# Syrian Refugees in Western Europe= "Fifth Column"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 10, 2016, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrian-refugees-in-western-europe-fifth-column/742690 "2016-01-10T15:52:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![botsgotme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@botsgotme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/botsgotme)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrian-refugees-in-western-europe-fifth-column/742690/1 "2016-01-10T15:52:32Z")
While I have some sympathy for the Syrians escaping their civil war, i am also disturbed by reports of jihadist killers coming in to Western countries. these people have the capability to wreak havoc, via suicide bombings and mass killings. There seems to be reports of intentional injection of terrorists into Europe, under the guise of “refugees”. I have two questions: -if this is true, should the West halt all resettlement? -should the refugees announce their intention not to assimilate, should they be repatriated? ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrian-refugees-in-western-europe-fifth-column/742690/2 "2016-01-10T16:36:16Z")
What reports do you speak of? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrian-refugees-in-western-europe-fifth-column/742690/3 "2016-01-10T16:47:34Z")
So your question is whether innocent people should be abandoned to suffer and die because someone else with the same skin color as them did a bad thing? ---
**Author:** ![T.M](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ad7895/32.png) [@T.M](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T.M)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrian-refugees-in-western-europe-fifth-column/742690/4 "2016-01-10T17:24:31Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > So your question is whether innocent people should be abandoned to suffer and die because someone else with the same skin color as them did a bad thing? Although I do not like Trump his actual statement to have a **temporary** ban on the immigration of Muslims until the systems to run checks are in place is starting to make sense, the problem is how to implement it The question we must ask ourselves is do we place our own people into danger by not running proper checks? ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrian-refugees-in-western-europe-fifth-column/742690/5 "2016-01-10T17:25:25Z")
> [@botsgotme](#): > > -if this is true, should the West halt all resettlement? No. > [@](#): > > -should the refugees announce their intention not to assimilate, should they be repatriated? I don’t know what you mean by this. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrian-refugees-in-western-europe-fifth-column/742690/6 "2016-01-10T17:26:36Z")
> [@T.M](#): > > a **temporary** ban on the immigration of Muslims until the systems to run checks are in place is starting to make sense What “systems to run checks” do you believe are not currently in place in the US? . ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrian-refugees-in-western-europe-fifth-column/742690/7 "2016-01-10T17:31:17Z")
I believe TM is from the UK not the US ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrian-refugees-in-western-europe-fifth-column/742690/8 "2016-01-10T17:34:22Z")
> [@andros](#): > > What “systems to run checks” do you believe are not currently in place in the US? > . Apparently the system needs to gaurantee 100% that no refugee will ever engage in anything that could remotely be construed as terrorism. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrian-refugees-in-western-europe-fifth-column/742690/9 "2016-01-10T17:35:25Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > I believe TM is from the UK not the US Ah, you’re right, thanks. In that case I’m not sure why he’s talking about Donald Trump’s proposals, which AFAIK are about immigration to the US. > [@John\_Mace](#): > > Apparently the system needs to gaurantee 100% that no refugee will ever engage in anything that could remotely be construed as terrorism. No _Muslim_ refugee, of course. . ---
**Author:** ![T.M](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ad7895/32.png) [@T.M](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T.M)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrian-refugees-in-western-europe-fifth-column/742690/10 "2016-01-10T17:49:13Z")
> [@andros](#): > > What “systems to run checks” do you believe are not currently in place in the US? > . With respect I have never been to America so I cannot personally comment on your security, the problem with the EU is the policy of open boarders. Once I land in France I can drive through Spain to Portugal without any checks. The situation now is there are hundreds of thousands of immigrants in Europe and we have no idea who they are. Where the US system could fall down is once an immigrant has been settled in the EU for four years he can apply for a passport. If he has not been properly vetted when he first arrived can the US trust his identity. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrian-refugees-in-western-europe-fifth-column/742690/11 "2016-01-10T19:36:09Z")
The OP says he’s heard “reports”. What were these reports and are they from a credible source? Do we really want the government to go running around acting on any rumor that somebody is willing to throw out there? ---
**Author:** ![T.M](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ad7895/32.png) [@T.M](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/T.M)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrian-refugees-in-western-europe-fifth-column/742690/12 "2016-01-10T20:01:43Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > The OP says he’s heard “reports”. What were these reports and are they from a credible source? Do we really want the government to go running around acting on any rumor that somebody is willing to throw out there? I have heard these reports on BBC 1 TV news and other TV media it is also being discussed on TV by main line politicians, I respectfully suggest tuning into European media through the internet. I suspect you all ready doing so, as I said no disrespect intended ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrian-refugees-in-western-europe-fifth-column/742690/13 "2016-01-10T22:44:33Z")
> [@andros](#): > > No _Muslim_ refugee, of course. Per capita, American Muslims kill ten times more people in acts of terrorism than Right-wingers or anyone else. They _are_ uniquely a problem, no matter how hard people may try to pretend otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrian-refugees-in-western-europe-fifth-column/742690/14 "2016-01-10T22:48:57Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > Per capita, American Muslims kill ten times more people in acts of terrorism than Right-wingers or anyone else. They _are_ uniquely a problem, no matter how hard people may try to pretend otherwise. You are perhaps right, Grumman, but I’d like a cite and link before I take that as a fact. ---
**Author:** ![Ramira](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ramira/32/344_2.png) [@Ramira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ramira)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrian-refugees-in-western-europe-fifth-column/742690/15 "2016-01-10T22:51:59Z")
It is [playing with definitions.](http://securitydata.newamerica.net/extremists/deadly-attacks.html) also [article before the san berndino](http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/25/us/tally-of-attacks-in-us-challenges-perceptions-of-top-terror-threat.html?_r=0) Since two incidents make up two cases that push ahead numbers, it makes the idea weakly true, but the overall numbers say another thing. It is then a hypocricy, the “no matter how hard people may try to pretend otherwise”… ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrian-refugees-in-western-europe-fifth-column/742690/16 "2016-01-10T22:54:26Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > Per capita, American Muslims kill ten times more people in acts of terrorism than Right-wingers or anyone else. They _are_ uniquely a problem, no matter how hard people may try to pretend otherwise. Per capita is meaningless. How many total right-wingers are there compared to American Muslims? And where did you get your numbers? ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrian-refugees-in-western-europe-fifth-column/742690/17 "2016-01-10T23:08:26Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > Per capita, American Muslims kill ten times more people in acts of terrorism than Right-wingers or anyone else. They _are_ uniquely a problem, no matter how hard people may try to pretend otherwise. Are you then going on record as advocating the incarceration or expulsion of Americans who practice Islam? ---
**Author:** ![Ramira](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ramira/32/344_2.png) [@Ramira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ramira)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrian-refugees-in-western-europe-fifth-column/742690/18 "2016-01-10T23:09:09Z")
Other such article, [You are seven times as likely to be killed by a right wing extremist than by muslim terrorists](http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2015/11/30/3725562/you-are-more-than-7-times-as-likely-to-be-killed-by-a-right-wing-extemist-than-by-muslim-terrorists/) numbers do not support ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrian-refugees-in-western-europe-fifth-column/742690/19 "2016-01-10T23:44:47Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > Per capita, American Muslims kill ten times more people in acts of terrorism than Right-wingers or anyone else. They _are_ uniquely a problem, no matter how hard people may try to pretend otherwise. Per capita, [insert large demographic group does thing more than] anyone else. Therefore, the demographic group is a problem. Does this logic apply only to Muslims, **Grumman**? Or to all groups? Christians? Jews? White people? Men? Straight people? People who listen to heavy metal? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2016, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrian-refugees-in-western-europe-fifth-column/742690/20 "2016-01-10T23:47:10Z")
> [@T.M](#): > > I have heard these reports on BBC 1 TV news and other TV media it is also being discussed on TV by main line politicians, I respectfully suggest tuning into European media through the internet. I suspect you all ready doing so, as I said no disrespect intended I’ve heard lots of reports of people saying thousands of terrorists are hidden among refugees. I haven’t seen any report of a single actual terrorist being found. Have you? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/syrian-refugees-in-western-europe-fifth-column/742690.md?page=2)