The mixed picture that migration from war-torn and economically challenged parts of the Middle East and Africa into Europe presents must be of concern to Americans as well as Europeans. ADVERTISING The mixed picture that migration from war-torn and economically
The mixed picture that migration from war-torn and economically challenged parts of the Middle East and Africa into Europe presents must be of concern to Americans as well as Europeans.
There is a slight shift. It was the case that the flow of migrants from war-ridden countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Yemen through Turkey into Europe through Greece was the primary problem. The Europeans found the magnitude of the flow hard to absorb and beginning to create understandable political resistance to refugees at home.
Facing that challenge, the Europeans made something of a deal with Turkey. Turkey would absorb them to some extent, prevent them from setting sail across the Aegean Sea, and even take some of them back, in return for concessions on the European Union side, including visa-free travel for Turkish citizens in some of the European countries.
But now there is a new assault from the south, into Europe from North Africa. This time Libya, a previous offender, and Egypt, a new origin for migrants, appears to be allowing them to leave their shores in unseaworthy dinghies and other boats to cross the Mediterranean Sea toward Greece and Italy. Boats have capsized and many hundreds have died, their bodies washing up on shores or floating to the surface.
Some of the migrants are from previous common sources, poor Africans seeking work in Europe. Others are from troubled African countries such as Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia and South Sudan. More troubling, however, is the fact more and more of the Mediterranean migrants are from war-torn countries to the east of Europe. These include Afghans, Iraqis and Syrians.
In other words, many of the new Mediterranean-route migrants did an end run around the attempted European-Turkish solution to the problem.
It should be clear to America the only long-term solution to the migrant problem is peace in their countries of origin. Achieving that should be a major American foreign policy objective, through the rest of the administration of President Barack Obama and beyond.
— Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
