Obama says Merkel is ‘on the right side of history’ for refugee response

[webfact]

Obama says Merkel is ‘on the right side of history’ for refugee response

"I am very proud of her...and I am proud of the German people"

HANOVER: -- US President Barack Obama heaped high praise on Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday as he began a visit to Germany, saying that she was ‘on the right side of history’ for welcoming hundreds of thousands of refugees.

The pair held talks in the sumptuous setting of Herrenhausen Palace near the northern city of Hanover after Obama flew in from the UK.

Germany is the last stop on a six-day foreign tour where Obama has sought to shore up US alliances he views as important to increase trade, defeat ISIL militants and counter Russia’s role in both Syria and Ukraine.

He said he was “deeply concerned” about a surge in violence in Syria, where government forces have stepped up bombing of rebel-held areas around the strategic city of Aleppo.

Now in the last nine months of his presidential term, Obama spoke of a “tragic humanitarian crisis” in Syria and said he continued to believe in a political solution to the fighting there.

Both leaders expressed concerns about violations of a ceasefire in eastern Ukraine and said sanctions against Moscow, imposed by the West in response to Russia’s role in Ukraine, could not be eased before the situation on the ground improved.

“I’m very happy that in such turbulent times, we have again had the chance to talk about the whole spectrum of international issues,” Merkel told reporters at a news conference.

Obama’s words for his host could not have been warmer.

“What is happening with respect to her position on refugees here in Europe – she is on the right side of history on this,” he said.

“She is giving voice, I think, to the kinds of principles that bring people together rather than divide them. And I am very proud of her for that and I am proud of the German people for that.”

Both leaders want to push ahead with negotiations on the EU-US Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).

Thousands of protesters holding placards with slogans like “Stop TTIP” marched on Saturday in Hanover to express their opposition to the deal. Critics fear it could cost jobs and erode consumer protections.

A smaller demonstration was staged in the city on Sunday.


-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2016-04-25

[Pimay1]

“She is giving voice, I think, to the kinds of principles that bring people together rather than divide them.

Come back in ten years and see togetherness that once was but will never be again.

[sas_cars]

I'm sure humanitarian history will always heap praise on Angela Merkel for whatever she has done on this unprecedented refugee crisis. No matter what are the short term ramifications (she maybe ousted or not elected again) She's going to be remembered for all right reasons

[canuckamuck]

Well she has a good face for a Burka anyhow.

[billd766]

Just a simple question.

If Germany and the EU have taken in nearly a million refugees can anybody tell me how many the USA has taken in during the same period?

[Pimay1]

Just a simple question.

If Germany and the EU have taken in nearly a million refugees can anybody tell me how many the USA has taken in during the same period?

November 15, 2015 article states it was 80,000 between 2008 and 2011, dropped to 76,000 in 2012 and has been at 70,000 since 2013.

This fiscal year, the U.S. plans to accept 85,000, including 10,000 Syrians.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/how-many-refugees-the-u-s-takes-in-and-where-they-go-1448414018

[trogers]

Sure praise from Obama to Merkel on behalf of his million brethrens, something his American serfs would not have accepted...

[chuckd]

Just a simple question.

If Germany and the EU have taken in nearly a million refugees can anybody tell me how many the USA has taken in during the same period?

November 15, 2015 article states it was 80,000 between 2008 and 2011, dropped to 76,000 in 2012 and has been at 70,000 since 2013.

This fiscal year, the U.S. plans to accept 85,000, including 10,000 Syrians.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/how-many-refugees-the-u-s-takes-in-and-where-they-go-1448414018

Now add that total to some 11-20 million illegal immigrants currently in the US and how many is that.

[Pimay1]

Just a simple question.

If Germany and the EU have taken in nearly a million refugees can anybody tell me how many the USA has taken in during the same period?

November 15, 2015 article states it was 80,000 between 2008 and 2011, dropped to 76,000 in 2012 and has been at 70,000 since 2013.

This fiscal year, the U.S. plans to accept 85,000, including 10,000 Syrians.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/how-many-refugees-the-u-s-takes-in-and-where-they-go-1448414018

Now add that total to some 11-20 million illegal immigrants currently in the US and how many is that.

Exactly, and the refugees and illegal immigrants get more benefits than the poor American citizens.

[LawrenceChee]

He would have to at least say the politically correct thing ...after all some part of the Syrian crisis came from the interference

[billd766]

Just a simple question.

If Germany and the EU have taken in nearly a million refugees can anybody tell me how many the USA has taken in during the same period?

November 15, 2015 article states it was 80,000 between 2008 and 2011, dropped to 76,000 in 2012 and has been at 70,000 since 2013.

This fiscal year, the U.S. plans to accept 85,000, including 10,000 Syrians.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/how-many-refugees-the-u-s-takes-in-and-where-they-go-1448414018

Thank you for the information.

Jordan, Turkey and Greece have taken more than that.

However the Gulf states as rich as they are have taken virtually none.

[happy chappie]

He came to the uk preaching to us about staying in the eu.mr president we are leaving the eu and there will be a spare place for your country.then Brussels will tell you to take in 10 million Mexicans,Colombians,Peruvians,and the worst of them all Canadians.

[Cloggie]

In my opinion Merkel and all other leaders in Europe are responsible for cultural genocide - the future will prove if I am right or wrong.

When I go back back home I feel myself at the movie "The Mummy"

[arjunadawn]

It is a truism that anything David Duke (or any extreme ideologue) says is dismissed out of hand, and rightfully should be. Likewise, most all voices of failed policies and extreme ideation should not justify a hearing because of their station, rather on merit. Obama is a failed visionary. His "transformation" agenda has been destructive both locally and internationally. His Nobel peace prize investment has been ill spent. The fruit of his vision is extreme and failed. Thus when the man muses on history and context, his own context is relevant.

On the specific issue of immigration and the EU the fact remains, it is islamic immigration. On this point, Obama has consistently demonstrated a preferential bias throughout his time in office. Without expounding on the points of this, Obama has gone above and beyond would be considered neutral. Thus, when Obama makes a note regarding history and context it should be appreciated that whatever he says, it is likely the opposite is the healthy road. Obama can now be judged on the man, instead of the office alone.

Few have done so much for islamism in the history of islam then this president. Immigration was just the herd to hide the threats entering the EU.

[mopar71]

Just a simple question.

If Germany and the EU have taken in nearly a million refugees can anybody tell me how many the USA has taken in during the same period?

The EU has not "taken" anyone, they have been invaded.

[Prbkk]

He would have to at least say the politically correct thing ...after all some part of the Syrian crisis came from the interference

Yes, about 90% of it attributable to Hilary Clinton and the shambolic 'policy' in support of the Arab Spring....the greatest failure of US foreign policy since Vietnam.

[chuckd]

Just a simple question.

If Germany and the EU have taken in nearly a million refugees can anybody tell me how many the USA has taken in during the same period?

November 15, 2015 article states it was 80,000 between 2008 and 2011, dropped to 76,000 in 2012 and has been at 70,000 since 2013.

This fiscal year, the U.S. plans to accept 85,000, including 10,000 Syrians.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/how-many-refugees-the-u-s-takes-in-and-where-they-go-1448414018

Thank you for the information.

Jordan, Turkey and Greece have taken more than that.

However the Gulf states as rich as they are have taken virtually none.

THE GULF STATES ARE TAKING SYRIAN REFUGEES

BY ALEX NOWRASTEH

12/4/15 AT 11:13 AM

​Many more Syrians are living in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States than at the beginning of the Syrian civil war in 2011.

The World Bank reports that 1,000,000 Syrians resided in Saudi Arabia in 2013, a whopping 795 percent increase over 2010. There were 1,375,064 Syrian migrants living in the Gulf States in 2013, a 470 percent increase over 2010.

Excluding Oman, the 2013 Syrian population in every Gulf State has increased dramatically since right before the beginning of the Syrian civil war.

Read more here: http://www.newsweek.com/gulf-states-are-taking-syrian-refugees-401131

[NeverSure]

Just a simple question.

If Germany and the EU have taken in nearly a million refugees can anybody tell me how many the USA has taken in during the same period?

November 15, 2015 article states it was 80,000 between 2008 and 2011, dropped to 76,000 in 2012 and has been at 70,000 since 2013.

This fiscal year, the U.S. plans to accept 85,000, including 10,000 Syrians.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/how-many-refugees-the-u-s-takes-in-and-where-they-go-1448414018

Now add that total to some 11-20 million illegal immigrants currently in the US and how many is that.

Most of the illegals in the US are Hispanic. They are mostly Catholic and mostly pacifist at that. I condemn illegal immigration as it overtaxes the system to the detriment of the citizens everywhere it happens. I don't however revolt at the idea of Catholics as much as I do Muslims simply due to the clear fact that Muslims bring violence and refuse to assimilate, even regarding the laws of a country. Hispanics, to their credit, are hard workers and assimilate into the culture., unless they are the minority which are criminals to begin with.

This Muslim invasion of Europe is the end of Europe. It is the end of the culture as the invaders refuse to even eat the same foods or follow the laws. As one leader in the UK said, they "create nations within nations". America is a nation of immigrants, but not this type of separatist and violent immigrant.

Please don't call me racist. Islam is not a race and I see black and white and Asian in the immigrant pictures. Thank you.

[jaidam]

In my opinion Merkel and all other leaders in Europe are responsible for cultural genocide - the future will prove if I am right or wrong.

When I go back back home I feel myself at the movie "The Mummy"

Quite simply she and the rest of her PC brigade are responsible for the end of classical civilization. It is a horrific and evil crime, and she is getting away with it through debate being stifled at all levels.

[NeverSure]

In my opinion Merkel and all other leaders in Europe are responsible for cultural genocide - the future will prove if I am right or wrong.

When I go back back home I feel myself at the movie "The Mummy"

Quite simply she and the rest of her PC brigade are responsible for the end of classical civilization. It is a horrific and evil crime, and she is getting away with it through debate being stifled at all levels.

Perhaps Merkel realizes that she will look much better in a Burka.

[halloween]

What harm can allowing a few million muslim immigrants into your country cause? Ask France, Belgium or the UK.

Even in Oz with relatively low numbers of immigrants we have Australian-born muslim citizens deciding to bomb a football match, shoot a police employee, and yesterday, a 16yo trying to buy a gun to shoot people at an Anzac Day event.

[AlphaSoiDog]

"The right side of history", for the benefit of the US...

Recently there were about 7000/day trying to get into Europe, almost all were fighting age men. The reason for the sudden upsurge was tracked down to a huge number of posts on twitter about how good and easy Germany was. Nearly all of those messages came from the US and UK. (sorry, forgot the exact percentage)

The problem for non Muslims is that "Islam" is more a law than a religion. It teaches that it is the only law to be followed. So having a bunch of Muslims move in and breed really is an invasion. Their "religion" is designed to do exactly that.

[daveAustin]

This pair of them are out of touch, not real people. Get back in your jet, buddy.

[stillbornagain]

Thank you for the information.

Jordan, Turkey and Greece have taken more than that.

However the Gulf states as rich as they are have taken virtually none.

THE GULF STATES ARE TAKING SYRIAN REFUGEES

BY ALEX NOWRASTEH

12/4/15 AT 11:13 AM

​Many more Syrians are living in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States than at the beginning of the Syrian civil war in 2011.

The World Bank reports that 1,000,000 Syrians resided in Saudi Arabia in 2013, a whopping 795 percent increase over 2010. There were 1,375,064 Syrian migrants living in the Gulf States in 2013, a 470 percent increase over 2010.

Excluding Oman, the 2013 Syrian population in every Gulf State has increased dramatically since right before the beginning of the Syrian civil war.

Read more here: http://www.newsweek.com/gulf-states-are-taking-syrian-refugees-401131

Yes, everyone should read that Newsweek article. All the way through. Because at the bottom of it, there's this note:

A note on the numbers and quotes here: The World Bank data may be limited, omit some return flow numbers, be inaccurate in other ways, or/and updated spreadsheets may show a completely different situation. I cannot verify the statements from the Gulf State countries because their publicly available government documents are in Arabic.

Apparently Newsweek doesn't think it's necessary for a reporter to be able to understand government documents or to hire a translator if the reporter can't.

And that Nabil Othman person, the spokesman for the UNHCR...it's very hard to track down any concrete info on him. There is a very prominent Saudi family whose family name is Othman. And he apparently organized a UNHCR tribute to the Saudi regime's humanitarianism in regards to refugees. http://www.arabnews.com/news/455709

[mgjackson69]

Nobody can say that someone is currently "on the right side of history".

Outcomes from current events will determine that.