Posted on 01/23/2016 11:22:44 AM PST by SeekAndFind
A number of U.S. experts on policy and migration have shot down fears of the shootings in Paris and the sex attacks in Cologne happening in America, noting that a direct link with the influx of refugees has not been established in either case, and affirming that America has a strict vetting system.
There has been significant debate in the U.S. over the question of whether 100,000 refugees fleeing war and terrorism should be allowed into the country. Some notable voices, such as evangelical preacher the Rev. Franklin Graham, have directly suggested that attacks, such as the major shootings in Paris, France, in November that led to 130 deaths, and the gang sex assaults in Cologne, Germany. on New Year's Eve, could very well be repeated on U.S. soil.
Dr. Robert P. George, chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, and Susan Fratzke, policy analyst and program coordinator at the Migration Policy Institute, an independent, non-partisan think tank, told The Christian Post in separate interviews, however, that it would be unfair to suggest that welcoming more refugees will heighten the risk of such attacks happening in America.
"The 2015 terrorist attacks in France were mainly perpetrated by citizens of the European Union, not refugees. The three attackers in the January 2015 attacks on Charlie Hebdo magazine and a kosher supermarket were French citizens. Of the nine attackers in the November 13, 2015 Paris attacks, 7 were EU (French or Belgian) citizens. The other two attackers seem [to] have entered the EU in 2015 among refugees and migrants, but their identities and citizenship are still unclear," George told CP.
"These cases illustrate the risks of allowing people to enter without screening, which is not the case with U.S. refugee resettlement," he said.
Fratzke added that the Syrian passports found on one of the suspects in the November Paris attacks were shown to be fake, and stressed the importance to withhold judgment until all the facts are known.
"In addition, refugees who enter the U.S. through the resettlement program are heavily vetted before arriving and screened against several security databases. No refugee resettled to the U.S. has, to our knowledge, ever carried out a terrorist act," she said.
George noted that the perpetrators of the terror attacks in Paris were individuals who subscribe to the extremist ideology of the Islamic State and other similar groups, and said that many of the refugees are fleeing precisely such violence.
"The United States can and must take the strongest possible security precautions in receiving refugees, but we must not fall prey to the fear that refugees who happen to be Muslims are terrorists in disguise," he urged, adding that many of victims of terror in Syria and Iraq are Shia and Sunni Muslims who have resisted violent ideology.
Fratzke said that regardless of whether the Paris and Cologne attacks are connected, there is some validity to concerns regarding the lack of registration or identity verification in Europe.
"Authorities in Greece and along the route have been overwhelmed. Refugees and migrants arriving in Europe are not properly fingerprinted, nor are their identities, biometrics, and histories verified against known databases. Systems to do this exist in Europe, but they are not being enforced," the MPI policy analyst highlighted.
She added that unlike the case in Europe, refugees coming to America are screened and their refugee claim status is assessed before they ever step foot in the country. The refugees are also required to pass extensive security and biographic checks before they arrive.
"While both systems (asylum and resettlement) are valuable, the resettlement system offers a safe path to safety for refugees, that negates the need for them to use smugglers and undertake dangerous sea journeys," Fratzke said.
"Resettlement also allows more control for the state taking the refugees in terms of who is coming, when they arrive, etc. A robust resettlement system from the Syria region could perhaps be to Europe's benefit by allowing some of the current flows to happen in a more orderly way."
In a previous interview with CP, Stefani Weiss, director and expert on European politics at Bertelsmann Stiftung, an independent, nonprofit German foundation, also talked about some of the particularities of the vetting systems in Europe, noting that because of the Schengen Agreement that created borderless areas, it is up to countries with outer borders, such as Italy and Greece, to deal with the initial influx of refugees and properly vet and register them.
In liberal America (I could throw out some names of cities and states but you already know them) I think it would be about the same as in Paris.
A-Holes speak when silence would be truth.
It is not “if” but “when.”
Yep or God help us a school. Remember that school thing in Russia? Terrible!
..I’d like to see them try it in say, Texas...
Two of them tried it in Garland, Texas at the Moehamhead art show, and were shot down like the murdering swine they were.
Sounds great. Problem: Will never happen. Too many dumb-bells still drinking the religion of peace koolaid.
The writer wants you to think screening is the same as vetting. It is NOT.
He wants you to think we have even an adequate screening process, which we do not. It is a lie.
Keep the author's name on file so you can hunt for him after we are attacked.
Every mosque will be shuttered and either razed, or converted to some other purpose, preferably as a barbecue restaurant specializing in pork products, or as a liquor store.
.... forgot dog park
Otherwise, excellent. ;>)
It WILL happen here. It HAS happened here.
The only difference is, we shoot the crazy Muzzies faster here.
He said he did not have the strength to oppose the homosexual caucus in the Vatican curia. They alleged he had some dirt on his skirts too. He is a catholic wannabe.
In Maryland where concealed carry is not allowed, many carry because they are black criminals who have to protect themselves from each other and the police.
Are you ready for this? Obama called Major Hassan's jihad "workplace violence".
“...think you’re forgetting the gun free recruiting office that was shot up in Chattanooga. “
There is no defense against a “sucker punch”, but retaliation can be a bitch!
Only if We the People allow it.
Could deadly Islamic attacks occur here in the US.
It’s possible that jihadists might carry out a large scale violent attack on American people, like a Beslan school siege.
That could kill hundreds of innocent citizens.
However, what keeps Gov’t InfraGard threat analysts up at night, is how easily large parts of the electricity grid can be taken out by a coordinated sniper attack on high stakes power transformers.
High power transformers are largely visible, unprotected, and poorly surveiled.
A simultaneous targetted attack on mission critical power transformers could cause devastating power interruption to military bases, refineries, nuclear power plants, chemical plants, metal founderies, large datacenter server farms, telecommunication hubs, and cause very costly harm to the economy and crucial supply chain.
An effective attack on our infrastructure, be it power, water or food, could kill scores more than a firearms assault.
Terrorists performed a trial run a few years ago, and it’s been unsolved to this day.
Assault on California Power Station Raises Alarm on Potential for ...
www.wsj.com/articles/SB100014240527023048511045793591... Proxy
Feb 5, 2014 ... A sniper attack in April that knocked out an electrical substation near ... Shooting for 19 minutes, they surgically knocked out 17 giant transformers that funnel power to San Jose...
This article needs a giant “projectile barf alert.”
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