Angela Merkel must think she walks on water. Often portrayed by the media as the "Indespencible European", she is vain enough to believe only she can save Europe. But clearly, as evidenced by the migrants overwhelming desire for Germany, she, more than anyone, enabled the refugee crisis to morph into a life of its own. It was Merkel who said, "Come to Germany...we can do it".
Her Turkey Deal is pure spin for domestic consumption designed to give restless Germans the impression that she has it "under control". Indeed, Germany has seen its migrant inflow decrease, but this had very little to do with The Merkel-Erdogan Pact. Merkel is taking credit (and Erdogan is too, creating more ways to siphon money off the EU) for the work of others she once described as "not my Europe".
However, the reductions (not subtractions) in Germany started to occur before March 20, the day the Turkey Deal began. In fact, despite its tough but useless deportation talk, over 6,600 new migrants reached Greece after that deadline. A month later, only 325 migrants have been sent back to Turkey. Somehow the deal is in reverse cycle, and somehow we all knew it would be.
The key to reducing the flow of migrants to Germany was started much earlier than the Turkey Deal. The Balkan states, Austria and others, impatient with the Greece Open Border Wave-through, decided to take matters into their own hands to protect their people. Macedonia, a non-EU state, formally closed its borders on March 7. Despite the violence by migrants directed at their sovereign border, they have not succumbed to the masses. As a result, they have saved Merkel's skin. For if that border remained open, Germany would have been flooded.
The Macedonia Balkan closing is also the reason the inflows have slowed in Greece despite the insistence that it's border would remain open. Greece is still allowing irregulars to enter, but the demand has slowed. Why? The migrants have made it quite clear that they desire Germany or Sweden, two rich welfare states. They have no desire to stay in Greece or the Czech Republic (many
Iraqi refugees voluntarily taken by Czechs were caught trying to migrate to Germany). One only has to look at the violent attacks against Macedonia's border by the migrants stuck in Greece who want to go to Germany to get the picture.
With that pipeline closed from Greece to Germany, there is no longer any incentive for Greece. Many seem to prefer the camps in Turkey over a life in Greece, or they are testing alternative routes to Germany, such as the coast of Italy. The point is that the EU-Turkey deal is of little substance; it was the Balkan closing that was the Game Changer.
Angela Merkel has been a disaster on this issue. She talks solidarity, but does not practice it. She neither listens to others nor appreciates their efforts. She alone wants the credit for solving the crisis; as a result, the crisis grows and grows. Merkel has become isolated, so much that she is now trying to deal with Erdogan, which is a useless time waster.
Instead, she should be not only thanking Macedonia, the V4 and others in the Balkan regions, but also seeking their advice on realistic solutions.
Saturday, April 30, 2016
Sunday, April 17, 2016
No Refugee Quotas (or even Christian) for Pope; he chooses Who, How Many, and from OUTSIDE SECURE WALL of Vatican
I am Catholic but, like others, have my favorites. It's not my style to bash Popes, but will admit Pope Francis is not my cup of tea. I preferred Pope Benedict, the classy reserved German intellectual that was not afraid to be politically incorrect. No doubt, he is probably more comfortable now in his studies in the German Alps (sounds quite nice to me) than he was in the stuffy halls of the Vatican.
Francis loves the public attention and those in the media will try to "shame" the EU, especially the V4, by pointing to the Pope's voluntary decision to take in three refugee families. However, dig deep and one will find the Pope's actions actually advocate a great deal of what the V4 has been saying all along.
The Pope enjoyed the "freedom to choose" who and how many "refugees" entered the Vatican. He chose three "Syrian refugee families" with "proper documentation" that had been "vetted"; and he did so in an "orderly process" that took place "outside the walls" of the Vatican. He did not take in undocumented migrants who destroyed their IDs (or used fake Syrian passports) while attacking sovereign borders and demanding asylum in Germany. The Pope did exactly what the V4 wants to do, which would be impossible without secure borders or with Merkel's forced refugee quotas.
The V4 has been correct and consistent since the summer of 2015. They wanted to help the true war refugees from Syria but warned that this was impossible with an Open Border that allowed in every illegal migrant from anywhere, documentation or not. They were shocked at Merkel's call for all to come, the surrendered border in Greece and Italy, and the utter lack of security at the border. The mass chaos that resulted was predicted. Hungary soon found out that they did not have the luxury of the Vatican to choose who and how many as Greece simply waved the migrants through. The PM of Hungary, Viktor Orban, quickly changed this by securing his border to protect Hungarians from the free for all.
The Visegrad4 Plan was a common sense for all. A secured border would have enabled Europe to carefully identify the true war refugees from Syria and to stop the economic migrants from entering Europe in the first place. Like the Pope, the individual EU countries then would have had the luxury of choosing who and how many refugees to take from outside the EU borders from the camps in the Middle East or even hot spots in Italy or Greece.
If Germany wanted so many refugees, they should have transported them from the Middle East or Greece themselves (like the Pope) without demanding others to open their borders. If Slovakia wanted only Christian refugees to better reflect their culture, certainly they retained that right to choose who and how many like Francis. If Czechs wanted no refugees from the Middle East so they could take in Ukrainians due to their close proximity and prior positive experience, they should have retained that choice to make themselves. If another wanted no refugees, then so be it; the EU has no mandate to dictate the makeup of countries. A secure border would have guaranteed an orderly process that protected the true war refugees from the abuse at the hands of criminal smugglers that an unsecured border enables. Moreover, the sheer numbers, fake passports, and behavior of some of the illegal migrants have soured many on the refugees themselves, who often also find themselves abused by the economic migrants. Without this mass chaos, there would have been more empathy for the legitimate war refugees that Francis has spoke of.
The secure border would have protected Europeans themselves from the numerous attacks, such as the widely covered sexual assaults in Cologne, Germany and the many others elsewhere kept quiet by the media and others so as not to tarnish the reputation of some of the migrants. In addition, it is now well-known and documented that ISIS and the terrorists have been "blending in" with the refugees at the porous border in Greece.
Pope Francis is correct to point out that we should help the refugees find a temporary place of safety, but this does not mean that every migrant should be granted entry to Europe. It does not entail forcing sovereign nations to expose their people or culture to undocumented migrants that they
know nothing about.
The V4 plan can still work, but the EU must first seal the external border. No other gimmicks such as refugee quotas or useless deals with Turkey will bear any fruit. In fact, the EU will have to start deporting all the economic migrants; This is the only way to save Schengen. Only then will Europe be able to help the true war refugees in an orderly and secure manner.
Pope Francis made his choice his way. Will he now allow European nations the same freedom of choice. No doubt, these are tough choices but the EU is incapable of dealing with the crisis. In fact, they have made the situation worse. Individual nations are better equipped to handle migration than Jean-Claude Juncker or Frans Timmersman in Brussels. They simply have more at stake.
Seal the border and there is hope; surrender it and there is mayhem for all.
Francis loves the public attention and those in the media will try to "shame" the EU, especially the V4, by pointing to the Pope's voluntary decision to take in three refugee families. However, dig deep and one will find the Pope's actions actually advocate a great deal of what the V4 has been saying all along.
The Pope enjoyed the "freedom to choose" who and how many "refugees" entered the Vatican. He chose three "Syrian refugee families" with "proper documentation" that had been "vetted"; and he did so in an "orderly process" that took place "outside the walls" of the Vatican. He did not take in undocumented migrants who destroyed their IDs (or used fake Syrian passports) while attacking sovereign borders and demanding asylum in Germany. The Pope did exactly what the V4 wants to do, which would be impossible without secure borders or with Merkel's forced refugee quotas.
The V4 has been correct and consistent since the summer of 2015. They wanted to help the true war refugees from Syria but warned that this was impossible with an Open Border that allowed in every illegal migrant from anywhere, documentation or not. They were shocked at Merkel's call for all to come, the surrendered border in Greece and Italy, and the utter lack of security at the border. The mass chaos that resulted was predicted. Hungary soon found out that they did not have the luxury of the Vatican to choose who and how many as Greece simply waved the migrants through. The PM of Hungary, Viktor Orban, quickly changed this by securing his border to protect Hungarians from the free for all.
The Visegrad4 Plan was a common sense for all. A secured border would have enabled Europe to carefully identify the true war refugees from Syria and to stop the economic migrants from entering Europe in the first place. Like the Pope, the individual EU countries then would have had the luxury of choosing who and how many refugees to take from outside the EU borders from the camps in the Middle East or even hot spots in Italy or Greece.
If Germany wanted so many refugees, they should have transported them from the Middle East or Greece themselves (like the Pope) without demanding others to open their borders. If Slovakia wanted only Christian refugees to better reflect their culture, certainly they retained that right to choose who and how many like Francis. If Czechs wanted no refugees from the Middle East so they could take in Ukrainians due to their close proximity and prior positive experience, they should have retained that choice to make themselves. If another wanted no refugees, then so be it; the EU has no mandate to dictate the makeup of countries. A secure border would have guaranteed an orderly process that protected the true war refugees from the abuse at the hands of criminal smugglers that an unsecured border enables. Moreover, the sheer numbers, fake passports, and behavior of some of the illegal migrants have soured many on the refugees themselves, who often also find themselves abused by the economic migrants. Without this mass chaos, there would have been more empathy for the legitimate war refugees that Francis has spoke of.
The secure border would have protected Europeans themselves from the numerous attacks, such as the widely covered sexual assaults in Cologne, Germany and the many others elsewhere kept quiet by the media and others so as not to tarnish the reputation of some of the migrants. In addition, it is now well-known and documented that ISIS and the terrorists have been "blending in" with the refugees at the porous border in Greece.
Pope Francis is correct to point out that we should help the refugees find a temporary place of safety, but this does not mean that every migrant should be granted entry to Europe. It does not entail forcing sovereign nations to expose their people or culture to undocumented migrants that they
know nothing about.
The V4 plan can still work, but the EU must first seal the external border. No other gimmicks such as refugee quotas or useless deals with Turkey will bear any fruit. In fact, the EU will have to start deporting all the economic migrants; This is the only way to save Schengen. Only then will Europe be able to help the true war refugees in an orderly and secure manner.
Pope Francis made his choice his way. Will he now allow European nations the same freedom of choice. No doubt, these are tough choices but the EU is incapable of dealing with the crisis. In fact, they have made the situation worse. Individual nations are better equipped to handle migration than Jean-Claude Juncker or Frans Timmersman in Brussels. They simply have more at stake.
Seal the border and there is hope; surrender it and there is mayhem for all.
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
Merkel's Deal on Refugees a real "Turkey" for Europe
Angela Merkel has done it again; not sure if it is pure deception or naivety at this point. She managed to convince many that the EU deal with Turkey would actually decrease the number of refugees entering Europe. Yet, Turkey was claiming that they too would not see an increase in migrants. Someone is going to be disappointed and my guess is that it won't be Recep Erdogan.
The deal Merkel sold to Europe was this: 1) All "irregular" non-Syrians entering Greece after March 20 would be sent back to Turkey. 2) For every Syrian refugee sent back to Turkey from Greece, one Syrian already in a Turkish camp would be sent to an EU member state. This is pretty clear that, even if things went as perfectly as planned on paper, there had to be an increase in refugees to Europe. How? Do the math. Irregulars arriving after March 20, even if all were sent back (which will not happen), is NOT A REDUCTION since they were not in Europe before March 20th. This is neutral at best. Secondly, a new Syrian refugee from Greece (who was also not in Europe before March 20) sent back to Turkey would be exchanged for a new Syrian refugee from a camp in Turkey (who was also not in Europe before March 20). You may have to read this a few times, but rest assured, this so-called "one for one" can only mean more refugees for the EU. If this sounds complicated, it was meant to be that way. Merkel presented this deal right before the elections in Germany and she was desperate to portray this as some sort of "tough" solution that entailed reductions via deportations.
One might argue that it at least "cuts down" (not a reduction) on the number of arrivals, but this would be disingenuous. There is no logic to keeping the borders open for new arrivals (they still are coming to Greece) and then "hoping" to deport later. Already many migrants who arrived after 3-20 have disappeared and some are charting boats from Greece to Italy. Smugglers have already advertised trips from Turkey to Italy on Facebook. Italy is not covered under the deal and while their border remains open, thousands of new migrants are sailing in from Libya and elsewhere. The numbers will swell as the weather warms. More additions, not reductions. Albania, with many Muslim sympathizes, will also be a problem.
The early results from this deal are also not promising. The first two days saw eighty new Syrians sent to the EU from Turkey and only two Syrians (voluntarily) sent back to Turkey. This is not "1 for 1" but "40 to 1". Again, these are net additions for the EU not neutral swaps. As I suspected, the EU and Greece are not strong enough to deport. Erdogan has no such reservations as proven by his actions to flood Europe with migrants over the past year.
And the 6,000 (and counting as we speak) "irregulars" that arrived in Greece after 3-20 that Merkel claimed would be sent back to Turkey? A mere 202 were sent back Monday, mostly from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran. But now Greece has stopped (as more migrants arrive daily with weather improving) and might get started again on Friday. It seems 3,000 or so have all decided at once (attorneys, activists at work) to suddenly apply for asylum in Greece. Here we go again, more additions. One gets the feeling that the EU is an organization of self-abuse.
Lastly, this deal solves nothing as pertaining to the 1.8 million refugees-migrants that arrived in Europe before March 20. Many are pure migrants and some no doubt terrorists that traveled with the refugees. Many arrived without documents or with fake passports (there is no punishment for this) and are now roaming Europe. Germany has lost track of 50% of the migrants in their country. They just disappeared along with over 10,000 children. Criminal gangs are everywhere recruiting. This is a chaos. OpenBorders is an abomination that exposes the security of European citizens and the true refugees themselves. It has to end, with or without Merkel and Germany on board.
In May, the EU and Merkel will once again introduce a permanent and binding refugee redistribution system that will attempt to force all EU members to accept migrant quotas. This will be Merkel's last stand for she has no other cards to play. She will never agree to real reductions or sealing the external EU border. This is and always was her EU solution.
The Visegrad4 and central-eastern European states must draw a Red Line on quotas and defy Angela Merkel. If they surrender, Europe will be lost. If they are victorious, the Merkel Era will be over and they will emerge as the new leaders to take back Europe. As they say in sport, the one with the greater will and determination prevails.
Good night, good luck and fight hard Visegrad4; your children are counting on you!
The deal Merkel sold to Europe was this: 1) All "irregular" non-Syrians entering Greece after March 20 would be sent back to Turkey. 2) For every Syrian refugee sent back to Turkey from Greece, one Syrian already in a Turkish camp would be sent to an EU member state. This is pretty clear that, even if things went as perfectly as planned on paper, there had to be an increase in refugees to Europe. How? Do the math. Irregulars arriving after March 20, even if all were sent back (which will not happen), is NOT A REDUCTION since they were not in Europe before March 20th. This is neutral at best. Secondly, a new Syrian refugee from Greece (who was also not in Europe before March 20) sent back to Turkey would be exchanged for a new Syrian refugee from a camp in Turkey (who was also not in Europe before March 20). You may have to read this a few times, but rest assured, this so-called "one for one" can only mean more refugees for the EU. If this sounds complicated, it was meant to be that way. Merkel presented this deal right before the elections in Germany and she was desperate to portray this as some sort of "tough" solution that entailed reductions via deportations.
One might argue that it at least "cuts down" (not a reduction) on the number of arrivals, but this would be disingenuous. There is no logic to keeping the borders open for new arrivals (they still are coming to Greece) and then "hoping" to deport later. Already many migrants who arrived after 3-20 have disappeared and some are charting boats from Greece to Italy. Smugglers have already advertised trips from Turkey to Italy on Facebook. Italy is not covered under the deal and while their border remains open, thousands of new migrants are sailing in from Libya and elsewhere. The numbers will swell as the weather warms. More additions, not reductions. Albania, with many Muslim sympathizes, will also be a problem.
The early results from this deal are also not promising. The first two days saw eighty new Syrians sent to the EU from Turkey and only two Syrians (voluntarily) sent back to Turkey. This is not "1 for 1" but "40 to 1". Again, these are net additions for the EU not neutral swaps. As I suspected, the EU and Greece are not strong enough to deport. Erdogan has no such reservations as proven by his actions to flood Europe with migrants over the past year.
And the 6,000 (and counting as we speak) "irregulars" that arrived in Greece after 3-20 that Merkel claimed would be sent back to Turkey? A mere 202 were sent back Monday, mostly from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran. But now Greece has stopped (as more migrants arrive daily with weather improving) and might get started again on Friday. It seems 3,000 or so have all decided at once (attorneys, activists at work) to suddenly apply for asylum in Greece. Here we go again, more additions. One gets the feeling that the EU is an organization of self-abuse.
Lastly, this deal solves nothing as pertaining to the 1.8 million refugees-migrants that arrived in Europe before March 20. Many are pure migrants and some no doubt terrorists that traveled with the refugees. Many arrived without documents or with fake passports (there is no punishment for this) and are now roaming Europe. Germany has lost track of 50% of the migrants in their country. They just disappeared along with over 10,000 children. Criminal gangs are everywhere recruiting. This is a chaos. OpenBorders is an abomination that exposes the security of European citizens and the true refugees themselves. It has to end, with or without Merkel and Germany on board.
In May, the EU and Merkel will once again introduce a permanent and binding refugee redistribution system that will attempt to force all EU members to accept migrant quotas. This will be Merkel's last stand for she has no other cards to play. She will never agree to real reductions or sealing the external EU border. This is and always was her EU solution.
The Visegrad4 and central-eastern European states must draw a Red Line on quotas and defy Angela Merkel. If they surrender, Europe will be lost. If they are victorious, the Merkel Era will be over and they will emerge as the new leaders to take back Europe. As they say in sport, the one with the greater will and determination prevails.
Good night, good luck and fight hard Visegrad4; your children are counting on you!
Tuesday, April 5, 2016
Reverse Redistribution? Iraqi refugees in Czech Republic caught migrating to Germany
Angela Merkel has never believed in refugee limits, nor does she want to seal Europe's external border. She claims, "This is not my Europe." Besides the obvious fact that Merkel was elected only by Germany, she continues to have "delusions of granduer" that she alone speaks for Europe. She is in for a rude awakening; "her subjects" are in open revolt.
Merkel's "European solution" to the migrant crisis has always been Open Borders/limitless refugees combined with a permanent, binding refugee redistribution scheme for all in the EU. Thanks to the opposition of the Visegrad4 and CEE states, her vision has been put a hold...for now. Other than sealing the external border and deporting the economic migrants (which she opposes), what other card does she have left to play? Don't be fooled by the Turkey Deal, a distraction at best that MAY deport tens of thousands (less than one percent of total) but still allows migrants to enter in Greece and elsewhere (Italy being targeted as we speak). Merkel knows this is no solution. The net additions will continue to swell and Merkel will be at the table again in May, this time demanding the refugee quotas. The debate is coming.
The Rav Report has written many articles on the absurdity of quotas and forcing countries to surrender their culture and security for a scheme that will guarantee an endless stream of mostly Muslim migrants. Merkel told the migrants to come, not Czech republic. But a new obstacle has emerged that will render quotas useless as well as unwise.
A few days ago, 25 Iraqi refugees who were voluntarily taken in by the Czech Republic, were caught trying to migrate to Germany. They refused asylum in Czech and then illegally attempted to cross into Germany. The German police stopped them at the border and were set to send them back to the Czech Republic, where they would be deported for abusing the law. However, this never happened; apparently Merkel intervened and the Iraqis, now economic migrants, will be allowed to apply for asylum in Germany.
The Czechs feel taken advantage of and this does have the smell of being "activist" directed. However, the most pressing issue is the arrogance of Angela Merkel, once again unilaterally ignoring EU refugee law and acting on her own. Time and time again, she has undermined others in the EU to do as she pleases. She says its "her damned duty" but her duty is to protect Germany, not to expose all in Europe to her naive and reckless visions. Right now, she is a train-wreck, paralyzed by some emotional guilt and legacy quest that blocks her ability to think rationally.
Yet, her argument for "refugee quotas" has been exposed by this incident and many others like it (all the migrants want to get to Germany they say) as a bad arraigned marriage. Most of the refugees are really economic migrants shopping for the states with the richest welfare benefits. They have no desire to stay in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland or Slovakia; and in reality these countries have no desire for the multicultural lifestyle of France or Belgium. Unless Merkel wants to build prisons to keep the refugees from leaving their "matched" countries, Europe will see a mass conversion of refugees morphing into migrants on their way to Merkel's or Sweden's Land of Milk and Honey.
Refugee Quotas is Merkel's Last Stand. This will be the final battle to decide the future of Europe. If Merkel gets her way again, Europe should get used to the new normal of endless migration and failed multiculturalism. Defeat her on quotas and her Era of chaos is over.
Time to move on from Merkel and onto PlanB: securing the EU border, dismantling the smuggler network, deporting those who do not belong, helping the legitimate war refugees, and protecting the cherished way of life for European citizens. We can do it!
Merkel's "European solution" to the migrant crisis has always been Open Borders/limitless refugees combined with a permanent, binding refugee redistribution scheme for all in the EU. Thanks to the opposition of the Visegrad4 and CEE states, her vision has been put a hold...for now. Other than sealing the external border and deporting the economic migrants (which she opposes), what other card does she have left to play? Don't be fooled by the Turkey Deal, a distraction at best that MAY deport tens of thousands (less than one percent of total) but still allows migrants to enter in Greece and elsewhere (Italy being targeted as we speak). Merkel knows this is no solution. The net additions will continue to swell and Merkel will be at the table again in May, this time demanding the refugee quotas. The debate is coming.
The Rav Report has written many articles on the absurdity of quotas and forcing countries to surrender their culture and security for a scheme that will guarantee an endless stream of mostly Muslim migrants. Merkel told the migrants to come, not Czech republic. But a new obstacle has emerged that will render quotas useless as well as unwise.
A few days ago, 25 Iraqi refugees who were voluntarily taken in by the Czech Republic, were caught trying to migrate to Germany. They refused asylum in Czech and then illegally attempted to cross into Germany. The German police stopped them at the border and were set to send them back to the Czech Republic, where they would be deported for abusing the law. However, this never happened; apparently Merkel intervened and the Iraqis, now economic migrants, will be allowed to apply for asylum in Germany.
The Czechs feel taken advantage of and this does have the smell of being "activist" directed. However, the most pressing issue is the arrogance of Angela Merkel, once again unilaterally ignoring EU refugee law and acting on her own. Time and time again, she has undermined others in the EU to do as she pleases. She says its "her damned duty" but her duty is to protect Germany, not to expose all in Europe to her naive and reckless visions. Right now, she is a train-wreck, paralyzed by some emotional guilt and legacy quest that blocks her ability to think rationally.
Yet, her argument for "refugee quotas" has been exposed by this incident and many others like it (all the migrants want to get to Germany they say) as a bad arraigned marriage. Most of the refugees are really economic migrants shopping for the states with the richest welfare benefits. They have no desire to stay in the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland or Slovakia; and in reality these countries have no desire for the multicultural lifestyle of France or Belgium. Unless Merkel wants to build prisons to keep the refugees from leaving their "matched" countries, Europe will see a mass conversion of refugees morphing into migrants on their way to Merkel's or Sweden's Land of Milk and Honey.
Refugee Quotas is Merkel's Last Stand. This will be the final battle to decide the future of Europe. If Merkel gets her way again, Europe should get used to the new normal of endless migration and failed multiculturalism. Defeat her on quotas and her Era of chaos is over.
Time to move on from Merkel and onto PlanB: securing the EU border, dismantling the smuggler network, deporting those who do not belong, helping the legitimate war refugees, and protecting the cherished way of life for European citizens. We can do it!
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