The Arab world’s wealthiest nations are doing next to nothing for Syria’s refugees

[still_one]

The world has been transfixed in recent weeks by the unfolding refugee crisis in Europe, an influx of migrants unprecedented since World War II. Their plight was chillingly highlighted on Wednesday in the image of a drowned Syrian toddler, his lifeless body lying alone on a Turkish beach.

A fair amount of attention has fallen on the failure of many Western governments to adequately address the burden on Syria's neighboring countries, which are struggling to host the brunt of the roughly 4 million Syrians forced out of the country by its civil war.

Some European countries have been criticized for offering sanctuary only to a small number of refugees, or for discriminating between Muslims and Christians. There's also been a good deal of continental hand-wringing over the general dysfunction of Europe's systems for migration and asylum.

Less ire, though, has been directed at another set of stakeholders who almost certainly should be doing more: Saudi Arabia and the wealthy Arab states along the Persian Gulf.

As Amnesty International recently pointed out, the "six Gulf countries — Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain — have offered zero resettlement places to Syrian refugees." This claim was echoed by Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, on Twitter:

Guess how many of these Syrian refugees Saudi Arabia & other Gulf states offered to take?

0

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/09/04/the-arab-worlds-wealthiest-nations-are-doing-next-to-nothing-for-syrias-refugees/

[smirkymonkey]

1. K&R

Their lack of response to this crisis is sickening.

[still_one]

2. This is what I find quite frustrating.

[smirkymonkey]

3. It's funny how nobody here is responding to your post. I guess people think that it wouldn't be

very "progressive" to criticize wealthy muslim gulf states.

[still_one]

5. It is interesting. However, maybe I posted it at a quiet time on DU

[JI7]

4. there was an article about how saudi Arabia will build a bunch of mosques

In europe for the refugees.

As if that will help any.

[still_one]

6. Not sure if that will help them to live, work, and eat

[GP6971]

26. The ratio was one mosque

for every 100 refugees.

[PufPuf23]

7. Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain — have offered zero resettlement

Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain are allies of the USA that support and fund ISIS.

[smirkymonkey]

8. Is oil the only reason that we treat these nations with kid gloves?

If so, god help them when all the oil runs out. And it will.

[PufPuf23]

13. Apparently so and as long as oil is the dominant fungible dense energy.

The USA and other western powers created and now sustain these countries and their leadership for oil (and trade routes and our military influence in the region too).

[still_one]

9. Which is even more reason they should be involved, since like much of the west, they helped

create this disaster

[PufPuf23]

12. I agree regards responsibility. The existence and abundance of these six Arab nations

is because of their creation and subsequent support of the USA and other West powers.

[still_one]

14. Also, our invasion of Iraq gave birth to ISIS,

[Duppers]

23. Please read this article..

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ali-a-rizvi/raif-badawi-nobel-prize_b_8100946.html

Just read that the Saudis have made it illegal to adopt Syrian babies!!!

That's not the main point of this HuffPo article, however.

Please just read it---it's most enlightening.

Thank you.

[riderinthestorm]

24. This should be an OP about the value of the Nobel prize for Raif Badawi please!

even as the point about the Saudi adoption ban for Syrian children is relevant here.

[Duppers]

25. I think so too, so where should it be posted? GD?

Thanks!

[riderinthestorm]

27. Yup but maybe wait til the am. It's pretty late and this'll simply drop like a stone

[Duppers]

28. Thanks, Rider, will do.

[PufPuf23]

40. Thank you. I agree with RiderOTS that this article should be an OP. nt

[eissa]

10. Many have criticized Saudi

and the Gulf nations for their silence on this matter. Several threads have been posted here on this topic. Given the amount of blood on their hands for their funding of rebel groups, you'd think Saudi and the Gulf countries would step up and take in some of their brethren. Their neglect is absolutely sickening.

[still_one]

11. I know, but the critisim up to now does not seem to resonate with them

[smirkymonkey]

15. +1000

[riderinthestorm]

16. Here you go, in 42 seconds they explain why they can't take any Syrian refugees

https://m.

In short, the Gulf states are too rich, the Syrians are too poor and culturally? Not at all similar!

[eissa]

17. Typical Gulf mentality

Tribalistic, elitist, and completely lacking in empathy.

[restorefreedom]

18. i dont know much about Islam

but isnt charity pretty important?

[riderinthestorm]

19. Of course it is which is why the Saudis have offered to build 200 mosques

for the refugees in Germany doncha know...

http://www.ibtimes.com/amid-muslim-refugee-crisis-saudi-arabia-vows-build-200-mosques-germany-2090905

I mean, that's the critical priority!!11!!1!

So yeah, uber generous!!

[restorefreedom]

21. since people,cant eat concrete

things seem to be out of order.

[romanic]

20. It's sickening.

People go off about how Europe is beholden to take in refugees because of colonization and all that, but honestly the so-called "original sin" of all of that doesn't excuse Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, etc to just close their borders to the refugees. Arab nations need to be called out for what they're doing, it's their damned region for God's sake.

[jamzrockz]

22. You mean to tell me that

the countries supplying the Jihadists with weapons and man power which they use to commit ethnic cleansing and the destruction of Syrian's infrastructure somehow are not willing to help these refugees from Syria?

Just because the US invited them in the "Friends" of Syria coalition doesn't mean they give a shit about the people of Syria. The more Shia, Christians, Druz, Kurds that die during this conflict, the better it is for them.

This is why I don't understand why Bernie Sander's solution to Syrian civil war is to invite the worst elements in the Arab world who are causing the crisis to solve it. Its sort of like inviting in a rapist who just raped a woman to be part of her recovery care.

[Yavin4]

29. THE biggest problem in the entire ME is the fact that the rich nations do jack shit for the poor

Instead, they blame Israel and the U.S. for everything.

[JCMach1]

30. they are bombing the poor in Yemen and Oppressing the poor in Egypt and other countries...

[Yavin4]

38. Enough fucking wealth in that region to make everyone middle class.

And their wealthy would still be uber rich, just slightly less so, but in exchange, everyone would be chill.

If my net worth was $20 Billion and I gave up $8 billion, but that $8 Billion would mean a stable, quiet Syria, then it would be more than worth it.

[JCMach1]

39. One dirty little secret about the Arab world is just how racist it is...

Something that those countries don't like to advertise...

[akbacchus_BC]

31. We were having the same conversation at work last week.

Apparently the rich Arab nations have closed their borders, which is sad. I thought to myself, these are your own people, please take them in, but no, the rich Arab nations are not sympathetic.

I visited Egypt and Jordan in 2006 and both countries have so many refugees from Palestine, it is unbelievable. When do you think the rich cares about the poor? Never!

[Turbineguy]

32. IS sucks

the dregs out of countries to push productive Middle Eastern Muslims into the western world. The Soviets were never this successful at exporting their revolution.

[IcyPeas]

33. they have 100,000 tents sitting empty

used for the pilgramage to the Haj.

air conditioned, with kitchens..... room for 3,000,000.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/sep/15/saudi-arabia-has-100000-air-conditioned-tents-sitt/

[DetlefK]

34. Ladies and Gentlemen: Behold the power of the Arabic League.

They are ready to call for caution and restraint at a moments notice!
And when the time for action comes, they will boldly step forward and say that this is none of their business.

[kelliekat44]

35. They are paying us to be their military. nt

[pampango]

36. Conservative the world over - Hungary, Tea Party, RW parties in Europe - don't want refugees.

It sad that rich Middle Eastern countries are led by conservatives but that's the way it is.

Thank goodness there are liberals in enough places that the refugees have at least some hope.

[rafeh1]

37. It is Turkey

Which has taken in 2 million and settled them in organized camps w water food and schools.


Turkey has been pushing for a safe area close to bordet where refugees can be settled.

Putin and asad and some in west have been egging the kurds to fight erdogan in order to destabilize turkey and give asad more time.