This is a fairly typical of the way in which the refugee crisis from Iraq is dealt with (see link at the end of the article) although is not often reported in the Western press. The proposed resettlement of Iraqi refugees in the West organised by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is an ongoing process.

Interesting when you consider the fact that according to the UN’s own conventions, refugees have the right to protection in the closest county to the borders of the country from which they are fleeing.

I have seen the map of the Middle East dozens of times but still had to look this up. Iraq is surrounded by the following countries, starting from the top going clockwise: Turkey, Iran, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Syria.

The combined total population of these countries is in excess of 200 million, compared to Iraq’s population of 30 million. That means that even if one-third of Iraq’s population decided to flee it would mean a (temporary) increase in population of the surrounding countries of less than 5%. Much less than Western countries have had to put up with. In fact the actual number of Iraqi refugees is much less which means that the surrounding countries could easily meet their obligations and manage the influx of refugees.

There is therefore absolutely no reason for one single Iraqi refugee to be settled in the West, a society which is in any case alien to them.  And this counts for refugees from any of the dozen or so current “hot spots”.  Although the UNHCR say that only a small number will actually be resettled in the West, true immigration figures prove otherwise. And how many refugees have simply decided to bypass the UNHCR and come illegally to the West?

We in the West should demand that the middle east countries fulfil their obligations and that the UNHCR force them to do so. Not one refugee more, and those already here, effectively because we have been forced to take up the slack of other countries failures should be returned to the original closest safe country. And none of this nonsence about them not being accepted there. Just kick them off the plane or ship and leave them there. The message will soon get through.

http://www.english.globalarabnetwork.com/200910283398/Related-news-from-Syria/syria-thousands-of-iraqi-refugees-seek-resettlement-in-west.html