# Should the US agree to take a share of the refugees trying to seek asylum in Europe? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 3, 2015, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-us-agree-to-take-a-share-of-the-refugees-trying-to-seek-asylum-in-europe/729864 "2015-09-03T23:04:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-us-agree-to-take-a-share-of-the-refugees-trying-to-seek-asylum-in-europe/729864/81 "2015-09-10T00:27:20Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > Well, would you prefer to trip them? > > [I Pit Jobbik-loving "Journalist" Petra Laszlo - The BBQ Pit - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=767773) (The case of the bigoted reporter in Hungary that tripped and kicked refugees, even kids.) > > Although it is true that a lot do look at Europe as the destination, I do think that a lot of the refugees will accept to come to the US. I do know that many Europeans would like to deal with less numbers than the ones they are dealing with now. Asked in all seriousness…are you sure about that? Why would the want to settle for coming to the US? Sure, it’s better than waiting endlessly on the borders to be let in, but I have to think they would be happier in Europe, especially Germany where they seem to be being greeted with open arms. Even leaving aside how many must feel about the US, I would think that most wouldn’t want to come here regardless of their feelings. I have seen that Obama and the State Department plan to try and open things up. I guess there are old plans that we used in the 90’s when there were a lot of refugees from the Balkans to use old military bases and the base housing to act as sort of a half way house while refugees were integrated into the US, and at least from what I have briefly read it worked out pretty well. We could basically dust those off, do some fairly quick renovations and bring in at a minimum the 120k the UN is asking countries to take in yearly until the crisis is at least mitigated. I hope we go this route…we are giving a lot of money, but assuming anyone wants to come here from Syria or the region we should let them. Can’t have those damned Germans showing us up after all! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-us-agree-to-take-a-share-of-the-refugees-trying-to-seek-asylum-in-europe/729864/82 "2015-09-10T01:15:19Z")
> [@XT](#): > > Asked in all seriousness…are you sure about that? Why would the want to settle for coming to the US? Sure, it’s better than waiting endlessly on the borders to be let in, but I have to think they would be happier in Europe, especially Germany where they seem to be being greeted with open arms. Even leaving aside how many must feel about the US, I would think that most wouldn’t want to come here regardless of their feelings. Well, I do agree that the number in the end would not be “a lot”, wanting something does not mean that they will be allowed to come, but what I do know is that a large number of applicants have been rejected, but even so, some are managing to come. > **[Donald Trump says if you're from Syria and a Christian, you can't come to the...](https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2015/jul/20/donald-trump/donald-trump-says-if-youre-syria-and-christianyou-/)** > > Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has been making many bold statements recently, but one that caught a Poli > [@](#): > > Between Oct. 1, 2014, and July 17, 2015, according to federal data, 859 Sunni Muslims, five Shiite Muslims and 42 people identified only as “Muslim” arrived in the United States as refugees from Syria, for a total of 906. Meanwhile, 28 Christians arrived from Syria. (Other arrivals included two atheists, two of the Baha’i faith and one with no stated religion.) Even Trump does agree on those numbers being pitiful, but the shame here is that Trump can not help but to discriminate in this case too. > [@](#): > > Trump said that “if you’re from Syria and you’re a Christian, you cannot come into this country” as a refugee. This is wrong on its face – a small number of Syrian Christians been admitted as refugees over the past nine months – and also false in spirit, since there is nothing in the United States’ laws or regulations that discriminates against Christian refugees. We rate the claim False. > [@XT](#): > > I have seen that Obama and the State Department plan to try and open things up. I guess there are old plans that we used in the 90’s when there were a lot of refugees from the Balkans to use old military bases and the base housing to act as sort of a half way house while refugees were integrated into the US, and at least from what I have briefly read it worked out pretty well. We could basically dust those off, do some fairly quick renovations and bring in at a minimum the 120k the UN is asking countries to take in yearly until the crisis is at least mitigated. I hope we go this route…we are giving a lot of money, but assuming anyone wants to come here from Syria or the region we should let them. Can’t have those damned Germans showing us up after all! 😛 And I agree with that. On a different thread I commented on what that shady character from Casablanca said to Rick, if that Senor Ferrari was running around now he could say that: ‘It was supposed to take a miracle to get you out of Casablanca, but the Germans are allowing miracles now.’ 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-us-agree-to-take-a-share-of-the-refugees-trying-to-seek-asylum-in-europe/729864/83 "2015-09-10T03:45:40Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > The best solution? Get Assad and ISIS to stop fighting, and send them home. Brilliant! Now, who’s gonna bell the cat? ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-us-agree-to-take-a-share-of-the-refugees-trying-to-seek-asylum-in-europe/729864/84 "2015-09-10T13:55:04Z")
> [@Mighty\_Girl](#): > > Brilliant! Now, who’s gonna bell the cat? Putin. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-us-agree-to-take-a-share-of-the-refugees-trying-to-seek-asylum-in-europe/729864/85 "2015-09-10T14:22:55Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > Putin. Good luck with that. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Hiker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3be4f8/32.png) [@Hiker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hiker)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-us-agree-to-take-a-share-of-the-refugees-trying-to-seek-asylum-in-europe/729864/86 "2015-09-10T15:46:08Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > Putin. I think if the Russians put their mind to it, they can tip the balance somewhat in Assad’s favor. But destroying the IS once and for all, or chasing them out of Syria? I doubt that. Speculation is that they will not even make the attempt but rather will try to establish and secure a smaller state within Syria where the Assad regime maintains control, leaving the rest to the rebels. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-us-agree-to-take-a-share-of-the-refugees-trying-to-seek-asylum-in-europe/729864/87 "2015-09-10T15:47:31Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > Well, would you prefer to trip them? > > [I Pit Jobbik-loving "Journalist" Petra Laszlo - The BBQ Pit - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=767773) (The case of the bigoted reporter in Hungary that tripped and kicked refugees, even kids.) > > Although it is true that a lot do look at Europe as the destination, I do think that a lot of the refugees will accept to come to the US. I do know that many Europeans would like to deal with less numbers than the ones they are dealing with now. Why would I want to trip them? What are you accusing me of, fulfilling your fantasy? In what country do you reside? Why don’t you invite these refugees to be your neighbors? ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-us-agree-to-take-a-share-of-the-refugees-trying-to-seek-asylum-in-europe/729864/88 "2015-09-10T17:36:13Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Why would I want to trip them? What are you accusing me of, fulfilling your fantasy? I did say trip them (and there are images to demonstrate what bigots do), not your fantasy about the ones supporting refugees kidnapping them at gun point. > [@doorhinge](#): > > In what country do you reside? Why don’t you invite these refugees to be your neighbors? I reside in the USA, thank \* you very much. \* Indeed “thanks” to former very conservative guys like you, I came here because of Saint Regan supporting election stealing right wing military thugs in El Salvador, and then I do think that Reagan and Bush did try to make amends for the mess they did by giving residency and then citizenship to the ones that had to flee that country. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-us-agree-to-take-a-share-of-the-refugees-trying-to-seek-asylum-in-europe/729864/89 "2015-09-10T18:38:05Z")
> [@up\_the\_junction](#): > > Obviously ISIS is the main contributor in the battle against Assad. Except for those times when [Assad is supporting ISIS](http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/02/syria-isis-advance-on-aleppo-aided-by-assad-regime-air-strikes-us-says) against the other groups of revolutionaries. It really is a mess down there. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-us-agree-to-take-a-share-of-the-refugees-trying-to-seek-asylum-in-europe/729864/90 "2015-09-10T18:58:35Z")
As to the OP, whether or not we should take them, there is no way in hell politically that we will do so. The right wing media have already been inciting panic with claims that [ISIS operatives are sneaking in from Mexico](http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/apr/14/islamic-state-operating-in-mexico-just-8-miles-fro/). How are they going to react to tens of thousands of Muslims from the birthplace of ISIS being let in the front door. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-us-agree-to-take-a-share-of-the-refugees-trying-to-seek-asylum-in-europe/729864/91 "2015-09-10T20:11:37Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > And how many are in Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Libya? You know what? Yes, those countries should be doing more. And that does NOT give us the excuse to be doing nothing. Saudi Arabia is not a country that I think we should emulate. Since they are doing nothing, you feel that absolves you of responsibility? I find this kind of reasoning slightly sickening. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-us-agree-to-take-a-share-of-the-refugees-trying-to-seek-asylum-in-europe/729864/92 "2015-09-10T20:35:52Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > I did say trip them (and there are images to demonstrate what bigots do), not your fantasy about the ones supporting refugees kidnapping them at gun point. (post shortened) Yes, YOU did say, “trip them”. Early, I had asked a question concerning how refugees who had chosen to go to Europe, and had actually made the trip to Europe, should be coerced into leaving Europe and brought to the U.S… ---
**Author:** ![Nema98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d2c977/32.png) [@Nema98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nema98)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-us-agree-to-take-a-share-of-the-refugees-trying-to-seek-asylum-in-europe/729864/93 "2015-09-10T21:59:17Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > Once again , “Really Not That Bright” proves the truth of his moniker. The fact is, most of these refugees are not from Syria at all-they are economic migrants from Pakistan, Iraq, Afghanistan. They are coming for one reason only-a better life in a wealth Christian culture. Stopping the war in Syria could be done easily, except that there is no will to do it. take ISIS-it as a small force of perhaps 20,000. If it were attacked (by destroying its support base0, it would last about a week (without ammunition and food). Nobody (except Putin) seems willing to do this. You underlying point about stopping the war in Syria is very correct and true. The conflict in that country is why we have this situation. But I have disagree with you on the other points. I’ll make some points and these are not directed at you RALPH or any other fellow Dopers. But any feedback is welcome(agree, disagree). 1. “Assad is fighting against ISIS”: No he is NOT, he actually allows ISIS to encroach on rebel territory, throughout Syria. In fact he would rather ISIS take an area rather opposition forces, this “secular” murderer is apparently not so opposed to Islamists ISIS taking areas, he is more concerned about his own power. Take this BBC article from last week: [Islamic State battles Syrian rebel forces in Damascus - BBC News](http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-34118024). "A Syrian military official told the AFP news agency that he was “very happy” about the jihadists’ attacks on the rebels and that troops were “ready to react if they try to advance into government-held territory”. The regime is happy that ISIS is beating back the rebels. Yep they prefer ISIS to ANY opposition forces, whether Nusra front or a secular group. Get it in your head people!!! Bashar Assad if faced with a secular democratic Opposition and him leaving power, or ISIS controlling half of Syria and Assad controlling Damascus, I would guarantee BIG BUCKS that he would rather the latter situation than the first. Assad’s ONLY concern is staying in power and making dumb, ignorant or those with underlying motives people in the West and around the world, believe that he is a bulwark against ISIS and that the world needs him!!! 1. “If we stop insisting that Assad leave, things would get better”: Really our “insisting” anything won’t help the situation, our words won’t stop the war in Syria. I have not heard this from anyone on this message board, but have heard it in real life and elsewhere on the internet and it PISSES me off! So let’s imagine Barack Obama changes tune and says Assad should/can stay in office and we need him too. Does anyone with a functioning brain actually believe the fighting will stop? Do you think the rebels, of all shades, will drop their war and say “shoot, Obama gave Assad green light, we should give up”? or that ISIS will close up shop? Really the rebels have lost faith in Obama and the West, as have the Arab nations. And the war against Assad is still ongoing. Heck when our president, as well as European and Arab leaders called on the butcher of Damascus to leave power three years ago, did he leave? So really our “insistence” or “words” will do shit. 1. “We are fueling the fighting” Now we are screwing up in Syria, but in another way. But this notion that the U.S and West are sending weapons to rebels is crap! We have ignored the rebels, and they have pleaded with us for help. Now the Arab nations and Turkey have stepped up giving help, they have said “screw Obama”. No the ones fueling the bloodshed in Syria for the MOST part, is not the West, Arabs, Turkey. It is the FILTHY Russians and Iranians. They support Assad, who is doing most of the killings. > **[Assad's government still kills way more civilians than ISIS](https://www.businessinsider.com/assads-government-still-kills-way-more-civilians-than-isis-2015-2)** > > Assad’s regime remains the most dangerous threat to Syrian civilians. Yes dirtbags like Putin and Khamenei and his “moderate” stooge Rouhani are after Assad, killing more Syrians. Not us. Now we are screwing up by only fighting ISIS, and not doing anything to help bring the fighting to an end. Our only concern is ISIS ISIS, not Assad. We are conducting strikes in Syria for a year now, and have never ONCE hit Assad’s targets. So please spare this bold face lie that we are tough on Assad. Thank you, and maybe I’ll think of more points, but those are the main ones. ---
**Author:** ![canned\_mayhem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/53a042/32.png) [@canned\_mayhem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/canned_mayhem)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-us-agree-to-take-a-share-of-the-refugees-trying-to-seek-asylum-in-europe/729864/94 "2015-09-10T22:19:42Z")
> **[Germany Receives Offer Of 200 Mosques](https://www.ibtimes.com/amid-muslim-refugee-crisis-saudi-arabia-vows-build-200-mosques-germany-2090905)** > > Saudi Arabia, which has offered to pay for the structures, has accepted a fraction of the refugees that European nations have. “The proposal comes amid growing accusations of hypocrisy directed toward the wealthy gulf nation and its neighbors for taking in few, if any, refugees from the ongoing four-year civil war in Syria, even as they funnel support to groups fighting there. In 2014, Saudi Arabia accepted just 561 refugees and 100 asylum seekers, according to the United Nations, the Wall Street Journal reported. Fewer still found refuge in Qatar and Bahrain. Germany, by contrast, has said it will accept 800,000 refugees, and countries bordering Syria–Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey–have officially taken in hundreds of thousands of refugees each.” That Muslim brotherhood is strong I tell ya… ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-us-agree-to-take-a-share-of-the-refugees-trying-to-seek-asylum-in-europe/729864/95 "2015-09-10T22:51:14Z")
> [@Nema98](#): > > You underlying point about stopping the war in Syria is very correct and true. The conflict in that country is why we have this situation. > > But I have disagree with you on the other points. > > I’ll make some points and these are not directed at you RALPH or any other fellow Dopers. > > But any feedback is welcome(agree, disagree). > > 1. “Assad is fighting against ISIS”: > > No he is NOT, he actually allows ISIS to encroach on rebel territory, throughout Syria. In fact he would rather ISIS take an area rather opposition forces, this “secular” murderer is apparently not so opposed to Islamists ISIS taking areas, he is more concerned about his own power. > Take this BBC article from last week: [Islamic State battles Syrian rebel forces in Damascus - BBC News](http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-34118024). > > "A Syrian military official told the AFP news agency that he was “very happy” about the jihadists’ attacks on the rebels and that troops were “ready to react if they try to advance into government-held territory”. > > The regime is happy that ISIS is beating back the rebels. Yep they prefer ISIS to ANY opposition forces, whether Nusra front or a secular group. > Get it in your head people!!! Bashar Assad if faced with a secular democratic Opposition and him leaving power, or ISIS controlling half of Syria and Assad controlling Damascus, I would guarantee BIG BUCKS that he would rather the latter situation than the first. Assad’s ONLY concern is staying in power and making dumb, ignorant or those with underlying motives people in the West and around the world, believe that he is a bulwark against ISIS and that the world needs him!!! > > 1. “If we stop insisting that Assad leave, things would get better”: > > Really our “insisting” anything won’t help the situation, our words won’t stop the war in Syria. I have not heard this from anyone on this message board, but have heard it in real life and elsewhere on the internet and it PISSES me off! > So let’s imagine Barack Obama changes tune and says Assad should/can stay in office and we need him too. Does anyone with a functioning brain actually believe the fighting will stop? Do you think the rebels, of all shades, will drop their war and say “shoot, Obama gave Assad green light, we should give up”? or that ISIS will close up shop? Really the rebels have lost faith in Obama and the West, as have the Arab nations. And the war against Assad is still ongoing. Heck when our president, as well as European and Arab leaders called on the butcher of Damascus to leave power three years ago, did he leave? So really our “insistence” or “words” will do shit. > > 1. “We are fueling the fighting” > Now we are screwing up in Syria, but in another way. But this notion that the U.S and West are sending weapons to rebels is crap! We have ignored the rebels, and they have pleaded with us for help. Now the Arab nations and Turkey have stepped up giving help, they have said “screw Obama”. No the ones fueling the bloodshed in Syria for the MOST part, is not the West, Arabs, Turkey. It is the FILTHY Russians and Iranians. They support Assad, who is doing most of the killings. > > [Assad's Government Still Kills Way More Civilians Than ISIS - Business Insider](http://www.businessinsider.com/assads-government-still-kills-way-more-civilians-than-isis-2015-2) > > Yes dirtbags like Putin and Khamenei and his “moderate” stooge Rouhani are after Assad, killing more Syrians. Not us. > > Now we are screwing up by only fighting ISIS, and not doing anything to help bring the fighting to an end. Our only concern is ISIS ISIS, not Assad. We are conducting strikes in Syria for a year now, and have never ONCE hit Assad’s targets. > > So please spare this bold face lie that we are tough on Assad. > > Thank you, and maybe I’ll think of more points, but those are the main ones. Yeah, this is pretty much spot on. Just to underscore one of your points, recently the Russians have become very active, sending over advisers and even more weapons systems for Assad et al to kill even more of their fellow Syrians in better, faster ways. But it will still take more than a few regiments of Spetsnaz to do the trick. The Russians have certainly been the ones who have kept this thing going though, and made it even more bloody than it had to be…so, it was pretty much off the scale irony when ralph124c was talking about the Russians coming in and cleaning house, or being the saviors of Syria or whatever. As to your point about the US and the west helping rebels, I think that the US is kind of snake bit at this point, and I think Obama and the administration are doing the best they can. We don’t know who to help, to be honest, and what we don’t want to do is help a side to win only to have another Taliban when the dust settles. Frankly, it SHOULD be regional powers helping out, such as Turkey…and more folks should be complaining about all the Russian ‘help’ and what that has meant in terms of blood shed and death for the Syrian people. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-us-agree-to-take-a-share-of-the-refugees-trying-to-seek-asylum-in-europe/729864/96 "2015-09-10T22:52:24Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > (post shortened) > > Yes, YOU did say, “trip them”. > > Early, I had asked a question concerning how refugees who had chosen to go to Europe, and had actually made the trip to Europe, should be coerced into leaving Europe and brought to the U.S… The guy doth protest too much, methinks. 🙂 It was just me saying that a ridiculous affirmation about kidnapping them at gun point to make them leave Europe deserves just about the same, the only difference is that the ones I pointed at did what I said. ---
**Author:** ![camille](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/22d042/32.png) [@camille](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/camille)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-us-agree-to-take-a-share-of-the-refugees-trying-to-seek-asylum-in-europe/729864/97 "2015-09-10T23:03:39Z")
> [@Hiker](#): > > As far as I know Kuwait is the third largest donor of the UNHCR (after the US and Japan). Other than that I agree that the rich Arabian gulf states could and should do more in therms of taking in refugees. They are all in the top 10 of financial donors, but they have a [reason](http://www.juancole.com/2015/09/welcome-syrian-refugees.html) for not taking in a significant amount of refugees: “The Gulf countries are not signatories to the international conventions on refugee rights that Western countries and indeed most world countries have signed up to.” “Their concern would be that if they started recognizing political asylum it could potentially open the doors for a multitude of their temporary workers to stay permanently and that would raise a lot of quite complex issues.” The number of migrant workers exceeds the native population in every Gulf country except Saudi Arabia and Oman. In all of the Gulf countries, the vast majority of the workforce is foreign, ranging from 88.5 percent in Oman to 99.5 percent in the United Arab Emirates. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-us-agree-to-take-a-share-of-the-refugees-trying-to-seek-asylum-in-europe/729864/98 "2015-09-11T03:04:26Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > I do think that Reagan and Bush did try to make amends for the mess they did by giving residency and then citizenship to the ones that had to flee that country. Not without [a long fight,](http://www.uscis.gov/laws/legal-settlement-notices/american-baptist-churches-v-thornburgh-abc-settlement-agreement) that’s for sure. Further details [here,](http://www.nationalimmigrationproject.org/legalresources/practice_advisories/cd_pa_ABC%20-%2020%20Years%20Later%20-%20amended.pdf) among many other places. ---
**Author:** ![Hiker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3be4f8/32.png) [@Hiker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hiker)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-us-agree-to-take-a-share-of-the-refugees-trying-to-seek-asylum-in-europe/729864/99 "2015-09-11T06:30:06Z")
> [@camille](#): > > They are all in the top 10 of financial donors, but they have a [reason](http://www.juancole.com/2015/09/welcome-syrian-refugees.html) for not taking in a significant amount of refugees: > > “The Gulf countries are not signatories to the international conventions on refugee rights that Western countries and indeed most world countries have signed up to.” > > “Their concern would be that if they started recognizing political asylum it could potentially open the doors for a multitude of their temporary workers to stay permanently and that would raise a lot of quite complex issues.” > > The number of migrant workers exceeds the native population in every Gulf country except Saudi Arabia and Oman. In all of the Gulf countries, the vast majority of the workforce is foreign, ranging from 88.5 percent in Oman to 99.5 percent in the United Arab Emirates. There is one thing that all the countries refusing to take in more refugees have in common: they have a reason. Reasons come cheap these days. I am sure that taking in a significant number of Syrian refugees would make the gulf states face “complex issues” as your cite puts it. Then again, all the countries that \*are \*taking in significant numbers, from Sweden to Jordan are facing complex issues. The difference is that some countries are facing them while others are not. So yes, sure, the gulf states have their reasons. Whether these are \*good \*reasons is another matter. ---
**Author:** ![camille](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/22d042/32.png) [@camille](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/camille)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-us-agree-to-take-a-share-of-the-refugees-trying-to-seek-asylum-in-europe/729864/100 "2015-09-11T08:13:57Z")
> [@Hiker](#): > > There is one thing that all the countries refusing to take in more refugees have in common: they have a reason. Reasons come cheap these days. I am sure that taking in a significant number of Syrian refugees would make the gulf states face “complex issues” as your cite puts it. Then again, all the countries that \*are \*taking in significant numbers, from Sweden to Jordan are facing complex issues. The difference is that some countries are facing them while others are not. > So yes, sure, the gulf states have their reasons. Whether these are \*good \*reasons is another matter. Oh I don’t disagree. Here’s another[article](http://www.buzzfeed.com/borzoudaragahi/the-gulf-has-welcomed-thousands-of-syrians-but-theyre-consta?utm_term=.fkmyVplEd#.slwk5YvpKW) that mentions there are about 300,000 Syrians in Saudi Arabia alone. The thing is, they don’t classify them as refugees, and there is no path to citizenship, for the reason mentioned in the other cite. They can work, but many are exploited as cheap labor because of their circumstances. Apparently, they are leaving if they can, and I can’t say I blame them. And speaking of places they don’t want to stay in, here’s a [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRbmFYYbcyw&feature=player_embedded) of “feeding time” in one of the detention camps in Hungary. They literally keep the refugees penned like animals. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-us-agree-to-take-a-share-of-the-refugees-trying-to-seek-asylum-in-europe/729864.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-the-us-agree-to-take-a-share-of-the-refugees-trying-to-seek-asylum-in-europe/729864.md?page=6)