The Human Tide From Syria

The mounting humanitarian crisis of Syrian refugees trekking across central Europe has been unevenly responded to by EU members.  Of the countries with transiting refugees, Hungary has been the least welcoming, mobilizing police to keep them moving quickly and providing no meaningful aid as they continue to Austria and on to Germany, which is proving to be the most willing to accept them in addition to Sweden, France and the UK, which have agreed to accept tens of thousands.

In the immediate region of Syria, Lebanon stands out as a haven for the displaced:  nearly one out of four people in Lebanon is a now Syrian refugee.  Turkey and Jordan have also taken in thousands, and their humanitarian aid resources are straining under the sheer numbers.  In stark contrast, Saudi Arabia, the Gulf States, and Egypt have taken in none or very, very few Syrian refugees, so it appears that Saudi Arabia and other reactionary Muslim states care far less about the suffering of their fellow Muslims than the people of Europe.

Here in the U.S., beyond offering financial and logistical support to countries hosting the refugees, the political reality consists of a Islamophobic / Trumpian party that will take up arms rather than allow one Syrian family in the U.S.  Maybe that will change, but not before other Aylan Kurdis perish in this inhuman situation.