Syrian Refugees

[emmie]

Britain to take in some refugees, good or not..

http://news.sky.com/story/1202591/syrian-refugees-to-be-taken-in-by-britain

[emmie]

strange that the conflicts in it;s third year, and only now they are sitting around a table.

[LazyGun]

Not strange at all, given the extreme hatred on each side and the tensions between the respective backers.

Point is, the UK has been very involved in negotiations, and they are doing the good and compassionate thing offering places to the most vulnerable of those displaced by the Syrian conflict, which is a response to be lauded.

[mikey4444]

Yes...well said from me as well ladybirder.

[emmie]

why don't we then take peoples who are being mistreated in Afghanistan, Somalia, Pakistan, plenty of women i am sure who could do with a safe haven.

[ChillDoubt]

As ever, the neighbouring Arab countries have shuffled their feet and tried to largely ignore what has been happening.
Now that they realise the US won't be coming to the proverbial rescue and banging heads together they've had to be seen to at least make an effort, finally.
It's still been left to the West to get things going though.
But whilst Assad remains, I doubt there'll be progress.

[LazyGun]

"why don't we then take peoples who are being mistreated in Afghanistan, Somalia, Pakistan, plenty of women i am sure who could do with a safe haven."

Be my guest, go lobby the government on those issues. What happens elsewhere around the globe and our reaction to it has absolutely nothing at all to do with a specific response to an international humanitarian response.

Trying to argue that we should not be taking these particular refugees because others around the globe are poorly treated is just facile.

[emmie]

if Assad goes all hell will break loose, it will be the start of an even bigger conflict, amongst those myriad rebel groups, they are not one band of men, that want to see a despot removed.

[emmie]

i said on another thread we shouldn't be taking Syrian Refugees,
i really don't care if you think that facile or not.

[LazyGun]

It seems to me that the neighbouring arab countries have taken a fair old number of the displaced millions from the Syrian conflict.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/10/16/world/middleeast/syrian-refugee-crisis-photos.html

[LazyGun]

"i said on another thread we shouldn't be taking Syrian Refugees,
i really don't care if you think that facile or not"

Well that's ok then isn't it? I really do not care that you say we should not be taking Syrian refugees, either.

[emmie]

i can't open your link to the paper
but this is from sky news

The bulk of Syria's refugees - 97% - have fled to five neighbouring countries - Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt. The crisis has increased Lebanon's population by 20%.

[ladybirder]

Thanks Viv and Mike.

[anotheoldgit]

LazyGun seems to have a habit of using the phrase "be my guest" perhaps he should also be extending that offer to a few of these refugees and put them up and provide for them himself?

Since it seems that we have set a precedence over this, perhaps we should now withdraw all our aid and use this money to support those we have taken on board?

[LazyGun]

"Since it seems that we have set a precedence over this, perhaps we should now withdraw all our aid and use this money to support those we have taken on board?"

Late to the party, AoG? People can multi-task. Governments and government organisations can certainly do more than one thing. Humanitarian aid can take more than one form. One does not cancel the need or the obligation for the other.