What can be done about Syria and the Syrian people?

[UncoordinatedPisces]

As I have a growing interest in world events (it is hard not to in the current climate) I was curious to know what everyone thinks can be done. There is a huge ongoing conflict in Syria, for a summary you can read it here. It has caused the biggest movement of people since World War II, with millions of people being displaced. The European Union is under strain from the migration of refugees, the UK is now conducting airstrikes in Syria, Russia is supporting Assad, we're supporting the rebels; its one big mess.

I personally advocate for a peaceful, political settlement. I know it may be naive of me, and there is always the problem of imposing the rules of our country on another, but it seems the best option. As for the refugees, more has to be done. In Europe, Germany and Sweden have taken thousands upon thousands of people in and they are beginning to feel the strain - if all countries had worked together in the first place it wouldn't be that way.

While everyone seems to focus on Germany and Sweden, its important to point out that Turkey and Lebanon for example have taken in over a million refugees each which is shocking in comparison to the UK and US.

There is moral panic that there are ISIS members among the refugees - while this may be true, it should not stop our effort to help these people. ISIS and the ideologies they already exist everywhere. If an ISIS member attacked my capital city, Cardiff, they would most likely be a British citizen who has been radicalised on British soil.

Anyway, that enough of my rambling. Not expecting much response.

[HereWeStand]

I'm honestly kind of in the middle about this issue tbh. I find it inhumane and xenophobic to deny all the refugees a temporary safe haven just because some of them might be radicalised. (Not to mention I find a lot of anti-refugee sentiment disgusting and downright racist sometimes, ah the joys of internet comments huh.) At the same time, I realise that Europe has been under economic strain for quite a while now and it's naive to think we'll be able to support millions of refugees entering Europe when we're having trouble economically stabilising ourselves. I believe we have to find some form of middle ground somehow, but I don't really know what. It's such a messy situation. Maybe if each European country accepted a specific number of refugees so they could be distributed amongst Europe until the conflict comes to an end instead of having only a couple few countries take all of them like it seems to be happening now.

Honestly though, with the recent rise of ultra-nationalism/neo-nazism across Europe I don't see a good end to this. I swear the neo-nazis in Europe terrify me more than potential terrorists from the Middle East. It's pretty sad.

[Leviara_Lioness]

[quote="HereWeStand"]I'm honestly kind of in the middle about this issue tbh. I find it inhumane and xenophobic to deny all the refugees a temporary safe haven just because some of them might be radicalised. (Not to mention I find a lot of anti-refugee sentiment disgusting and downright racist sometimes, ah the joys of internet comments huh.) At the same time, I realise that Europe has been under economic strain for quite a while now and it's naive to think we'll be able to support millions of refugees entering Europe when we're having trouble economically stabilising ourselves. I believe we have to find some form of middle ground somehow, but I don't really know what. It's such a messy situation. Maybe if each European country accepted a specific number of refugees so they could be distributed amongst Europe until the conflict comes to an end instead of having only a couple few countries take all of them like it seems to be happening now.

Honestly though, with the recent rise of ultra-nationalism/neo-nazism across Europe I don't see a good end to this. I swear the neo-nazis in Europe terrify me more than potential terrorists from the Middle East. It's pretty sad.[/quote]

I was gonna avoid this topic, but I think cause of me actually being (Arab/Russian/Israeli) it involves me as well, cause I'll be moving to Israel (country) this summer, I'll be living in ( Hod HaSharon, Israel ) not too far from the Golan Heights and Syrian and Iranian Border.. I just hope a Good end does come to all this, despite Fascist Neo-Nazism<-

[it means no worries]

Personally, i think we should throw our lot in with Assad and the Russians-Concluding it with Assad as leader would be a far better outcome than having us fight him and the Russians and have no outcome at all (and therefore keeping the conflict going even longer)-Besides, Assad has been effective at keeping a lot of the militant groups at bay.

A big immigrant problem is that many of these people are not refugees-they are economic migrants-and it is very different to disprove their claims. If they are found to be economic migrants then they arent welcome unless they are skilled and valuable workers who deserve to be here.(Labour starts calling you racist, xenophobic and every word under the sun at that point)

It would also be very difficult to get the refugees back home once war has subsided as many of them know that life in the EU is generally far better than that of their homelands-Many of them will simply slip undetected away into our society and there's not much we would be able to do about it.
I think it may be worth trying to keep the immigrants confined in a certain area until the situation has been sorted, then they can go back home when it is safe.

[SlayerOfLight]

Well, every day I hear about incidents with refugees involving rape and violence so I pretty much believe most of those so-called refugees are scum that only come here for economic benefits, and I should definitely mention the Swedish social worker that was stabbed to death by a refugee.
But no, according to the governments those are just ''small incidents''... Yea right, give me a break

Like I mentioned before, it doesn't even make sense why there are little to no women and children among the refugees, but pretty much the majority of them are composed mainly of young men... What is even more ridiculous is that those young healthy Syrian men flee from their own home, leaving their family behind, and let the Western people do all the dirty work over there. If they like to fight each other in their refugee centers so much they might as well go back to fight against ISIS. But no, refugees are in the eyes of our rotten governments more important than their own civilians. You have to be either blind or unbearably naive to be aware of all those ''incidents'' but still be like: AWW THOSE POOR REFUGEES NEED HELP!

About what can be done, just send them back and close our borders. Enough is enough. The TRUE refugees should be assisted in their own region.

[Braveheart]

[quote="MetalHeart"]Well, every day I hear about an ''incident'' with refugees involving rape and violence so I pretty much believe most of those so-called refugees are scum that only come here for economic benefits, and I should definitely mention the Swedish social worker that was stabbed to death by a refugee.
But no, according to the governments those are just ''small incidents''... Yea right, give me a break

Like I mentioned before, it doesn't even make sense why there are little to no women and children among the refugees, but pretty much the majority of them are composed mainly of young men... What is even more ridiculous is that those young healthy Syrian men flee from their own home, leaving their family behind, and let the Western people do all the dirty work over there. If they like to fight each other in their refugee centers so much they might as well go back to fight against ISIS. But no, refugees are in the eyes of our rotten governments more important than their own civilians.

About what can be done, just send them back and close our borders. Enough is enough. The TRUE refugees should be assisted in their own region.

[/quote]



Wow, I agree with this point 100%. Well said! Why should other countries take care of their business? European governments have their own people to take care of. Why should taxpayers pay extra so other people can have a free ride?

That's why most of Asia refuse to take of them in. Especially India, China & Japan.

Own people > Other people.

To OP: That's the middle east problem, why should Europe/US help to solve it? USA should settle their outstanding debt that increases every second first lol.

[SlayerOfLight]

^ Because it's an upside-down world, literally. And it keeps getting more crazy. But glad at least you agree though.

[juhouh]

Good job NATO... blame yourself on this. Putin was right all these years but nobody listens to him. Europe is lost

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[HereWeStand]

[quote="Braveheart"]Why should other countries take care of their business? European governments have their own people to take care of. Why should taxpayers pay extra so other people can have a free ride?

Own people > Other people.

To OP: That's the middle east problem, why should Europe/US help to solve it? USA should settle their outstanding debt that increases every second first lol.[/quote]

Because the West's 'interventions' are what destabilised the region so much it's fallen apart the way it has now in the first place, but I guess we can ignore our own evils because 'dirty Muslims durr'.

[it means no worries]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-35667858

What a suprise...A whole chunk of the immigrants realised that Europe is a far better opportunity for them and so they "vanished" into society never to be found again. Knew that'd happen.