Public Comment

Refugees

Jagjit Singh
Sunday September 13, 2015 - 07:45:00 PM

Pope Francis, Angela Merkel, and the Austrian government have shown real leadership in extending a warm welcome to refugees escaping conflict zones. Many ordinary Germans and Austrian Good Samaritan families have demonstrated enormous compassion for those seeking refuge. Thus far, the US. has admitted only 1,500 Syrian refugees. There is a real danger that economic refugees seeking a better life might join the exodos creating a stampede that is likely to overwhelm Western Nations generating compassion fatigue or outright hostility. What has largely been ignored is Saudi Arab’s deafening silence. They have a common religion, and enormous wealth which would allow easy access to absorb a million refugees. 

What can be done to slow down the exodus? 

Hundreds of women in Syria are calling for a cease-fire, international protection and evacuation of the wounded. At a minimum, a no-fly zone should be created in the south of Syria to halt the devastating impact of barrel-bombs. This could be enforced by U.S. Naval ships in the Mediterranean. The no-fly zone would create pressure on the Syrian regime to negotiate. “If they can’t use their aircraft, they will know they can’t survive, and that will bring them to the negotiating table,” said Reza Afshar, a former British diplomat. 

Under pressure from Putin, Assad has reluctantly agreed on power sharing. However unpalatable, the U.S. should accept Russia’s role in bringing about a cease fire which could lead to an end to hostilities.