living within its borders

[h90]

By far the biggest cause for the rise of Middle Eastern Terrorism was the Bush Clan and their wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with absolutely no plan for the end game and the consequences that followed.

Actually before when USA supplied weapons to the terrorists fighting against Soviet in Afghanistan.

[JDGRUEN]

The Syrian refugees are a DIRECT result of the Obama sponsored Arab Spring and the resulting calamity of the last three years ... It has little or nothing to do with the Iraq War... Obama arming 'Rebels' against Assad began the exodus of Syrian civilians.. The extreme fighting between the Assad government forces and the so called Rebels started the whole episode... Most claim the use of barrel bombs to be a main reason the Syrian began leaving ....

[JDGRUEN]

And the stated Subject of the OP is the political division of Americans over this issue ... Not how the Refugees became refugees ... Get a grip

[JDGRUEN]

Late lobbying against refugee bill backfires on the White House

The Obama administration's eleventh-hour bid to rally Democrats against Syrian refugee legislation backfired on Thursday, according to several lawmakers and aides... A number of Democrats who were on the fence about the bill decided to vote yes after hearing administration officials make the case against it.

http://thehill.com/homenews/house/260834-late-lobbying-against-refugee-bill-backfires-on-the-white-house

[Thorgal]

The Syrian refugees are a DIRECT result of the Obama sponsored Arab Spring and the resulting calamity of the last three years ... It has little or nothing to do with the Iraq War... Obama arming 'Rebels' against Assad began the exodus of Syrian civilians.. The extreme fighting between the Assad government forces and the so called Rebels started the whole episode... Most claim the use of barrel bombs to be a main reason the Syrian began leaving ....

Thanks for the Fox update...

[Berkshire]

The Syrian refugees are a DIRECT result of the Obama sponsored Arab Spring and the resulting calamity of the last three years ... It has little or nothing to do with the Iraq War... Obama arming 'Rebels' against Assad began the exodus of Syrian civilians.. The extreme fighting between the Assad government forces and the so called Rebels started the whole episode... Most claim the use of barrel bombs to be a main reason the Syrian began leaving ....

"Obama sponsored Arab Spring??" That's absolutely absurd...along with pretty much everything else you've said. It's been revealed that most of the leadership of ISIS came from Iraq, Saddam's Army, basically. So it's clear that Bush going into Iraq created what is ISIS today.

It's hard to have a meaningful debate when guys like you are just making stuff up.

[JDGRUEN]

A LOT LESS DIVIDED NOW... 47 Democrats in the House Vote with Republicans to require that EACH Refugee be certified as not dangerous...

BREAKING: House Just Stuck It To Obama With Hugely Defiant Vote – 47 Dems Joined In

The House of Representatives Thursday defied President Obama’s threat of a veto and voted, 289-137, to impose new screening requirements on Syrian and Iraqi refugees trying to enter the United States... The bill was supported by 47 Democrats. Only two Republicans opposed it

http://www.westernjournalism.com/breaking-house-just-stuck-it-to-obama-with-hugely-defiant-vote-47-dems-joined-in/?utm_source=MailChimp&utm_medium=email&utm_content=top-story&utm_campaign=DailyEmail11.19.15

[JDGRUEN]

The Syrian refugees are a DIRECT result of the Obama sponsored Arab Spring and the resulting calamity of the last three years ... It has little or nothing to do with the Iraq War... Obama arming 'Rebels' against Assad began the exodus of Syrian civilians.. The extreme fighting between the Assad government forces and the so called Rebels started the whole episode... Most claim the use of barrel bombs to be a main reason the Syrian began leaving ....

"Obama sponsored Arab Spring??" That's absolutely absurd...along with pretty much everything else you've said. It's been revealed that most of the leadership of ISIS came from Iraq, Saddam's Army, basically. So it's clear that Bush going into Iraq created what is ISIS today.

It's hard to have a meaningful debate when guys like you are just making stuff up.

Then you do not even know what the Arab Spring is about -- the Obama sponsored Rebels were not ISIS they fought Assad for two years before ISIS even got started in Syria as a factor in the fighting ... Read up on the claim that Assad's Barrel Bombs were considered by anti-Assad elements in the EU as a major cause of civilians fleeing... READ UP ...

[JDGRUEN]

Americans do not trust refugees being vetted - for this kind of reason....

[JDGRUEN]

This is why Americans are divided ... actually not so divided as the majority of Americans now do not want the Refugees in the U.S.A.

Because of this kind of information:

Over 20 percent of asylum seekers arriving in Europe may have ties with IS-affiliated groups, the Syrian ambassador to India told Sputnik Monday.

http://sputniknews.com/europe/20151116/1030184464/eu-refugees-isil.html#ixzz3rekugSbP

[teelac5]

By far the biggest cause for the rise of Middle Eastern Terrorism was the Bush Clan and their wars in Iraq and Afghanistan with absolutely no plan for the end game and the consequences that followed.

If you were informed at all you would be ill-informed.

Why is he ill-informed? He is correct. I think you are the ill-informed.

Definitely, anyone who thinks otherwise is clearly not of this planet

[teelac5]

The Syrian refugees are a DIRECT result of the Obama sponsored Arab Spring and the resulting calamity of the last three years ... It has little or nothing to do with the Iraq War... Obama arming 'Rebels' against Assad began the exodus of Syrian civilians.. The extreme fighting between the Assad government forces and the so called Rebels started the whole episode... Most claim the use of barrel bombs to be a main reason the Syrian began leaving ....

"Obama sponsored Arab Spring??" That's absolutely absurd...along with pretty much everything else you've said. It's been revealed that most of the leadership of ISIS came from Iraq, Saddam's Army, basically. So it's clear that Bush going into Iraq created what is ISIS today.

It's hard to have a meaningful debate when guys like you are just making stuff up.

Then you do not even know what the Arab Spring is about -- the Obama sponsored Rebels were not ISIS they fought Assad for two years before ISIS even got started in Syria as a factor in the fighting ... Read up on the claim that Assad's Barrel Bombs were considered by anti-Assad elements in the EU as a major cause of civilians fleeing... READ UP ...

The rebels fought Assad for two years and then decided 'hey this is going better than we expected lets call ourselves ISIL and create a caliphate' 'now lets call ourselves IS and call for our brothers around the world to embrace Jihad' who do you think the rebels were? the Syrian people I think not, but the remnants of the Iraqi army.

IS is a direct result of western interference, if Saddam was still ruling there would be no IS. Bush, Blair and the rest of their cronies had no right to invade Iraq and they should be in prison because of it. In the centuries to come they will go down in history as the most incompetent and ill advised leaders the world ever knew.

[JDGRUEN]

The Syrian refugees are a DIRECT result of the Obama sponsored Arab Spring and the resulting calamity of the last three years ... It has little or nothing to do with the Iraq War... Obama arming 'Rebels' against Assad began the exodus of Syrian civilians.. The extreme fighting between the Assad government forces and the so called Rebels started the whole episode... Most claim the use of barrel bombs to be a main reason the Syrian began leaving ....

"Obama sponsored Arab Spring??" That's absolutely absurd...along with pretty much everything else you've said. It's been revealed that most of the leadership of ISIS came from Iraq, Saddam's Army, basically. So it's clear that Bush going into Iraq created what is ISIS today.

It's hard to have a meaningful debate when guys like you are just making stuff up.

Then you do not even know what the Arab Spring is about -- the Obama sponsored Rebels were not ISIS they fought Assad for two years before ISIS even got started in Syria as a factor in the fighting ... Read up on the claim that Assad's Barrel Bombs were considered by anti-Assad elements in the EU as a major cause of civilians fleeing... READ UP ...

The rebels fought Assad for two years and then decided 'hey this is going better than we expected lets call ourselves ISIL and create a caliphate' 'now lets call ourselves IS and call for our brothers around the world to embrace Jihad' who do you think the rebels were? the Syrian people I think not, but the remnants of the Iraqi army.

IS is a direct result of western interference, if Saddam was still ruling there would be no IS. Bush, Blair and the rest of their cronies had no right to invade Iraq and they should be in prison because of it. In the centuries to come they will go down in history as the most incompetent and ill advised leaders the world ever knew.

Great inventions but it didn't work that way ... The Syrian Rebels (so called) did not transform into ISIS -- they still exist as a separate entity ... people were fleeing Syria before ISIS entered the conflict ... AGAIN google about the barrel bombs dropped by Assad's military into cities with Rebel Strongholds -- Not ISIS strongholds ... You guys NEVER read anything but LEFTIST talking points handed out on Salon.com and other leftist rags...

[grumpyoldman]

Ahhh man, don't go all right wing preachin, remember what happened the last time they called in the clowns. No one wants another Iraq, where the goofs still have their puds in their hands lookin for those WMD's meanwhile billions of dollars and more American lives than Vietnam spent. No, don't cr*p your pants twice, you'll look like a moron.

ISIS recruits worldwide by slinging the stone at Goliath, lets stop that, regional conflicts handled regionally, capisce?

[connda]

Syrians and Hispanics get to bypass the normal immigration procedures, vetting, and waiting. No, I'm not for that. The progressive liberal solution is insanity.

If I wanted to take my Thai wife and extended family to America right now, legally, we'd be waiting in line for the next decade if I could get them in at all.

Immigration reform is needed, and immigration reform means kicking out the illegals, and opening up and expediting the processing of immigrants who wish to entry the country legally. As far as allowing refugees into the country, in limited numbers and after thorough vetting, and after waiting in line with all the other immigration applicants who are ahead of them, then sure, why not.

[Absolut]

I can't see any rational person opposing more stringent vetting for anyone seeking refugee status from a Middle East country at the moment.

Perhaps we need to evaluate how much is actually budgeted towards such actions and support any extra dollars that are required.

There's hundreds of thousands of innocent people being displaced by the various wars in the Middle East who are genuine refugees and dearly just want a safe haven to live in. There's a lot less people looking to take advantage of the situation and it's these people who more comprehensive checks should in reality uncover.

[Scott]

The vetting is very, very stringent.

[simple1]

The vetting is very, very stringent.

'They' don't want to listen to you.

[Scott]

The vetting is very, very stringent.

'They' don't want to listen to you.

Whether posters listen or not, is up to them, but it still needs to said.

I think their point is they want it to be more stringent. If more stringent vetting makes the situation tenable and allows for the resettlement of needy refugees then it is not a bad thing.

It's not a good thing to be resettling people into a hostile environment.

There are a lot of minority groups from the area that will be at risk, including some of the minority religious groups, such as Christians, Yazidiz and some of the old religious groups that predate both Christianity and Islam. There are also ethnic minorities within the area that can be considered, including, but not limited to the Kurds.