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| Breaching America: War refugees or threats? |
| 2007-05-21 |
| First of a 4 part series. DAMASCUS, Syria — Al Nawateer restaurant is a place where dreams are bartered and secrets are kept. Dining areas partitioned by thickets of crawling vines and knee-high concrete fountains offer privacy from informants and agents of the Mukhabarat secret police. The Mukhabarat try to monitor the hundreds of thousands of Iraq war refugees in this ancient city, where clandestine human smuggling rings have sprung up to help refugees move on — often to the United States. But the refugees who frequent Al Nawateer, gathering around Table 75 or sitting alone in a corner, are undaunted, willing to risk everything to meet a smuggler. They come to be solicited by someone who, for the right price, will help them obtain visas from the sometimes bribery-greased consulates of nations adversarial or indifferent to American security concerns. The deals cut at places like Al Nawateer could affect you. Americans from San Antonio to Detroit might find themselves living among immigrants from Islamic countries who have come to America with darker pursuits than escaping war or starting a new life. U.S.-bound illicit travel from Islamic countries, which started long before 9-11 and includes some reputed terrorists, has gained momentum and worried counterterrorism officials as smugglers exploit 2 million Iraq war refugees. The irony is that the war America started to make itself safer has forced more people regarded as security threats toward its borders. A stark reminder of U.S. vulnerability at home came this month when six foreign-born Muslims, three of whom had entered the country illegally, were arrested and accused of plotting to attack the Army's Fort Dix in New Jersey. What might have happened there is sure to stoke the debate in Congress, which this week will take up border security and immigration reform. But the Iraqi refugee problem provides a twist on the question of what assurances America owes itself in uncertain times: What do we owe Iraqis thrown into chaos by the war? Politically, immigration can be a faceless issue. But beyond the rhetoric, the lives of real people hang in the balance. A relatively small but politically significant number are from Islamic countries, raising the specter, some officials say, of terrorists at the gate. Rest at link |
| Posted by:ed |
| #3 Agreed Z-man. This amnesty bill mollycoddles criminals. The illegal flow of immigrants are a serious threat to our sovereignty, order, and safety. Congress critters are trying to rush any bill through in anticipation of elections. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2007-05-21 18:54 |
| #2 What do we owe Iraqis thrown into chaos by the war? Diddly-squat. Close our borders. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-05-21 18:48 |
| #1 U.S.-bound illicit travel from Islamic countries, which started long before 9-11 and includes some reputed terrorists, has gained momentum and worried counterterrorism officials as smugglers exploit 2 million Iraq war refugees. The irony is that the war America started to make itself safer has forced more people regarded as security threats toward its borders. First and foremost, a good reason to control the border. Secondl, the current immigration anemesty bill doesn't adequately address those that are here illegally. Moreover, I don't agree that the U.S. started the war. Sadam ignored UN sanctions. His forces fired on our aircraft. Best intelligence indicated WMDs. The US carried out a UN resolution and went into Iraq. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2007-05-21 18:41 |