Triple purpose:
- Prepare support for attacks against Assad who will be blamed for the refugee crisis
- Destabilize the civil society in Europe. US of A has to get rid of this competitor before the own social and financial desaster limits leeway for military aggression
- Create immigration chaos in Europe which facilitates trafficking of ISIS sleepers for action in the appropriate moment.
US of A urgently needs war in Europe, and it need a lot of smoke screens to achieve it.

Posted by: Kassandra | Sep 3 2015 14:57 utc | 1

I think part of the most likely explanations is:

Fuck the EU

Posted by: ThePaper | Sep 3 2015 15:05 utc | 2

The same-ol, same-ol? Politicians deflecting bad policies (Greece, etc.) on to migrants.

Or, anti-war sentiment from Europe? Many of the reports point to refugees from: Syria and Lybia, and Ukraine, the places of war efforts lead by the U.S. The message between the lines: if you continue following the U.S., Europe will simply disappear. Security every place and every where. Border fences, gated homes. Farmlands and parks with military and police posted all over the place. No more simple train rides from Italy to Germany, France to UK. More war, more refugees.

Or even further, this is the beginning, the inevitable - Global Warming and the great migrations. Fortress Europe has to begin NOW.

Posted by: Kim Sky | Sep 3 2015 15:28 utc | 3

b

I don't know the answer. But I think your instinct for imperial malfeasance is second to none.

Posted by: Jackrabbit | Sep 3 2015 15:30 utc | 4

US of A urgently needs war in Europe, and it need a lot of smoke screens to achieve it.

Yes. Stephen Cohen interview confirms that.
Nation contributing editor Stephen F. Cohen and John Batchelor continue their weekly discussions of the Ukrainian crisis and the New Cold War.
http://www.thenation.com/article/did-the-violent-protests-in-kiev-mark-the-beginning-of-the-end-of-the-maidan-revolution/

Posted by: okie farmer | Sep 3 2015 16:02 utc | 5

Why does this type of logic always evade me? A simple reason for more wars!

Excerpts from wsws...
http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2015/09/03/merk-s03.html

...under the pretext of combating the roots of the refugee problem—prepare new wars and military interventions in Africa and the Middle East.

In the media, there is a growing chorus demanding that the refugee crisis be fought at its root—i.e., via military intervention in those countries already destroyed by previous Western military actions.

Richard Herzinger thundered in Die Welt against the “conspiracy theory” that “with its aggressive intervention, especially in the Middle East, the West created the bloody chaos that has forced millions of people to flee.” He continued: “Not the intervention of the West, but its shameful retreat has detonated the region…. The current crisis reminds the West, and particularly Europe, to undertake not less, but more global interventionism.”

Posted by: Kim Sky | Sep 3 2015 16:10 utc | 6

Syrian refugees in Turkey

There are close 2 million now. There was a big jump from 1 million to 1.5 million in December 2014 and has been steadily growing since then.

So the question is what triggered this massive wave to Greece this summer? There is obvious Turkey government complicity. Which is never mentioned in the MSM. It's not even mentioned that these people are coming from Turkey. Turkey isn't a failed state like Libya, it can control it's frontiers and sea and could easily control smugglers. It's not doing so. And more importantly, there is no public pressure from EU official for implementing this control like they usually did for immigrants coming from North-Africa in other times.

There has been a lot of exposure of Greece and lately Hungary (which is a 'special' because seems to not be completely aligned with EU-Brussels regime and probably the US policies) as places with problems with these refugees.

And then this last two weeks all these photos of infants (some were 'fake' from older events in other places) drowned (as if there were no drowned kids earlier).

But not sure how these events and reports aligns with the stupid propaganda to arm Al-Qaeda to 'defeat ISIS'. Or with the Turkey campaign on Kurds to contain the defeat of ISIS in the frontier between Turkey and Syria.

Posted by: ThePaper | Sep 3 2015 16:30 utc | 7

B the answer is very simple: The elimination of the nation state. Overloading countries with migrates is multiculturalism. You no longer have one people, one voice, one direction. It is divide and conquer and you weaken the nation state to the point that the next step is easy. The elite money class that is based in English speaking countries is very strong and that is just what they want. Just ask Mr. George Soros.

They already have all the money and assets in the world, so it is just a matter of gaining more power. It is the ultimate game. I am sure it is a lot of fun for them to fool everyone and get away with this. They are very good at what they do, but not perfect.

Of course a nasty by-product of their efforts is ecological destruction of the planet being tied to a must grow economic system, lots of unnecessary poor and dead people with wars, and a general misery in the population: but hey, they say that it is worth it. What can you do?

Posted by: Peter B. | Sep 3 2015 16:33 utc | 8

@7 It would be interesting to know exactly which regions the Syrians are coming from. My guess would be Idlib and the region north of Aleppo where Erdogan wants a 'safe-zone'.

Posted by: dh | Sep 3 2015 16:45 utc | 9

I've honestly been wondering about that (and it seems, of all people I know, I'm the only one who actually asked himself: why are they bombarding the public with this topic so massively).
I've grown quite accustomed to reading a hamfisted propaganda that, before Libya, I would never have dreamed of, but the "refugee" topic is (from a pure media perspective) so insane that I can hardly believe it.
My approach on this is that, indeed, it's meant to provoke unrest among the population. I mean, literally [i]everyone[/i] is frustrated about the mass immigration and if the medias goal would be to keep people calm, they'd sweep it under the carpet as good as possible. Maybe they'd have to report some and maybe propose and enact some laws that change nothing but make people feel as if they'd do something about it.
But none of it. Instead it's pure and plainly visible 100% bullshit for 100% percent of the time, 24/7.

My opinion of what comes next is the gradual (not "slow") abolishment of the "welfare" state while keeping the lower class busy with fighting each other. Probably some people in germany will cheer the end of every public welfare crumb, as long as "the immigrants" get nothing either.

Think about working class struggle and a fight for a more equal distribution of welfare during the 60s, 70s, 80s. This won't happen again any time soon, people will be too busy being at each others throats.
And [i]even if[/i] the german (or european, if you wish) population will swallow it all and keep quiet, they guys that are immigrating will not keep peaceful in the middle term (hey, it's not like theres millions of zen buddhists are coming).

Bullshitting the people like they are doing will keep the tension high.

Posted by: radiator | Sep 3 2015 16:54 utc | 10

sorry man, I used the [] brackets instead of pure html tags. would you mind correcting above and deleting this post? Cheers :-)

Posted by: radiator | Sep 3 2015 16:55 utc | 11

good inquiry b.. thanks.

i agree with @1 kassandra's overview. @8 peter b. gives a general overview that sounds like part of it too. and i like @7 the paper's line of questions..

bottom line - they are a result of the 'regime change' agenda that seems to be the specialty of the usa and their friends in western europe.. i think this point needs to be driven home so that people (especially in western europe) can make the obvious connection as to why it is happening.. overthrowing the political system that sustains this approach would be ideal. i think that means getting rid of merkel for starters..

Posted by: james | Sep 3 2015 16:59 utc | 12

In my before-last post on the ‘migrant crisis’ a while back I wrote echoes of color revolutions. my post was too long, I will return to this.

2014. Asylum seekers, registered, geographical Europe (without Turkey.) Does not include illegals, fraud, and grey (au pair, intern, sex worker, agri temp, and even often student, etc.) Nor those who ‘can’t get registered’, nor, in some cases ‘family regrouping’ which can include non-married ‘partner’ (legal or not..)

Per million inhabitants.

Sweden 8365
Hungary 4337
Austria 3282
Malta 3168
Switz. 2890
Denmark 2605, Norway 2552, Germany 2513
(above the top o’ list, below the bottom, Ireland and Island not incl.)
France 972
Great Britain 494.

Hmmm… A rough guide seems to be that most countries (Europe) have received as ‘refugees’ from Jan to June 2015 the same amount or a bit more than for the whole of 2014. So the nos for 2015 are expected to double, but perhaps triple in some places, and the year isn’t over yet, so who knows, x4? So maybe the Brits are facing 1500 ‘refugees’ and France 3000 per million ppl in 2015? What are we talking about here? It is totally insignificant, except perhaps for Sweden. And nobody even mentions the refugees in say Lebanon (which is collapsing..)

(nos are from a Swiss study, based on UN figures etc. )

Another important point … In 1990s the Schengen accords privatised border control. Article 26 a stipulates that an ‘illegal’, aka no visa, who enters has to be returned ‘by the transporter’ (airline, cruise ship, train, taxi…) so these have become responsible for ‘vetting’ their passengers (to their great chargrin) and it is this rule that has created the horror of human trafficking, mafia types making hay like you would not believe.

Posted by: Noirette | Sep 3 2015 17:07 utc | 13

The BBC is always a good bell-weather on things like this. There have been several reports from Greece and Calais. They like to show sympathy for migrants but only if they don't start a refugee camp on Hampstead Heath.

Posted by: dh | Sep 3 2015 17:27 utc | 14

Great post and reflects my thinking on the subject.

I see a real victim the re-writing of history in this, Assad will be blamed. I have no idea who Assad is, other than obviously slanted (at best) reports. I do know that Syria was greatly stressed before our war-criminal administration went ahead and invaded Iraq the second time, in the process some 2 million people (about half all refugees from Gulf II) clobbered a marginal economy in Syria. Factor in refugees from other actions and a drought lasting a couple of years and I cannot think of a ruler who could keep their subjects fed, especially one under pressure to step down from the usual sources.

I am really thinking the usual conspiracy to make the EU one large country will fail over the hundred years. The US MIC will benefit greatly, unfortunately.

Posted by: Bardi | Sep 3 2015 17:44 utc | 15

I think people have been drowning in droves for a while now- close to 20k this year I believe.

A trailer of disintegrating refugees does well for ratings. Additionally people drowning trying to cross the sea in rubber dinghies distracts from southern Europe drowning in a sea of unpayable debt.

But it's disagreeable to think what lies behind all of this. The level of denial about the venality of the euro group must increase or be deflected.

Posted by: tomoffinland | Sep 3 2015 17:55 utc | 16

Selection of vids. (less than 2 - 3 mins, pix, commentary does not matter)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5AuZttw1sc&feature=youtu.be

https://youtu.be/XFmxR52b70M

Echoes to the presentation of color revolutions. Mostly all / youngish men, well fed, clean, washed, OK dressed, with no baggage (occasional backpack like a metro-sexual) facing rows of po-lice.

This vid. shows a Budapest train station, we see ‘migrants’ (real ones, more or less? It is hard to tell) around and about and disturbing the smooth functioning of the place:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a45Dt74rsWc

The station was closed and a crowd protested:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34113471

The other images served up are the ‘pathos’ ones, mother hugging child, child dead drowned on beach, etc.

Not saying all this aint 'real', but wanted to give best examples of MSM presentation.

Posted by: Noirette | Sep 3 2015 17:56 utc | 17

Boys and girls here we go...............http://www.rt.com/uk/314227-refugee-crisis-cameron-denial/

Posted by: notlurking | Sep 3 2015 18:06 utc | 18

Like the Author: I am beginning to suspect that this 'crisis' is not all it seems...

Why are all the crowd scenes mostly all men? Yet, when the pictures are cropped, they show mostly the odd woman and child???

Why crude photoshop efforts such as this one:

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/09/01/14/2BDFE36000000578-3218350-image-a-45_1441113516387.jpg

Yet another crude photoshop effort, notice the guy on carriage, giving the 'allah is N01' hand sign except it appears He has 6 fingers and a massive thumb.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/09/03/08/2BEDDB1900000578-3220673-image-a-15_1441266395189.jpg

The source of these images is Reuters!

Add to that, we have a child migrant, 'washed' up on the beach, drowned, yet in an a mere few hours, we have the family history and photographs.
It turns out the family of this poor child had been in Turkey for a year, so this tragedy hardly fits what we have been led to believe.

I smelled the same BS just before Libya was bombed, the same cag handed photoshop work.

The main reason, To create a casus belli, to have us all screaming for war to attack and prevent the Muslim 'horde'. To get over the resistance caused by previous 'failed' interventions, they need to go to these extremes. And as the Author points out, most of us are aware that the 'West' is arming ISIS and causing most of all the trouble.

But...Cameron, still desperate to attack Assad, wants us to beg him to supposedly attack His ISIS boys...

Diabolical Bas Tards

Posted by: Jay | Sep 3 2015 18:15 utc | 19

At least in the British press, it's been increasingly difficult to maintain the disconnect between the refugee wave and Syria today. So many people are talking about the evident connection. The mask has slipped, because evidently Cameron doesn't know what to do. He's making up policy on the hoof. I suppose, when they've decided what to do, that the mask will be put back, and everything will return to normal.

Posted by: Laguerre | Sep 3 2015 18:18 utc | 20

http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2015/09/02/europes-refugee-crisis/
Europe is suffering a refugee crisis of Europe’s own making. By mindlessly and immorally supporting for 14 years Washington’s illegal and unjustified wars in the Middle East and North Africa that have murdered and displaced millions of peoples, European governments have created a flood of refugees into Europe. Instead of accepting their responsibility for peoples whose lives Europe has helped to ruin, European governments are employing fences and violence to keep out the hordes of peoples displaced by Washington’s violence and the violence that Washington’s violence unleashed.

Posted by: okie farmer | Sep 3 2015 18:19 utc | 21

@20 Somebody should ask Cameron what he proposes doing with Shia, Alawite and Christian refugees from Syria after Assad goes.

Posted by: dh | Sep 3 2015 18:22 utc | 22

The msm surely has been milking this for the last five days. Hypocritically using the photos of immigrants and the dead child. Photos of children killed in bombings are not allowed, those caused by allied bombing or Israeli bombing.

I agree with @2, they want to assure no recovery and the end of any compassionate welfare in the EU, as well as destroying any sense of solidarity among classes and groups within the EU, that the EU started itself in it's treatment of Greece.

But mainly they will be building a case for all out war in Syria and Lebanon. They will build a case that refugees are the result of people fleeing the evil governments.

The question I ask, is how complicit is the ruling elite in the EU going to be in destroying what they had. Until now, it has been 100%, and my guess is that it will stay so.

Posted by: mrd | Sep 3 2015 18:31 utc | 23

Who ever might be coordinating this media campaign is doing a very bad job of it ... dueling headlines have been a regular feature. I think -- bottom line -- it's about "reminding Europeans how they benefit from the EU" and softening Germany's image which was damaged with their extreme hard line position wrt Greece --- "Welcoming immigrants" is not the primary message (although guilt-tripping Europeans helps remind them of the relative luxury what's left of the "nanny state" provides them), it's open versus closed borders and trying to propagandize against the many xenophobic reasons to close them (which could spell the end of many of the EU's greatest benefits to business ...
Reminding them of better days when they could afford to take holidays is a double-edges sword ... the extreme both of border stations and passports has been mentioned repeatedly ...oh the humanity... but I suspect they're more concerned with the passage of good and services.
Hit Guardian comments and sentiments wrt refusal to bail out the lazy Greeks may be the majority (haven't counted) ... the 2008 seems to have made people even more hard-hearted than before ... "popular sentiment" may well mean polls are edging towards closing borders -- something that would "hurt" the 1%.
Alternative, there may be some face saving needed, after a happy year of Europe being aghast at racism and anti-immigrant sentiment in the USA. Germany could feel buoyed by the fading of Pegida from the international press and passing that dirty-stick over the France and recent antiimmigrant "unrest" in Scandinavia (reported gleefully in the American press as significantly more substantial than they usually turn out to be -- some fringe politician's suggestion treated seriously).

If you've been following Ukraine, Cohen on Batchelor (and others elsewhere) seem to be prepping for an October 1st crossroads/event even as the cease fire has been successfully reinstated (as of yesterday, day #2) ... We'll see ... The alternative to "letting in" the migrants may be social upheaval on a scale that diverts from other, possibly more significantly political matters.

Many even most of the migrants very likely would return home if their countries stabilized ... IMHO, it's a mistake to think they are all about to become permanent residents, would-be citizens, although they may remain "displaced" indefinitely. As for employment, they can be more cheaply treated as "refugees" in need of assistant, than as potential guest workers -- lots of bad optics playing to be avoided by use of careful framing (semantics run wild!!)

Posted by: Susan Sunflower | Sep 3 2015 18:39 utc | 24

Here's something to consider. Each ethnic and-or religious group must have a /proliferation strategy/. Their proliferation strategy its simply the game plan they employ to proliferate (increase their survivability). Some strategies are based on technology. Some on "public relations." Some on wealth accumulation. Probably the oldest and most common proliferation strategy is simple fecundity -- simply producing as many children whom they raise to carry on their ethnic and-or religious structured system of human organization. This strategy has become precarious in our age of high tech warfare and economic intricacy.

Now consider this: Nearly all of these migrants groups are ones that have opted for the massive fecundity strategy, and they are moving from their former habitats into lands that are occupied by groups that have opted for distinctly different proliferation strategies. This is a recipe for disaster.

Posted by: blues | Sep 3 2015 18:40 utc | 25

re 22.

Somebody should ask Cameron what he proposes doing with Shia, Alawite and Christian refugees from Syria after Assad goes.

And there isn't really a solution in building walls to keep the refugees out. For example at Calais, we had been told that the problem of refugees/migrants invading the Tunnel had been solved. But then again yesterday the Eurostar was stopped, with refugees tapping on the windows of a stationary train, pleading to be allowed to get in, somewhat frightening the passengers on the train. It is going to go on, unless the problem is settled at source. That must be percolating into even the dimmest conservative brain. What they'll do about it, is, however, a different question.

Posted by: Laguerre | Sep 3 2015 18:47 utc | 26

The reverse psychology theory that "they" (tptb) are hoping to goad their citizenry in demanding military action in the middle east to solve the migrant program might be plausible but only if you believe TPTB are truly and deliberately evil ... (most really bad people I've known don't believe that about themselves)-- and that there is a desire to burn money wholesale on that likely futile and certainly thankless task.
I suspect that TPTB more simplistically want to pretend that by welcoming migrants, they are not only "in control" (driving this train) but operating voluntarily, benevolently ... and hope that their citizens will respond in kind.
Yes, the scenes at Calais mimic scenes in dystopian movies -- Children of Men, although Wag the Dog (see drowned Syrian child dead on Turkish beach after family refused asylum status by Canada). I wonder how bad the polls really are.

Posted by: Susan Sunflower | Sep 3 2015 18:56 utc | 27

@ b: "The last thing people in Europe want right now is more competition in the labor market."

Might be the last thing the workers want, but, the Neo-liberal business elites love it.

KS @ 3:"
The same-ol, same-ol? Politicians deflecting bad policies (Greece, etc.) on to migrants.

Yes, surely, that's more of the same, blaming the passengers on the train for the train wreck.

Global, Neo-liberal austerity policies, and perpetual war, has created ALL this misery.
m

Posted by: ben | Sep 3 2015 19:11 utc | 28

of @ 5: "Yes. Stephen Cohen interview confirms that."

Yep, here's a podcast of that interview from Thom Hartman show:

http://www.thomhartmann.com/sites/default/files/private/podcasts/2015_0902_thp-090215-hour3.mp3

Posted by: ben | Sep 3 2015 19:16 utc | 29

Could somebody explain why Hungary wants to warehouse the refugees instead of pass them on? Seems to me that the easiest way to get them out of your country would be to send them in a train to Germany as Merkel demands it

Posted by: aaaaa | Sep 3 2015 19:17 utc | 30

If Cameron is banking on a post-Assad Syria as a place to deport these migrants to ... he might learn a lesson from post-Taliban Afghanistan (6 million returned, most ended up leaving again), he might even talk to Iran about the 1 million plus Afghan refugees and Pakistans about their 1.5 million Afghan refugees still un-returned ... He might also consider determining how many of these migrants are Iraqis -- some Iraqi refugees in Syria for the last few years, since the "surge" ... and how many are Kurds (who were supposed to benefit most from deposing of Saddam, and had benefitted most, before recently).

Posted by: Susan Sunflower | Sep 3 2015 19:26 utc | 31

Sounds like Hungary is playing Kentucky marriage license clerk and defying the EU by closing its borders ... running it up the flagpole to see who salutes. There have been no demands for financial compensation (to offset costs, etc. as a poor nation) ... I haven't seen anyone suggest a "rational" reason ... just assertion of sovereignty. Mention that next-door much richer Austria is also deeply unhappy about being used as a pass-through ... could be anti-Germany/anti-Merkel defiance ... probably won't find an answer in the American press ...

Posted by: Susan Sunflower | Sep 3 2015 19:42 utc | 32

The weakness of the theory that refugees are "sent" is the mechanics: how is it accomplished. One thing is that Syrians in Turkey did not get work permit, so they must live from savings (if any) and illegal jobs, which presumably became scarce and the conditions, deteriorating. These refugees are less desperate than those who reached Egypt and Libya, but the passage from Greece is less daunting. (Unless the human smuggler is a total scum and loads 40 people on a dinghy for 10. One one hand, the police in Turkey could increase the harassment, and some of that happened "naturally", business owners complaining about homeless refugees who clog areas designated for tourists, retail etc. Also, the country is in the middle of numerous witch hunts, one of them being the hunt for Islamic terrorists (although that seems on the bottom of the agenda), and refugees can be interrogated and incarcerated.

Now the message is out, spoken by a tearful girl: stop war in Syria. It is urgent, because there are millions more potential refugees, some estimate talk about seven millions.

Posted by: Piotr Berman | Sep 3 2015 19:46 utc | 33

The Migrant Media campaign is run by myself and people like me on Facebook. It is to be honest much less present in the main stream news than it is on Facebook. All of the main agitators are people I know that actually give a fuck about people suffering and dying.

However I think the more interesting question is why now. Why are so many people moving towards Germany and to a lesser extent elsewhere now. Is Turkey pushing them or are they coming to some kind of a realization that things really are not going to get better in Syria?

Posted by: Jeremy | Sep 3 2015 19:56 utc | 34

" some estimate talk about seven millions." Such selective attention ... for over a year, there have been 3 million Syrian refugees (in turkey and the no-man's land) ... 3-1/2 million 'internally displaced' Syrians, and Syria was a major receiver of the 3 million Iraqi Refugees, most of whom never got a chance to "return." All those numbers are probably higher now, possibly even with this "mass exodus" which may well be statistically unimpressive (given the whole). To keep things in perspective, there are still more than 6 million Afghan refugees (out of country) ... prior to 2001, many returned, most then left again.

yeah, this is smoke and mirrors deflection ... word is the EU is having a major confab in 2 weeks ... sure, what's the rush.... Considering how long this "crisis" has been simmering unattended to, I'm guessing sentiments on the ground in entry-states have deteriorated ... BBC has had regular stories for months now of local mediterranean villagers having to deal with providing basic aid to wash-ashores ... testimony to long-standing neglect. Might affect next elections if the right-sector gets another boost...

short and simple summary: http://blogs.cfr.org/patrick/2015/09/03/world-on-the-move-understanding-europes-migration-crisis/

Posted by: Susan Sunflower | Sep 3 2015 20:08 utc | 35

Kim sky pretty much nailed it. And that will be linked to probable future "R2P" invasions of African and Middle Eastern countries.
Using the Empire and Allies War crimes creation of refugees, as media driven sympathy for more wars and more war crimes.
Can you imagine better excuse of this Western/ Mid East tyrannies refugee created crisis, then using that as the pre-text to subvert more human rights within European countries. You know the evil elite see this as a godsend.

Stock market crash, crumbling European economies, Greece etc, none of those issues compare to the fear level among the people, of fear of the "other". It's a perfect manipulation tool. Which I have to say, fucking common people have fallen for this same ploy thousands of times, so fuck those people who turn their fears into hate, in-service of their slave masters.

The media coverage has been amazing of what it has omitted deliberately, just like b mentioned above. Isis and Al-Qaeda hardley ever get a mention. Which just means omission propaganda in support of terrorists by the western media.

I don't know much about this possible increasing Russian assistance to Syria regime is true, but that could be part of the counter propaganda.

Posted by: tom | Sep 3 2015 20:11 utc | 36

Aims - mixed motives as usual, confused situation:

a) the MSM to sell, of course they don’t act alone, but jump on the bandwagon when triggered, that is just revenues, hype, until the next thingie, it makes an rousing, emotional, lucrative, story (and revenues for security pals..)

b) make Europe more vulnerable, afraid, therefore more open to outside influence, like they need to fight terrorism, illegals, have Patriot Acts, do false flags, be strong, (see France who has fallen completely for that..15 years later…see the latest ‘foiled’ F Terror attack with US marines or whatnot decorated with presidential awards…) etc.

c) EU authorities, PTB, are complicit or ‘happy’ and welcome such supposed dire problems, as these furnish potential arguments for an ‘integrated europe’ (fiscal, defense, etc.) which are being made ALL OVER right now. The more Fortress Europe can be created, the better. Only Merkel or Juncker can keep little girls safe in their beds! Violent Rapist Terrorists lurk! Again, in the interests of the US, which prefers a United EU that it can command and manipulate easily. Then there is a side-wise force, to Balkanise the EU., and create war within it, pitting it against Russia in part (Eff the EU), amongst other aims. (model: Yugoslavia.)

d) who cares, confuse and alarm everyone. Chaos, hate, attacks, strife, it is all good.

See here for the tiny numbers taken in by Britain (itv, but the nos. are in the ‘correct’ ball park..)

http://www.itv.com/news/2015-09-03/how-many-syrian-refugees-has-britain-really-taken-in/

Posted by: Noirette | Sep 3 2015 20:21 utc | 37

- Destabilize the civil society in Europe.

How, like exactly, are hapless war victims who don't speak the native language and only have the shirts on their backs going to "[d]estabilize the civil society in Europe" or anywhere else on the planet?

- Create immigration chaos in Europe which facilitates trafficking of ISIS sleepers for action in the appropriate moment.

Bollocks. If you have any real evidence for this please share it.

Overloading countries with migrates is multiculturalism. You no longer have one people, one voice, one direction. It is divide and conquer and you weaken the nation state to the point that the next step is easy.

Thanx Faux News but that's pure fascist bullshit.

Probably the oldest and most common proliferation strategy is simple fecundity -- simply producing as many children whom they raise to carry on their ethnic and-or religious structured system of human organization.

Thanx Donald Trump. LOVE your hair.

The last thing people in Europe want right now is more competition in the labor market.

More fascist horseshit. Apparently there are "sleeper cells" right on this board. But they're not isishit, they're americanshit.

Posted by: Some Guy | Sep 3 2015 20:40 utc | 38

Europe is on something of a collision course with the U.S. over the Ukraine ... I'm hopeful that "migrants" can be a face-saving camouflage allowing Obama to avoid pressing wrt a failed policy ... one still being championed by the Neocons and the Bankers and Soros.
See also "our" policy (whatever it might be) wrt Syria and Assad ...

Putin is a good enough chess player to not upset the apple cart by being too helpful by assisting (i.e. "being cooperative) in at least 2 of 3 of these crises.
It's been suggested that the nuclear pact with Iran (which is about to be approve) may open the door for increased military assistance wrt ISIS in Syrac ... If "we" allow Russia to join Iran (and back off of Assad demands)... etc.
Which IMHO probably will have zero effect on refugees -- fighting ISIS and/or Assad will likely create ever more refugees... make no mistake.
Hardly mention is European Islamophobia. BBC was asking someone this morning if Arab countries ever accepted refugees ... guess the answer!!! and I don't know exactly who might accept some future offer ... but it's probably worth remembering that "Europe" and "Turkey" are not the only possible geographic destinations ... hint hint.

Posted by: Susan Sunflower | Sep 3 2015 20:42 utc | 39

Susan Sunflower wrote in comment 27:
"The reverse psychology theory that "they" (tptb) are hoping to goad their citizenry in demanding military action in the middle east to solve the migrant program might be plausible but only if you believe TPTB are truly and deliberately evil ..."

Well, we are dealing with scum bags who have already lied to kick this all off in the first place...In this cuntry, the UK, our prime minister voted four square behind Blair to attack Iraq along with Bush.

We have already had the needless attack on Libya..

After that, I would put nothing past them and allow no thoughts, that somehow they might just be merely incompetents. No, "nothing happens in politics by accident".

Posted by: Jay | Sep 3 2015 20:44 utc | 40

I'm not really sure what Hungary's government is up to. Yes, one would think they would just let them pass towards Germany. But among other things there may be some legal . Looking at my backlog of reports in Europapress (a Spanish news agency, similar to Reuters or AFP) from the last week I read two about Hungary and Austria government requesting specific legal clarification from the German government whether they would welcome the refugees and guarantee that Dublin protocol doesn't apply anymore (would force all refugees applications to be performed in Hungary or Austria, the entry points into EU proper, Schengen area). So perhaps Germany may be saying something to the public but acting in a different way at inter-government relations and Austria and Hungary doesn't want to be the ones 'holding the bag' at the end and taking all the blame and problems.

Another thing I have read somewhere is that Hungary's government may be close to German CSU (the Bavarian ally of Merkel's CDU) which is mutely against the opening the frontiers and allowing more immigrants and refugees, so it may be doing the dirty work for them (in exchange for some favours later) and allowing the CSU to 'support' the official German government more open stand.

Posted by: ThePaper | Sep 3 2015 20:47 utc | 41

Harold Macmillan was once asked, what was it that a Prime Minister feared most? He replied "events dear boy, events" Cameron will not admit his policies mirroring the US are responsible for the 'events' unfolding with the refugee crisis. Remember ex Foreign Minister William Hague telling us all not long ago, the UK government were aiding the opposition in Syria. Of course the US/UK will never admit they were wrong.

Posted by: harry law | Sep 3 2015 20:54 utc | 42

Jay (40): I'm hopeful that the same citizenry that isn't eager to accept refugees, seeing them as competition for jobs, is equally unenthusiastic about spending billions on an expanded war -- generally -- or specifically to "help" those self-same refugees ... we are talking about extreme xenophobic self-interest.

The best win-win is to get someone else to fight that war ... see above ... like Iran and Russia, both of whom are geographic stakeholders. Russia isn't likely to offer to take refugees for a lot of solid financial reasons -- and I don't know if they need the labor -- the only possible rationale might be national pride.

Oh, someone asked about the immigrants being "all men" -- that's because they are the scouts ... and the women and children will follow once there's a destination. This crisis has been going on for over a year ... longer for civil war fleeing Syrians and Iraqi .. the women and children may simply have joined the throng, or they may well have a destination city, a husband or eldest son -- or extended family settled somewhere.

Posted by: Susan Sunflower | Sep 3 2015 21:00 utc | 43

Perhaps the MSN is oblivious to the underlying cause of the refugee crises, but commentators to the news stories seem to see what is going on. Check out the comments to this Guardian article.

Posted by: ToivoS | Sep 3 2015 21:37 utc | 44

To erode European national identities through mass immigration and the neutralisation of opposition to the neo-liberal utopia of a United States of Europe, perhaps? Oh, and a new multi-million man strong, low-wage labour force to compete with China to boot; fuelled by a media campaign that aims to cajole public support through a bombardment of images of human despair.

Germany has one of the planet's lowest birth rates and needs workers. But low wage workers are good for big business across all EU member states and need to be distributed effectively. “Compulsory refugee quotas” will see to that.

Admittedly, the heavy use of the image of the drowned Syrian child is reminiscent of the Houla massacre and the media campaign for “regime change” which promoted and continues to promote pictures of dead children to manipulate public opinion.

The possibilities are endless.

Posted by: Pat Bateman | Sep 3 2015 21:44 utc | 45

The Syrian refugees coming through Turkey and traveling 5 miles by boat to a Greek island are fully aware which EU nations offer the best opportunity: Germany, Sweden and France. Many persons are traveling to rejoin family members in Europe or elsewhere, even North America. The citizens of Germany are exemplary in welcoming these refugees from a country devastated by nearly 5 years of civil war. Turkey is a kingpin in the whole Syrian crisis and Erdogan blames Europe for the unfortunate deaths of refugees off his coastline! He is a big jerk, putting it mildly.

Germany offers jobs to its migrants coming in, credit to chancellor Merkel... France spreads the migrants across rural areas and villages where schools were about to close and the last MD had left. The migrants are often well educated and able to perform in jobs requiring their skills.

○ Europe doesn't have a migrant crisis, it has a Syrian crisis | IRIN |

Posted by: Oui | Sep 3 2015 22:09 utc | 46

○ UNHRC denounces failure to protect refugees in 10th Syria report
○ De Maiziere: Germany to receive up to 800,000 refugees

A number of European nations [former Soviet bloc] will only accept non-Muslim refugees and in small numbers ...

Posted by: Oui | Sep 3 2015 22:10 utc | 47

The MSM demonstrating its ability to follow orders yet again..

Days of heart wrenching pics of the little Syrian boy, face down..

A year ago, in Operation Protective edge, 550 Palestinian children killed.
Yet not a picture that I could find, in the MSM distribution channels..

We are being systematically lied to, and it does not feel good.
Sooner or later, ordinary folks are going to say "Enough,
we want the Truth"

Posted by: DavidKNZ | Sep 3 2015 22:16 utc | 48

But Turkey's decision to stop "playing nice" was really pretty recent, June 2015, and the drowning migrant problem, as I seem to recall originated with Libyans drowning by the thousands ... yeah, it's really fishy, very selective ...
consider how many Syrian refugees there are 3.8 million (according the UNHRC) and
the "number detected so far this year" 300,000 (who seem to represent many nationalities -- Syria and Iraqi and Kurds, etc.)
http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/page?page=49e486a76&submit=GO
oops, Libyan migrants still drowning from 08/27/2015
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/27/at-least-30-dead-after-boat-carrying-migrants-sinks-in-mediterranean
and 500 drowned September 2014 http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/15/migrant-boat-capsizes-egypt-malta-traffickers

Posted by: Susan Sunflower | Sep 3 2015 22:25 utc | 49

What's behind the refugee wave? The Guardian gives the answer.

"This summer, Rojava, a fertile wedge of territory full of wheat fields and dotted with oil industry “nodding donkeys”, looked idyllic and peaceful compared with the rest of Syria. But for Syrian Kurds the future is full of menaces in the shape of a hostile Turkey to the north and Isis to the south. Moreover, any potential winner of the civil war in Syria may swiftly move to extinguish the Kurdish independent entity. In the face of these dangers, it is no wonder that Syrian Kurds will take any risk to escape to Europe or anywhere else where they might find safety."

It's Turkey shifting the Kurdish population for its own strategic interests. The Kurds were the most effective fighters against the Isis. . .

Posted by: Secret Agent | Sep 3 2015 22:46 utc | 50

@42 harry.. it's amazing how far up the usa's ass uk leadership has it's head... i thought blair was bad, but cameron is equally up to the task..

@48 DavidKNZ.. exactly.. on the one hand we are drowning in countless examples and in the other, not a word.. tells one all they need to know.. not to worry.. there will be no bombing and regime change in israel any time soon..

Posted by: james | Sep 3 2015 22:47 utc | 51

Explanation: why I have mentioned 7 millions: the cited numbers were 2 millions in Turkey, more than a million in Lebanon, nearly million in Jordan, some large number in Egypt, this makes about 4 millions, and on top of that, millions of "internally displaced persons" in camps in areas controlled by "moderates" and the government. I am not aware of any "no-mans land" in Syria.

Posted by: Piotr Berman | Sep 3 2015 22:48 utc | 52

A little explanation about Hungary: the current government is very nationalistic and it does not have good relationship with any other EU government with possible exception of UK. So just as a matter of principle, Orban (called Victator by his detractors) will insist on some "Hungarian solution" that would not be "dictated".

Posted by: Piotr Berman | Sep 3 2015 22:56 utc | 53

I was referring to the Syria/Turkey border region and other regions under uncertain control and/or without protection -- not under Syrian control, not controlled by Isis, not protected by Peshmerga, etc.
As I understood it back in June, there were a fair number of displaced persons in Syria near the border who had to precipitously relocate when Turkey decided to "go after" the PKK after... my memory is fuzzy except "we" then declared a "buffer zone" ... and there was talk (as I recall abandoned) of a no-fly zone

Posted by: Susan Sunflower | Sep 3 2015 22:59 utc | 54

Piotr -- the numbers are all over the place ... there were 3 million Iraqi refugees whose "progress" I was following going back to the 2007 surge ... many were Sunnis from Baghdad ... some later tried to return and were forced to flee due to Shiia violence/threats and a government which would not help them .. they seem to have fallen off the accounts books ... Some countries reporting is extremely doubtful -- Jordan was mentioned as having taken in refugees but now show hardly any .. After watching Iraq, I was very anxious about the Syrians, particularly as their 1-year anniversary approached and as ISIS began "recruiting" settlers ... like the Iraqis, if they ever return, they will find squatters have taken over their homes and farms.
Oh, Netflix has a documentary "Road To Fallujah" that has footage of the siege and more generally that town ...

Posted by: Susan Sunflower | Sep 3 2015 23:08 utc | 55

@24 'susan' sunflower

Many even most of the migrants very likely would return home if their countries stabilized ...

Now the message is out, spoken by a tearful girl: stop war in Syria.

If only these people would stay 'home', in the states we've destroyed for them! And the nerve of that little boy, washing up on the beach ... right in our faces!

Why can't all this just go the way of Gaza! No one thinks of Gaza anymore.

Posted by: jfl | Sep 4 2015 0:13 utc | 56

b, the only strategy that could coherently stay behind this blown-up crisis would be to help a 180° turn of Us/European policy in Syria, towards helping Assad vs ISIS

I think the intensity of the passions over the refugee problem derives precisely from our bad conscience; we know that things can only get worse unless we change our policies

on the other hand, what better show for the PTB than westerners - people about to lose their rights - fighting foreign immigrants - people without rights? and what better topic to revive the usual "good but idealistic" leftists vs "evil but realistic" conservatives debate? gay marriage was getting boring

whether this will help hawks or doves, "Europeists" or nationalists, remains to be seen; it seems quite imprudent for someone to blow on the fire thinking it can control the outcome - except, of course, for fascists, who finally have their chance to raise their head and see their rhetoric become mainstream, as we can see even here:

"one people, one voice, one direction" vs multiculturalism (Peter B. #8)

which is only a variation of the commonly accepted myth of "national identities" (Pat Bateman #45), which of course also plays in the hands of the fascists

Posted by: claudio | Sep 4 2015 0:15 utc | 57

According to the German "Bund gegen Anpassung" (Alliance against Conformism), it is because the US are eager to deploy the human misery produced by their dirty wars as a battering ram to enforce the pauperization of Europe. The prediction is that the impoverishment will reach a dimension never seen by the last three or four generations. Aiming to make mischief by cramming our cities, the measures will include the seizure of residential property as well as the compulsory quartering of foreigners into rented apartments. Whoever is able to read German can access the full text at bund-gegen-anpassung.com/de/Aktuelles.htm - and perhaps a native speaker can translate it into English or French.

Posted by: Ursus | Sep 4 2015 0:23 utc | 58

"Eretz Israel" needs ethnic cleansing within its future borders.

It needs new Jewish settlers too, so soon "antisemitism" campaign / acts (false flags possibly) in EU should follow.

Posted by: ProPeace | Sep 4 2015 0:38 utc | 59

telling pic of the countries accepting syrian refugees in the middle east..

Posted by: james | Sep 4 2015 0:46 utc | 60

james (60) -- Iran is also not listed as having taken any in Wikipedia.

Per UNHCR: ""Between January 2002 and June 2014, UNHCR assisted 918,263 Afghans in voluntarily returning home from the Islamic Republic of Iran. A total of 30,349 Iraqi refugees have been assisted to repatriate voluntarily since 2003. However, the number of people who have returned in 2013-2014 is lower than in previous years, so they require continued assistance.""

CIA fact book: refugees (country of origin): 2.4 million (1 million registered, 1.4 million undocumented) (Afghanistan); 32,000 (Iraq) (2014)

Curious. Since they support Assad and are not Sunni / Wahabbi fundamentalist

Posted by: Susan Sunflower | Sep 4 2015 1:23 utc | 61

As far as I am concerned the photo of the drowned toddler is R2P porn, publicized, if not initiated, by HRW. Kenneth Roth and the Beirut office of HRW have been harping on Barrel Bombs in recent months -- bringing their accusations to a fever pitch in August with claims of "a civilian massacre in a market by Assad's forces barrel bombs." Unable to generate R2P traction, especially with the revelation that 99 of 102 civilians were male, HRW is now working to blame Assad for the drowning refugees. This of course would dovetail with Erdogan's actions.

Posted by: Rusty Pipes | Sep 4 2015 1:43 utc | 62

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/03/aid-groups-senators-us-take-in-65000-syrian-refugees
So far has been effective in getting some American lawmakers to push for a "significant" fold increase
""The US senators have recommended the US take in at least five times more than the approximately 1,500 Syrian refugees that Washington has admitted since the conflict began in 2011."" ... next thing you know, the Iraqis want equal treatment.
It's bizarre how somehow Syrians are being presented as "not like the Iraqis" who were considered too scary, too Arab, too Muslim to be allowed to immigrate in any numbers.
Gotta ask -- Where is John McCain and what does he have to say about this ...
If we successfully find new homes for couple million Syrians can be just write off the region and cede it to ISIS?

Posted by: Susan Sunflower | Sep 4 2015 1:50 utc | 63

james @ 60: Thanks for the pic. The globe needs more discussion on the policies that create mass refugees. To whit: Perpetual war, and neo-liberal austerity. Both coming from the usual suspects.

" It's just business, get over it"---Chipnik

Posted by: ben | Sep 4 2015 2:36 utc | 64

Seems that this particular child's death is not notable just because of a touching photo ...
his dead body washed up on the beach at a fairly deluxe resort ...
""Images were published Wednesday of a drowned child — soaked red shirt, blue bottoms and tiny velcro-strap shoes — whose body washed up on the beach in the Turkish resort of Bodrum."""
https://www.google.com/search?q=bodrum+resort&client=opera&hs=GG4&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CHAQsARqFQoTCI2lvMa13McCFUd7kgodKvoE4A&biw=999&bih=418

Posted by: Susan Sunflower | Sep 4 2015 3:19 utc | 65

A good chunk of these refugees are from Eritrea (on the US hate list), where the Americans are in cahoots with people smugglers in order to destabilize that country.

Another reason might for the US to funnel black money to their allies in Syria, through people-smugglers, (think Contras and cocaine smuggling). That the recipient countries are not the imperial homeland makes it even easier for the US to do this.

Posted by: Terje | Sep 4 2015 3:45 utc | 66

Turkey's immigration law does not recognize people in the region fleeing wars and coming to their country as refugees. Legally they are just "guests" with very few rights.
This is why the Syrians who are in Turkey, a large, rich and Sunni country prefer to risk their lives and leave to Christian countries where they know they'll get the status of refugees and be treated with dignity.
No Sunni country has offered full asylum to the Syrians. Yet they were the first to send money and weapons to fighters. Turkey and Jordan gets them in transit camps, while GCC just close their doors.
There should be UNSC resolution obliging the GCC to received Syrians who want to go there.
It is clear that the migrant crisis is triggered by Turkey who allows their corrupted police to close their eyes on the passers who exploit the desperate Syrians. Erdogan wants these refugess to leave Turkey that are costing far too much and are becoming a social burden
The death of the little boy is double-edged. Everyone should ask the question: What is there in Turkey that makes the Syrians want to leave at the cost of their lives?

Posted by: virgile | Sep 4 2015 3:46 utc | 67

For what it's worth, those saying that the US needs a European war...

If you monitor the neocon-run Institute for the Study of War, you'll notice that they sort of went on vacation regarding their updates of Iraq and Syria the last couple of months. But they keep on Ukraine, and every week or so they say the same damn thing: that the latest round of shelling is totes def the prelude to a "Russian" offensive. Which they originally were certain was coming in May. Every time negotiations occur, they are an obvious smokescreen for an offensive. Every concession is an attempt to make Kiev look like an aggressor by...well, it seems by staying on the defensive and letting Kiev be the aggressor. Damn their subtle ways.

Notable in that, despite the presence of imperialist scum at the ISW, their analyses aren't terrible, and usually stick to the technical. Ukraine is their ideological stuff, and they have been banging on the war drum since the thaw this year.

Posted by: An Ony Mouse | Sep 4 2015 4:05 utc | 68

Putin on RT regarding Refugees:

http://www.rt.com/news/314318-putin-vladivostok-eu-migrants/

Posted by: ben | Sep 4 2015 4:39 utc | 69

The purpose, imho, is to overcome the huge opposition to bombing Syria that Obama and Cameron faced in 2013. At that time they used graphic photos of children under chem weapon attacks to move the sentiment of the public, create outrage, and the expected outcome was Americans and Europeans saying to their government "Do something!" which would clear the way for bombs. But it didn't work out. In the US there was nearly 100% opposition to bombing and more involvement in Syria. Escalation was feared and frankly just fed up with war.

Since then, a lot has happened. The war party went back to the drawing board. First it was the shocking media campaign with ISIS beheadings. And then the Yazidis trapped on the mountains which led Obama to take us back into Iraq, with baby steps and people were still so shocked by ISIS that nobody really objected. They worked with baby steps and constant assurances that no boots on the ground, etc.

Now another year has passed and we have a new bunch of hawks running the Pentagon. Dempsey is due to retire weeks from now. There's a lot of rumbling about putting troops in Syria and/or Iraq. Politicians are still very nervous about that even though they're pretty sure the public has been sufficiently softened up. So that answers the questions about the media blitz in the US. A no-fly zone like the one proposed in 2013 is coming and/or perhaps US boots on the ground in Syria and/or Iraq.

That doesn't answer the question about why so much pressure on Europe though, and why the flood of refugees directed there. One possibility is that Obama is about to propose a big UN peacekeeping troops effort at a summit during UN week, coming up very soon, end of September. Another possibility is that at UN week there will be a proposal for a very big negotiation on Syria at which might involve, probably will involve redrawing borders. Do they anticipate pushback from Europe if pieces of Syria end up in Turkey and Israel? Or do they want another coalition of troops and/or no-fly zone coalition partners which would include EU countries?

My last guess and the one I think might be most likely is that Obama wants a UN resolution for the no-fly zone as cover and that he expects that some countries on the UN Security Council will not give him their votes after the UNSC resolution on Libya was immediately abused and exposed as a regime change operation all along. Maybe he believes that he can sway some votes with this flood of refugees either directly (for any Eur UNSC countries that might oppose) or indirectly (EU countries can budge the no votes with their influence). There has also been talk about how parts of Syria are ungovernable and therefore don't count as part of a sovereign state. Presumably this would be a pretense for imposing a no-fly zone without a UN resolution. Did Russia and/or China agree as part of the Iran deal to okay or abstain on a UNSC no-fly zone vote? Or is their veto still pretty much guaranteed? Will there be some massive effort to override a veto? I was told that can't happen and that changes to the UNSC can't happen without the agreement of the current permanent members. I wonder.

This may seem silly but the Netflix remake of the British series "House of Cards" was kind of hijacked last year and a plot about Russia was inserted into the script after some political consultant was hired. They injected some typical anti-Russian propaganda into it, and at the end, they found a way to override Russia's veto in the UN Security Council. Maybe it's nothing but given the White House and intelligence involvement in Hollywood, maybe it was something.

Note that the UN Security Council also authorizes peacekeeping missions and sanctions. Obama is pushing for US troops to be involved in peacekeeping missions at the summit he will be holding. There was a recent news article about it and in it they mentioned likely peacekeeping missions in the near term. Ukraine was one of the countries mentioned as a likely place for peacekeeping troops as were Syria, Libya, Yemen and Nigeria.

http://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2015/08/us-military-troops-deploy-un-peacekeepers/119456/

This is going to be a big UN week this year. A big deal is being made of the 70th anniversary. Palestine, peacekeeping and other issues will make it a more significant than usual yearly event. For what it's worth, the Pope is going to be in town at the same time (in Philadelphia, New York and Washington, cities that are close in proximity to each other).

Perm members w/ veto power: US, UK, France, Russia, China
Current non-perm members whose terms end in 2015: Angola, Malaysia, Venezuela, New Zealand, Spain
Curr non-perm members whose terms end in 2016: Chad, Nigeria, Jordan, Chile, Lithuania
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Security_Council_veto_power#Veto_power_reform

Posted by: gemini33 | Sep 4 2015 4:42 utc | 70

One more idea. The proposal to partition Syria is definitely on the table. Many experts have mentioned it as a likely outcome. One of the partitions would be that chunk of Syria that Turkey is in the process of annexing. Another is probably the Golan. I'm not sure about the others. But people who are proposing redrawing these borders would have to relocate a lot of Syrians to achieve any kind of stability in their partitions -- relocation either to other areas in Syria or nearby countries or perhaps to countries farther away. Like Europe.

Posted by: gemini33 | Sep 4 2015 4:56 utc | 71

Perhaps an interesting question is: Are this immigrant waves intended or unintended consequences? Perhaps they are unintended for the naive centennial European nations but not for those satanic dynastic ones who have learnt two or three things along their also centennial (or longer?) criminal record. Destructive creationism is the way barbarians have always behaved related to conquered societies, civilizations.

Posted by: Rihard | Sep 4 2015 5:08 utc | 72

"Is the campaign intended to gain public support in Europe for a big intensification of the war on Syria?"

Yes. Very much so. The "Responsibility to Protect" harpies in the Obama administration are loading their guns.

Posted by: Bill H | Sep 4 2015 5:35 utc | 73

ben (69) -- that last paragraph - Putin suggesting the EU could learn something from Russia's processing of hundreds of thousands of Ukranian refugees ... but the whole article is interesting ...thanks

Posted by: Susan Sunflower | Sep 4 2015 6:10 utc | 74

Assad & ISIS responsible for drowned Syrian boy, says Cameron

Speaking after MPs from across the political spectrum called for Britain to accept more refugees, Cameron said the crisis needs a “comprehensive solution” which includes a new government in Libya and being “tough” on Assad and Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL).

They bungled in Libya and now they want to go back in. Overblowing the refugee crisis, which is a problem however not to the extent that is being presented in the media, I think is to rile up support for more interventions.

"You don't want more war? Fine, but if we don't do this, more [muslim] refugees will illegally enter your country, feed on your welfare, steal your jobs, rape your wives/daugthers, rob and murder you. Besides, you wouldn't want to see more innocent toddlers being drowned by smugglers, who are making A LOT of money, would you? To save these children, we just HAVE to bomb Libya/Syria."

Posted by: never mind | Sep 4 2015 6:12 utc | 75

I was guessing that it is Erdogan's calling card to Europe - help me defeat Assad or I'll flood you w refugees...
(it is new that so many are Syrians; there were no refugees to Europe during the Iraqi fighting....)
Today, McClatchy is reporting that US is evacuating dependents from Turkey (http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/national-security/article33827388.html)... looks like escalation ag Syria is in the works

Posted by: GoraDiva | Sep 4 2015 6:33 utc | 76

Predatory capitalism feeds off of chaos. It has brought Greece to its knees. Its borders are open. Turkey has restarted its war with the Kurds. Kurd refugees in Turkey with any sense of history and probably with a few hints have gotten the word that it is time to leave before being cleansed. This is a mass movement of people. Unless the wars are stopped, the refugees returned home, and greed reigned in; the world will be engulfed by war and climate change.

The closing of the “Chunnel” by refugees trying to walk to England stranding high speed rail passengers was never foreseen. Profiteers and their paid politicians never grasp that the exploited are alive only because they are not dead.

Posted by: VietnamVet | Sep 4 2015 7:13 utc | 77

"the photo of the drowned toddler is R2P porn ..."

Family of toddler escaped horror of the assault on Kobane at the Turkey/Syrian border. Only the father suvived when boat on short journey to Greece was swamped by several waves at sea. Social media, not msm were responsible to spread this photo across the globe. The family's goal was to reach Vancouver in Canada. Friends had a home available for the newcomers but Canadian red tape made a normal procedure impossible.

○ Syrian family of child found on Turkish beach tried to come to Canada

A large influx of Syrian refugees in Turkey for flight to Europe originates in Lebanon. A ferry on this route has increased daily travel a five-fold to move refugees out of Lebanon as their burden of 25% Syrian refugees per capita was unsustainable.

Turkey has the people smuggling infrastruture in place for decades ...
○ Turkey Transit Migration: Flows of Migrants Arriving in Turkey between 1980 and 2002 [pdf]

Posted by: Oui | Sep 4 2015 8:10 utc | 78

I'm kind of surprised nobody has really touched upon the obvious answer and logic here.

You must ask:

1) Who controls the news agencies?

2) Who controls most of western media to such a degree they can create a focused narrative?

Some have implied its certain three-letter agencies. They might be involved but they are not driving the agende I think.

Now, considering the group that has such control over western media also has deep control over western industry and seeks to fragment western social structure to keep their control, this "migrant tragedy" narrative fits perfectly into the puzzle. It will destabilize the countries receiving the hordes while over time drive wages and social benefit systems into the ground.

Once you start laying out this puzzle to find the answer, you will hopefully understand the scope and danger to western society.

Posted by: Norwegian Bob | Sep 4 2015 8:12 utc | 79

Stephen Harper forced to address 'heartbreaking situation' of Kurdi family

Reports that Canada had rejected an asylum application by members of the boy’s family quickly made the tragedy a major issue in the country’s federal election campaign and forced the Conservative leader to change his schedule to address the controversy.

At a campaign stop, Harper directly addressed the Kurdi family’s tragedy, calling it a truly “heartbreaking situation”.

The Conservative leader reiterated his promised that if re-elected, his government would do more to help those fleeing violence in Syria and highlighted Canada’s involvement in the US-led military mission against Isis in Iraq and Syria, which neither of his political opponents, the New Democrats and the Liberals, support.

○ Canada in recession; PM Harper denies it as election looms

Posted by: Oui | Sep 4 2015 8:27 utc | 80

I first travelled to Syria in 1995 and have connections with this marvellous country by marriage and home. After retiring in 2010 we moved to Damascus and stayed until the summer this year. Despite being inside this war I cannot say I fully understand all that is happening, I like many others have a narrative that helps make sense of events, but I wouldn't say it is the truth. I kept away from expressing a loyalty to either the government or the opposition, to avoid troubles.
My narrative on the refugee crisis for Europe is that for individuals and families, there are pull and push factors. The pull is the thought that you can get away from the daily grind and threat of random violence, that Germany and Sweden are shown in social media to be welcoming Syrians, that agents are working in the open to make the ticketing/travel arrangements for upwards of $2000 a person, and that with travel documents you can leave. Who recently gave the green light for people to travel and why I don't know.
The push is that for many there has not been work for 5 years, living on depleting savings in a time of continual inflation puts pressure on families to survive. The young men seen in the current surge of refugees seek to continue their education and avoid military service that follows their education. But most of all is the loss of hope. The conflict has no sign of approaching resolution, it seems as if whatever plan is driving the war, it hasn't reached a point where the sponsors have what they want.
The rumours suggest that the plan is to clear out the population and the illegally built suburbs and by the international trade in refugees resettle the people. For many years Canada took Iraqi Christians via Damascus, who paid and why they were taken I don't know, but I fear that what is happening to the Syrians is comparable to the Nakbe.
The factors that influence this war have been discussed in this forum and how/when it started. I think that the green light was given after Blair and Kerry visited Assad to tell him to give up Hezbollah. Assad knew he was going to get the khazouk whatever choice he made. It is to the credit of the Syrians that most public services continue, like schools, hospitals, emergency services, street cleaning, rubbish collections. The people are still warm and friendly, they all are doing their best and deserve better. Maybe this is why for some they couldn't take anymore and left their homes.

Posted by: midan | Sep 4 2015 9:01 utc | 81

In that link from ben @69 "Putin noted that the US is not facing a refugee crisis of the same magnitude as the EU, which has been “blindly following American orders.” Exactly.

Posted by: harry law | Sep 4 2015 9:08 utc | 82

13

Bing,bing,bing! Yahtze!

More rice tents equal more Mil.Gov bucks equal more managerial class pay raises and pensions for life.
Same way US Generals received 1,723 campaign ribbons and pension risers for the invasion of ... Grenada.

If people could really see what Mil.Gov does with your last life savings, taxed away, there would be riots.
Instead we get touching photos of a drowned 3-year old, but no pictures of ~8,000 exploded Gazan children,
because Gaza is tapped out as a profit center, while EU immigration could be bigger than the Haitian scam!

Anyway, unless you resettle refugees right away, they become freedom fighters, and until you settle them,
foreign agents du provocateur will mingle with them, creating more chaos, and pushing the NeoCons over $1T!
Now if that's not a war profits pipeline worth developing, I don't know what is. One Zi$T!!! ChaosRUsaIL...

Posted by: Chipnik | Sep 4 2015 9:35 utc | 83

@midan #81
thanks for insight

Posted by: Oui | Sep 4 2015 9:44 utc | 84

EU's Mogherini ‘fed up’ with calls to act emotionally amid uproar over drowned refugee kids’ photos | RT |

As horrific pictures of a Syrian refugee boy washed ashore in Turkey make headlines, equally distressing scenes of drowned children found in Libya are causing a massive outcry online. Still, the EU foreign policy chief Mogherini has stressed that politicians cannot afford to act emotionally.

While global media features the picture of a drowned Syrian boy washed up on the Turkey's shore, a no less shocking and tragic case, which happened only last week, managed to mostly stay out of the media spotlight.

The set of elegiac images showing dozens of drowned asylum seekers was posted on Facebook by Syrian photographer and artist Khaled Barakeh on August 29 and gathered over 100,000 shares in just a few days. The majority of the images, which most media avoided showing, revealed drowned children lying in foam on a beach while another depicted multiple orange bags with what appeared to be bodies inside.

"Facebook has deleted 1000s of posts relating to artist Khaled Barakeh's photos of drowned refugees in the Med #censorship
— Nicholas Mirzoeff (@nickmirzoeff) August 30, 2015"

Posted by: Oui | Sep 4 2015 10:06 utc | 85

this immigration funk is the fruit of genocide. continuously previewed by an incessant, corporate media. vanquished and humiliated and torn from their homelands they walk the rails and swim the straits, on their hands and knees they crawl towards the 'golden gates.'

someone will find a job, someone davy jones locker,

but the trail of tears is subjugation 101.

Posted by: john | Sep 4 2015 10:15 utc | 86

Warm-hearted Eurocrats paid a ticket to the father of two lost sons so that he can return Kobane bury his kids
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/139641/World/Region/Father-of-dead-Syrian-boy-returns-to-Kobane-to-bur.aspx

But Le Monde prefer not to mention Kobane at all and tells us about his dreams of going to Canada (don't worry fellow Europeans, these sweet "Migrants" don't want to stay on European soil).
http://www.lemonde.fr/europe/article/2015/09/03/la-photographe-de-l-enfant-syrien-noye-temoigne_4745032_3214.html

The BBC had these pics yesterday on the mayhem in Budapest' station, but Le Monde has none of that (BTW, Le Monde has not heard of the YouStink protests in Beirut AT ALL)
http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/live-experience/cps/512/cpsprodpb/B18E/production/_85345454_hi028836572.jpg
http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/live-experience/cps/512/cpsprodpb/D89E/production/_85345455_hi028836941.jpg
http://ichef.bbci.co.uk/live-experience/cps/512/cpsprodpb/FFAE/production/_85345456_hi028836687.jpg

Posted by: Mina | Sep 4 2015 10:33 utc | 87

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/04/uk-kindertransport-refugee-crisis-lord-sacks.

Posted by: blockquote | Sep 4 2015 10:57 utc | 88

Found the article above on front pg of Daily Mail, and the Guardian article above that also appeared on front pg.

So it does appear that their is a cordinated media campaign that includes Bob Geldof and the Chief Rabbi of the UK, wherein the Chief Rabbi is encouraged to make Holycaust references

Posted by: blockquote | Sep 4 2015 11:06 utc | 89

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3222233/Bob-Geldof-says-ll-four-migrant-families-lambasts-politicians-response-crisis-sickening-disgrace.html .

Posted by: blockquote | Sep 4 2015 11:07 utc | 90

Prime Minister David Cameron has blamed Syrian President Bashar Assad and Islamic State militants for the “terrible scenes” on Europe’s beaches as the refugee crisis worsens. [Russia Today]

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Europe of not doing enough to help refugees fleeing conflict in Syria and Iraq, suggesting it was responsible for people "drowning in the sea". [Al Arabiya]

Putin said Russia was "ready to facilitate this dialogue inside Syria." He also said the European migrant crisis was prompted by the atrocities of the Islamic State jihadist group, not by Assad. IS "is committing atrocities there, so that's why they're fleeing." [AhramOnline]

Hungary's PM Orban noted that "the majority (of the migrants) are not Christians but Muslims. That is an important question because Europe and European culture have Christian roots."

"The problem is not a European problem. The problem is a German problem. Nobody would like to stay in Hungary, neither in Slovakia, nor Poland, nor Estonia. All of them would like to go to Germany," he surmised. "Our job is only to register them." [Deutsche Welle]

Look at the nations where the US managed to establish NATO posts and military depots for the Rapid Response Forces aggravating Russia and president Putin: three Baltic states, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary.

A divided Europe can't cope with the refugee crisis created by failed foreign policy for decades since the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Posted by: Oui | Sep 4 2015 11:24 utc | 91

Refugees welcome? How UK and Germany compare on migration | The Guardian |

Between June 2014 and June 2015, the UK took 166 Syrian refugees. They were resettled from camps in Jordan and other neighbouring countries under a new government scheme. The “vulnerable persons” relocation initiative began in March 2014. Under it, the UK has taken 216 people. In June David Cameron said the scheme would be “modestly expanded”.

Asylum applications according to Eurostat

Posted by: Oui | Sep 4 2015 11:37 utc | 92

The Europeans are beggars, not the Egyptians
http://www.rt.com/news/314314-greece-italy-sell-island-refugees/

Posted by: Mina | Sep 4 2015 12:25 utc | 93

But they DO have a problem with Turkey. I wouldn't be surprised Turkey-Israel is behind the sudden increase of boatpeople numbers. And let's not mention those from Libya and its 2 governements.
http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/09/turkey-syria-daily-exposes-transfer-weapons-supplies-to-isis.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/11837978/Isil-launch-second-chemical-attack-in-Syrian-town-say-doctors.html

Posted by: Mina | Sep 4 2015 12:28 utc | 94

Posted by: dh | Sep 3, 2015 12:45:52 PM | 9

I have been wondering that. German media is completely quiet on this. My guess, a large part are Kurdish people who have been getting between the lines of Syria, Turkey, Iraq, the YPG, PKK and ISIS. Young guys have to leave if they do not wish to get conscripted by any of the parties.

Posted by: somebody | Sep 4 2015 14:44 utc | 95

@95 Good link. Makes sense young Kurds are avoiding conscription. Shipping Kurds to Europe also fits Erdogan's agenda.

Still got to wonder what happens with Assad gone. The refugee stream will become a tidal wave.

Posted by: dh | Sep 4 2015 15:34 utc | 96

There are no statistics about refugees on women/men ratio, age ratio or Sunni/Alawites/Christian/Kurds ratio?
From the photos, it seem that the majority are young men and most of the women are veiled. But it could be misleading.

Posted by: Virgile | Sep 4 2015 15:39 utc | 97

Granted this is the internet and things appear larger than they really are, the amount of racist, islamophobic and xenophobic spew observed on comment threads (Slate's article on the drowned boy's photo selection) suggests to me that these folks have been lying in wait for the next opportunity, and have "risen" to the occasion with gusto. Today's other news seems to be admission that Hungary and other countries really don't want Arabs or Muslims crossing into the EU, period. Someone speaking for Hungary said that they were upholding EU values after a failure of EU leadership. Anti-immigrant/anti-muslim sentiment echoed in Germany. I'm not seeing this as likely to successfully "manufacture consent" for war on Syria and some new manufarctured "existential" or R2P humanitarian crisis -- the sort that allowed governments and POTUS to act without approval -- seems unlikely to work. This crisis isn't new and it isn't critical, except perhaps to political leaders and games players.
Again, have to wonder if rogue Obama "team" members are at work as they have appears to be numerous occasions in the Ukraine. This dead-child campaign reminds me to the Niger yellow cake forgery ... it's much too well coordinated and focused on this one (Syrian) child ... and blatantly ignoring all of the other "factions" trying to flee the region for various reasons. The use of a 3 year-old child -- too young to be hopelessly contaminated by the culture and religion of his parents or his region and therefore "ideologically pure" -- is both dishonest and quite likely deliberately racist (by the erasure/denial).
Have yet to see Syrian refugees described as the victim of ethnic cleansing by ISIS ... which I think they qualify as ... (success by those "moderate" nationalist rebels we believe in like Tinkerbelle, would not resulted in such a mass exodus) -- what ev. Reports of mass exodus of MENA christians was mentioned obliquely. Stay tuned.

Posted by: Susan Sunflower | Sep 4 2015 15:50 utc | 98

Fascinating discussion, thank you all who contributed. The photographer who took the shots of the boy on the beach, works for Turkey’s Dogan News Agency (DHA). She says no lifejackets on either boys, which conflicts with Aunt's discussion with the father, who said he put floating devices/lifejackets on both boys and his wife. I don't know much about the sea being landlocked, do these things come off very easily?
http://www.dha.com.tr/photographer-of-the-world-shaking-picture-of-drowned-syrian-toddler-i-was-petrified-at-that-moment_1017371.html

Posted by: Daisee | Sep 4 2015 16:18 utc | 99

Photographer of the world shaking picture of drowned Syrian toddler: “I was petrified at that moment”

“At that moment, where I saw the three-year-old Aylan Kurdi, I was petrified” said Nilüfer Demir, a photo-reporter covering the migrant crisis in Aegean resort town of Bodrum for years for Turkey’s Dogan News Agency (DHA), adding that she had no other option then doing her duty as a journalist. Demir has triggered the shutter of her camera on Sep 2 around 06.00 a.m., in Akyarlar coast of Bodrum district of Muğla province.

...
Demir also told, as Dogan News Agency reporters, she and her colleagues in the region have been bringing the illegal transition problem to agenda for years in the last 15 years, and the transitions has scaled up in the last 2-3 months, particularly in Turgutreis and Akyarlar neighbourhoods, on regular basis.

"I have pictured, witnessed many migrant incidents since 2003 in this region, their deaths, their drama. I hope from today, this will change. Hundreds, even thousands of migrants have flocked to Bodrum, because the Island of Kos is only 4 miles in distance to Bodrum."

Five migrants die in attempt to cross from Turkey to Greek island of Kos – Aug. 18, 2015
Kos is located some 4 kilometers away from the Turkish coast, making it a favorite destination for migrants who risk their lives to reach Greece, their main gateway to the EU where they hope for a better life after escaping conflicts in their home countries.

Coast Guard statistics show that nearly 26,000 illegal immigrants were intercepted in 756 operations between January and July 2015. That is almost 50 times higher compared to the only 546 in 2011. Nearly 2,000 illegal immigrants were intercepted in the first week of August alone.

Posted by: Oui | Sep 4 2015 16:20 utc | 100