…..and most are Muslims. Gee, I wonder why? In an editorial lauding Obama’s Cairo Speech to the “Muslim World” last week, Ken Bacon, CEO of Refugees International tells us this:
There are more refugees and internally displaced people in the Muslim world than anywhere else.
He goes on to say:
The duty to protect people in exile, both Muslim and non-Muslim, is an important theme in the Koran, and many Muslim countries–Syria and Jordan and Iran are important examples–do provide refuge.
But the cost of providing refuge can be high to host countries, and, of course, displacement can destabilize entire regions by creating economic and political tensions, while impeding development and education. Reducing displacement in Muslim countries and elsewhere is an important step toward creating a more peaceful, prosperous and stable world.
This is such B.S.! Yes, Muslim refugees are in Jordan and Syria. But, the heartland of the so-called Muslim World and where Obama gave his “home-run” speech as Bacon calls it—Saudi Arabia— takes NONE! Zip, zero, nada! In fact, Saudi Arabia is in the process of building the world’s largest and most expensive border fence on its two borders—the Iraqi border and the border with Yemen. Both are Muslim countries. What! Are they fearful of being overrun by Christians and Jews?
As for the Palestinians (Arabs!), no Arab country has wanted them for the last 60 years! Today, Palestinian Iraqis sit in camps on the border of Syria and NO MUSLIM COUNTRY WILL TAKE THEM! Instead they are going to places like Iceland and Chile. I have never heard any refugee advocacy group or the UN High Commissioner for Refugees call upon Saudi Arabia, the richest Arab country, to take MUSLIM refugees.
I am so sick of you guys in the lobbying business not being truthful and writing such misleading pap—-makes me wonder if you are being funded by Saudi Arabia. Go to Refugee International’s latest Form 990, there is nothing there (they have salaries and travel a lot), where is their funding coming from? And, note that they are a lobbying outfit but don’t even list their lobbying expenses. Why not? They are a 501(c)3 afterall and are limited in how much lobbying they can do.
And, then, what is this: “Reducing displacement in Muslim countries and elsewhere is an important step toward creating a more peaceful, prosperous and stable world.” How, Mr. Bacon, do you propose we do that when it is their sectarian violence, radical ideologies, and complete lack of interest in building their countries (except Saudi Arabia with its fence) that are at fault? On top of that they all want to move to the West! And, you help them make the move!
Do Refugees International supporters fall for such platitudes? I bet the readers at the Huffington Post where this is published eat it up!
For new readers: We have written about Refugees International many times. These are just two posts to get you started, here and here.