Europe-Middle East-Africa Refugee Crisis General Thread

[afleitch]

I think steps will be taken to rescind some of the international conventions on asylum. 'Europe or bust' is getting potentially dangerous.

[afleitch]

I’ve stayed out of this thread for a while. And I fully expect to be berated for this. My sympathy for the plight of the asylum seekers is limited a little not by what is happening (which is genuinely heartbreaking) but why it’s happening.

 ‘Fleeing’ from safe Turkey to safe Greece, and essentially hopping from state to state within the EU until they get to a preferred nation (Germany/France) at that point becomes less of a flight driven by fears for safety and the need for asylum and more of an economic decision (particularly in the case of men taking that route by themselves) I’m not saying wanting to go to a nation because the housing might be better, the financial support better, the people better, an ‘expat’ culture, chance of a job etc is wrong; it’s actually common sense but it’s a conscious decision. It can never be untangled from the events that drove them away from their homeland, but those events too are combinations of war and want.

Plans to divide up those fleeing amongst EU member states won’t matter, because they will just leave to go to whatever country they want to go if they can cross the borders. That might be why it's difficult to agree.

Having said that, the UK should be taking their fair share, simply because we do have border control and once here, they can be adequately settled and registered, so that they are not homeless, stateless or lost to authorities and welfare providers.

[afleitch]

You shouldn't be surprised. ISIL confirmed months ago that this was what they were going to do. Chaotic scenes help people slip back home (for those who went to Syria on a 'jolly') and those who want to leave to go to Europe. The fact that one of countless many got through and was able to attack should not be a surprise.