By Victiashea Matthews

December 30, 2015 (La Jolla)  - The Center for Comparative Immigration Studies (CCIS) and Eleanor Roosevelt College at the University of California, San Diego hosted an event called the “Comparative Responses to Asylum Seeking in Europe, Australia, the U.S., and Middle East” on November 30th,  

What drives international migration?  Why are some countries more hostile and others more accepting?  Those are some of the compelling questions posed by David FitzGerald, Co-Director of CCIS and Professor of Sociology. These are fascinating questions to consider when unpacking the asylum-seeking diaspora. Here are some highlights from the event.

European Union

The first group of experts focused primarily on the European experience of asylum seeking.  Philippe De Bruycker from Universite Libre de Bruxelles explained the many facets of asylum seeking.  It is a moral and religious crisis, considering that some European leaders want their societies to remain Christian by refusing to welcome Muslim refugees, but the Bible says, “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God” Ephesians, 2:19). It’s an institutional crisis considering how the European Council decision to relocate 40,000 persons within the European Union (EU)  was accompanied by a  resolution from the state governments of  the European Council. It’s an international crisis considering how many countries are willing--or not willing--to accept refugees. It’s an operational crisis in that the EU is unable to establish minimum reception conditions on Greek Islands, for example.It’s a political crisis in that there is a lack of internal solidarity and the EU more divided than ever in terms of asylum seeking. It’s a security issue due to concerns of terrorists  hiding among refugees entering the EU through Greece.

Eastern Europe

Raphi Rechitsky, a visiting scholar at the Center for Comparative Studies,spoke next on the Ukraine and forced migration at the Eastern borders of Europe, which has incentivized new programs that will harden and sometimes militarize the border. In 1998-2003 and even up to 2008, the EU worked with international partners and built houses for migrants. Rechitsky pointed out that the refugee label is socially constructed through an international mechanism of powerful immigration states that try to externalize, especially when powerful states are threatened.

Australia

The next focus point was Australia as Claire Higgins, a Research Associate at the Andrew and Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, discussed Australian reactions towards asylum seekers. Australia has among the world’s most restrictive policies towards refugees. Refugees from Syrians and Iraqis were often returned. Tens of thousands of asylum seekers haved arrived by boat, at a high cost for Australia to process. Australia imposed a “No Way” campaign, stating “You will not make Australia home” and  does not allow  asylum seekers admittance to Australia. Neither Nauru nor New Guinea has agreed to permanent resettlement of the asylums seekers. Nauru lacks long-range solutions, but has planned for temporary settlement of refugees in Cambodia. Resettlement to Cambodia costs $10 million per refugee. Many refugees in Australian islands such as Manus are abused by the workers at detention centers, including children.  The purpose of the constant torture of the asylum seekers is so they are so broken down that they can’t make decisions, Higgins said. There is substantial support in Australia for the harsh policies toward those who arrive illegally by boat, amid fears of terrorism. Demonizing rhetoric toward asylum seekers is bipartisan in Australia, despite past acceptance toward Indochinese refugees.

The Americas

Everard Meade, PHD Director of the Trans-Border Institute at the University of San Diego, discussed the United States. He predicts that asylum rates for people fleeing parts of Central America and Mexico will go up. Foreign policy plays a role in how many of the numerous seekers may be granted asylum, but the border has gotten out of control. There has been a dramatic change in the number of immigrant children coming to America. Since 2005, the number of children from Mexico has been extremely high. The number of unaccompanied kids from Central America seeking asylum are now up sharply along with Border Patrol apprehensions; domestic politics, fear of racial and and cultural integration all play a role in restrictive policies. After 2003 when Home Land Security was created, many kids who were victim of gangs of Central America seeking asylum in the U.S. were considered part of the gangs and deported, creating a circular immigration system. These are some of the oldest racial tropes in the U.S. history. This isn’t new and has been going on for a long time.

Karen Masala, Professor of law at UC Hastings, discussed externalization of borders in the U.S., race, and how issues that don’t have to do with international norms really do control of policy. U.S. has been narrowing protection of refugees for 30 years, since the Refugee Act took effect. Prevention of access of territory is common, such as when Haitian dictator Jean-Claude Duvelier agreed with Reagan to intercept the Haitian refugees. From 1981 to 1991 over 20,000 refugees were returned without their consent. High number of Haitians had a credible fear to apply for asylum , but they were brought to Guantanamo Bay. President Bill Clinton campaigned on a pledge of helping the Haitians but after winning election, did the opposite and turned them away.

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Middle East

When discussing Middle East asylum seeking, Rawan Arar, PhD student in sociology at UC San Diego, talked about her experience visiting Jordan to find out what was going in the refugee camps this past summer. There are 630,000 Syrian refugees in Jordan. Once Syrians started coming, Iraqis started to get less support in Jordan  Arar asks,  how do major refugee states maintain their sovereignty? At the Zaa’tari Refugee Camp, Arar partnered with Save the Children but she didn’t get access until she was right there at the border of the camp.  She only got in because there was no talk of who was in the car. She said the toilet areas broken down and they used bricks to improve their homes. Zaa’tari had protests of conditions by about 7,000 people. They pushed back in the ways in which they were controlled. Some people could even run away. She then visited the Azraq Refugee Camp. In many places people lived without cars so most could not run away.  At Azraq she saw more monitoring either with cameras or with people on the ground She said there was something really depressing about going into the refugee camp knowing that more people would be coming in. It was so hot and people were lined up in the shade, up to 30,000 people.

There were 80,000 people in the Emirati refugee camp. They had access to a refrigerator or air conditioned room. She saw hair dye, soap, and condoms in the shop. Each refugee refugees a small amount of currency to spend.

The reality is that 85 percent of Syrian refugees live outside these camps. Access to food, water, education, and health care is guaranteed in these camps, but not if you are living outside the camps. Save the Children is renting rooms and creating a similar curriculum to the Ministry of Education to teach the Syrian children. Overall, the refugee camp is a secondary border. Camps help to control migrations because they are highly secured, with obstacles to leaving the camps. But sometimes the camps have been so difficult that despite hardships outside, some refugees leave and return to the war-torn places they came from rather than remain in limbo, with no promise of a better future or countries willing to take them in.  Arar concludes, “Citizenship is the language of rights.”

By Miriam Raftery

March 16, 2016 (San Diego’s East County ) – The House of Representatives this week has passed two measures aimed at holding ISIS and the Syrian regime accountable for atrocities committed in the Middle East. One would declare atrocities by ISIS to be war crimes, the other calls for a war crimes tribunal to address Syrian actions.

The first, House Concurrent Resolution 75, passed Congress unanimously with all five San Diego members voting in favor.  It calls on the President to declare crimes perpetrated against Christians, Yazidis and other religious minorities to be war crimes and crimes against humanity.  Author Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.) has called ISIS a “threat against civilization itself.”  ISIS, also known as ISIL or the Islamic State, has been documented engaging in torture, beheadings, enslavement of children and other atrocities.

The second measure, House Concurrent Resolution 121, asks the President to direct his ambassador at the United Nations to promote establishment of a war crimes tribunal to prosecute war crimes committed by the government of Syria, its allies, and other parties to the conflict.  HCR 121 passed by a 392-3 vote.  Among San Diego’s delegation, Republicans Duncan Hunter and Darrell Issa voted for the measure, along with Democrats Susan Davis and Juan Vargas. Democrat Scott Peters was not present.

By Rachel Williams

February 5, 2017 (El Cajon) -- Falafel softly crackles and pops in the frying pan as the smell of tahini infuses the air at Cajon Terrace Apartments. While the kids practice their ABCs and numbers in their new living room, a Syrian husband and wife cook side by side.

The Al Saleh family underwent extreme vetting to leave Jordan and escape Syrian soil. They were interrogated for 18 months, with intense background screenings and fingerprinting.

Fatima Albazazi and Tamer Al-Saleh applied for asylum through the United Nations (UN) with their children: Aya, 9, Hassan, 8, Houssein, 6, and Ilaf, 3. After leaving their war-stricken country, they sought refuge in Jordan, where they lived for five years, only spending a month in a refugee camp.

As the seasons changed from May to September, the intake of refugees rapidly increased. Roughly 200 families, about a thousand members in total, settled into San Diego’s neighborhoods, specifically El Cajon and City Heights. Upon arriving, these Syrian families are funneled into various motels. Some cases stayed as long as 50 days, while others resided for weeks at a time.

“It was really hard on me. We stayed in the motel for about two weeks, and the motel was in pretty bad shape,” Tamer said.

Tamer was shocked by San Diego’s cost of living, for San Diego has the highest number of refugees annually of any welcoming city. As they arrived, Alliance for African Assistance assigned the Al-Saleh family to Motel Morgan in City Heights.

Resettlement agencies are too overwhelmed to aid in this portion of the assimilation process. Heart4Refugees was launched to fill this loophole. The organization has helped about 41 families in City Heights, and 130 plus in El Cajon. It’s a local branch of the Syrian Community Network (SCN) started by Bayanne Mihtar and Kinda Arzon.

“It wasn’t like he chose to come to America. The U.S. chose the people to come here. So they didn’t choose to come here, they were chosen by the U.S., by the UN.,” Kinda Arzon, Vice President of Heart4Refugees, said.

“Everybody wants to help. You know we all have a heart for refugees, and that’s how the name came up.”

A man who was staying at the motel became fed-up one day, Arzon said, dragging his suitcases to the street curb, with tears streaming down his face. Rent affordability is the main concern for these families.

“So we focused on the Syrians because the Syrians don’t have a program. You know, Chaldeans have a program. Iraqis have a program…They have people taking care of them. The Syrians didn’t have anything. And what we realized is that the resettlement agencies were overwhelmed. It’s not that they weren’t doing their job, but they’re just overwhelmed,” Arzon said.

Mihtar put her interior design career on hold in September 2016 to fill in the gaps of these government funded resettlement agencies. While SCN was created in Chicago two years ago, Mihtar and Arzon launched the Syrian family adoption initiative on social media.

“We just asked `What do you need?’” she said, “and we’ll make them a welcome list. Basically with each family, for instance El Cajon, we take their information. If they have a special needs person, if they’re receiving rental assistance, and anything they receive from us we check it off.”

The process is relatively swift for potential adoptive families. It costs $19 for a background check, and the only requirement is consent on a confidentiality form. Heart4Refugees pairs families with similar interests and needs. Some individuals are eager to help, but can’t commit full-time. They can volunteer every other week, or meet only once to exchange necessary supplies.

“But we prefer, obviously, an ongoing relationship, so they can assimilate. I know that one of the families that were adopted found a job through their adopted family, so that was incredible,” Mihtar said. “That’s our end goal is to try to get them jobs, maybe learn some English through this process, and just get them up on their feet quicker than they would without this program.”

As the dust and glitter settled from New Years, Vaale Gafori felt compelled to respond to a Heart4Refugees Facebook post. She’s been friends with Arzon for a couple years now, and in 20 minutes of seeing her post that day, she adopted a family. The Al-Saleh family and Gafori were destined to be connected, Arzon said.

“I've always done the whole adopt a family for Christmas. [You] buy them presents, you never see them. You don’t know if they really got it; you don’t know who’s behind it,” Gafori noted.

“I've always done that, and it left me feeling kind of empty afterwards. So when she brought this up, and then said but you get to go and meet them, and be with them, I said that is the greatest thing!”

Heart4Refugees has three dual language case managers, who can facilitate proper translation between both families. However, some participating families have successfully used Google Translate, or coordinated with other individuals to break down the language barrier.

“I wanted to make a connection with the local San Diegans here and let them know about this, so through that people reached out to us. It was a success. They reached out to us and said, what can we do more? Can we adopt them for the holidays? And I said okay sure, let’s start that. Literally everything happened organically, and we said let’s just start an adopt a family program,” Arzon said.

 Arzon created a case management system using the app Trello, which is a virtual tool to stay organized. Here, lists are kept of specific household necessities, or special needs that each family requires. Gafori was determined to make them comfortable during the acclimation process. And by the click of an email, their dining room table, living room set and dresser was donated by Jerome’s, a local furniture company.

“She’s very kind. She wants to help people. We love her. Even the kids love her, we just feel that she’s a very kind loving person who wants to help them,” Tamer said.

In the last two months, the organization has donated $86,000 to 96 families through their rent supplement program. The government funded resettlement agency grants each family member a one-time subsidy of $1,125. This donation is supposed to support them for three months, Mihtar said, and it’s not enough, especially considering they’re supposed to payback the government for their airfare to America at the end of this time frame.

“First thing he said to me is he wants a job. He wants to work. Before anything else, thank you for bringing me the stuff, I need a job. So he was really interested in doing that because I think he wants to support his family. It’s important to him,” Gafori said.

As her friend, who is a professional interior designer, tied the knot in Italy, Gafori sent a congratulatory text. She quickly turned around and inquired about a job for the father of her recently adopted Syrian family. And 30 minutes later, her friend landed Tamer a tiling job.  The hiring manger picked him up the next morning for his first day.

 “So my big push for 2017 is to get them employed. I’d love to have like a job fair for them with hospitality, and some other kind of careers that don’t involve the language as much. I mean they want to learn the language. It’s just going to take some time,” Mihtar said.

The Al Saleh family left Syria to give their children a chance for freedom. Gafori has been their angel in a life of darkness, they said, and she has become a true friend. While they left behind familiarities in the Middle East, their San Diego neighbors have generously donated money, a car and essential necessities, giving them a shot at a new life.

“I think the important thing is to realize that they’re just people; the word `refugees’ doesn’t mean anything, it just means they’re people that came here that need a chance, and we need to help them,” Gafori said. “And she [Arzon] said the most beautiful thing: ‘Once they get a job, they’re no longer refugees.’”

To adopt a Syrian refugee family visit http://www.hearts4refugees.org/.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Tomahawk missile launch off U.S. ship, courtesy of the Pentagon

April 6, 2017 (Washington D.C.)— The U.S. today launched over 50 Tomahawk cruise missiles  at the Al-Shayrat Air Base in Syria, on orders of President Donald Trump. The base is believed to be where a chemical  nerve gas weapons attack was launched on April 4^th by Bashar al-Assad’s regime that killed scores of civilians, including possibly hundreds, including many children in Idlib.

Key political leaders on both sides of the aisle voiced support for the action,  though even some supporters argue that the Constitution requires a declaration of war by Congress  to take such action. Others voice concerns over a unilateral action that Assad could view as an act of war. Now  prominent Senators and Representatives in both parties are calling for Congress to reconvene and debate whether to declare war on the Syrian government, at a time when the U.S. is already waging war against ISIS.  Assad has also fought ISIS even as his country has been split by six years of civil war.

Also a wild card is how the Russians will react to the escalation, since the Russians are allied with the U.S. in fighting ISIS, but Russia has also worked to keep Assad in power. Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, has said Russia was given advance notice of the strike.  Russia has personnel at the base targeted but Capt. Davis indicated care was taken to avoid striking Russians or civilians.

The missiles were launched off U.S. Navy ships, the USS Ross and USS Porter, instead of from airplanes to avoid Syrian and Russian anti-aircraft defense systems.  The Pentagon has stated that  initial indications show the strike “several damaged or destroyed Syrian aircraft and support infrastructure.”

Trump hardens position toward Syria

President Trump denounced Assad’s use of chemical weapons in the strongest possible terms.  “Bashar al-Assad launched a horrible chemical weapons attack on innocent civilians,” Trump said in a televised address to the nation.  “Using a deadly nerve agent, Assad choked out the lives of helpless men, women and children. It was a slow and brutal death for so many. Even beautiful babies were cruelly murdered in this very barbaric attack.”

Trump called the strike vital to U.S. national security and called on “all civilized nations to join us in seeking to end the slaughter and bloodshed in Syria and also to end terrorism of all kinds and all types.” He asked for “God’s wisdom as we face the challenge of our very troubled world,” adding, “We pray for the lives of the wounded and for the souls of those who have passed, and we hope that as long as America stands for justice then peace and harmony will in the end prevail..”

Just days ago,  White House press secretary Sean Spicer said removing Assad was not realistic. But now Trump says his views toward Assad have changed in light of the chemical weapons attack, a clear violation of international law.  The Trump administration is now signaling it would back regime change, but has not stated how it would accomplish this.

Tillerson faults Russia

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson issued a statement harshly critical of Russia, recalling a 2013 agreement requiring Syria to turn over its stockpile of chemical weapons and for Russia to monitor and assure that Assad did not renege.  “Clearly,” Tillerson stated, “Russia has failed in its responsibility on that commitment. Either Russia has been complicit or has been incompetent on its ability to deliver.”

The statement was surprisingly direct given  Trump’s repeated praise for Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and the numerous controversies over his inner circle’s close ties to Russia, perhaps signaling a break in cozy relations with Putin.

Historical perspective and complexities in the region

Trump himself often criticized Obama for considering military action against the Syrian regime.  In 2013 he tweeted, "The President must get Congressional approval before attacking Syria-big mistake if he does not!" 

Just days before the November 2016 election, Trump accused Obama of wanting to "start a shooting war in Syria in conflict with a nuclear armed Russia that could very well lead to World War III," the Washington Post reports.

Trump’s order to bomb the Syrian air force base also marks a departure from former President Barack Obama’s policies.  The Obama administration had readied plans to attack the Syrian government after an earlier chemical attack on the Syrian people, but backed down when the U.S. began its military operations against ISIS in Syria. Those plans helped to enable today’s rapid response, however.

The Obama administration did support rebel groups that tried unsuccessfully to oust Assad.  Critics including some military leaders have faulted Obama for not taking stronger action against Assad. Retired General John Allen, who coordinated military efforts against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria under Obama, called Obama’s decision not to strike in 2013 “devastating” since now Russian troops are intermingled with Syrian forces and any strike on a Syrian military target could kill Russians, potentially sparking hostilities with Russia. 

However, the reason why Obama did not attack Assad's government is reportedly because he wanted Congress to approve it, but Congress refused to back a war resolution. It is unclear whether Congress might back such a resolution now or not.

Today’s military intervention could be viewed as an act of war by Assad and could  trigger Assad to strike back at coalition planes, putting lives of Americans and our allies at risk. Previously, strikes inside Syria since the civil war began targeted ISIS,  not the Syrian government. 

A key problem not resolved is who would take Assad’s place should he be killed or deposed; one fear is that ISIS could step in to fill that void. The situation on the ground in Syria is highly complex, with Assad’s forces, U.S.-backed Syrian rebels, ISIS militants, Kurdish fighters, and foreign forces from Russia, Iran, Turkey and other nations.

The military intervention comes at a time when Trump has cut in half the number of Syrian refugees authorized by the Obama administration for admission into the U.S.,  leaving civilians in Syria bombarbed by not only Assad's chemical and conventional weapon assaults, but also bombings by Russia and the U.S. targeting ISIS but sometimes striking civilian sites. Nearly all hospitals in the region have been decimated, leaving inadequate manpower and equipment to care for the massive number of wounded, increasing the grim toll.

In attacking ISIS,  both Obama and Trump have argued that this was allowed under a 2001 Congressional war authorization to attack al-Qaeda after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington D.C.  The presidents have claimed that the terror group ISIS is an offshoot of al-Qaeda, though many analysts have questioned that assumption.

Attacking the Syrian government directly, however, clearly does not fall under the 9/11 war authorization.

Congressional responses

Trump’s retaliatory strike against Assad’s air base was praised by  Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee Senator John McCain and Senator Lindsey Graham, both Republicans, who issued a joint statement that the action “sent an important message the United States will no longer stand idly by as Assad, aided and abetted by Putin’s Russia, slaughters innocent Syrians with chemical weapons and barrel bombs.”  They also called on the administration to take out Assad’s air force and implement a comprehensive strategy in coordination with U.S. allies and partners to “end the conflict in Syria.”

Former Democratic presidential candidate and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in a speech in New York this morning, also advocated taking out Syrian military airfields. 

Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan has also voiced support for the attacks, calling them “appropriate and just.”

But others voiced grave concerns about the President waging war without consent of Congress, as the Constitution requires.

Virginia Senator Tim Kaine, a Democrat, while acknowledging Assad is a “brutal dictator who must be held accountable” also said that Trump launched a military strike against Syria “without a vote of Congress.  The Constitution says war must be declared by Congress.”

Kentucky Republican Rand Paul tweeted , “While we all condemn the atrocities in Syria, the United States was not attacked. The President needs Congressional authorization for military action as required by the Constitution.”

Rep. Justin Arnash, a Republican from Michigan and member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, agreed.  “Airstrikes are an act of war. Atrocities in Syria cannot justify departure from Constitution, which vests in Congress power to commence war,” he wrote, adding that the framers of the Cosntitution divided war powers to prevent abuse, empowering “Congress to declare war and the president to conduct war and repel sudden attacks.”

Rep. Adam Schiff of California, the highest ranking Democrat on the House intelligence panel, stated, “Congerss cannot abdicate its responsibility any longer and should vote on any use of force not made in self defense. This is necessary whether action is taken against terrorist groups or, as here, against regime capabilities.”

Congresswoman Barbara Lee, a Democrat from California, called on Congress to end its two week break and return to the Capitol, CNN reports. “This is an act of war,” she said of today’s missile strikes.  “Congress needs to come back into session and hold a debate. Anything less is an abdication of our responsibility.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, praised the professionalism of our armed forces and called it the “right thing to do” to assure that Assad knows he will pay a price for committing “despicable atrocities.”  But Schumer concluded, “It is incumbent on the Trump administration to come up with a strategy and consult with Congress before implementing it.”

After six years of civil war as well as attacks on ISIS inside Syria, at least a half million Syrians  have been killed and millions have been displaced, refugees fleeing their homeland.

Still, not everyone supports military conflict to resolve the crisis.  Diane Randall, Executive Director of the pacificist Quaker Church Friends' Committee on Legislation, states, "The only path toward shared security requires robust diplomacy, urgent humanitarian aid, and a comprehensive strategy to bring the crisis to an end through a political solution -- not escalating war."

POLITICS: ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE – Commentary and Analysis on Race, War, Ethics and the American Political Landscape in the Age of Obama, by Wilmer J. Leon, III, Ph.D. (AuthorHouse, Bloomington, Indiana, 2016, 332 pages).

Book Review by Dennis Moore

May 10, 2017 (San Diego) - Wilmer J. Leon, III, PhD., has written a provocative and well researched book on politics and race relations; Politics: Another Perspective – Commentary and Analysis on Race, War, Ethics and the American Political Landscape in the Age of Obama. When I read Dr. Leon’s book it is like “preaching to the choir”, particularly his take on the Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright in my hometown of Chicago. I am well aware of Dr. Wright’s place in history, and especially as it regards the ascension of Barack Obama to the Presidency of the United States. Former President Barack Obama was actually a member of Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright’s church at one time prior to becoming president, as well as Oprah Winfrey.

Just what is the “Age of Obama” and how does Dr. Leon define it in this book? I actually have intimate and personal understanding and appreciation of former President Obama, as I once covered his campaign for president as a writer for the Baja Times Newspaper in Rosarito Beach, Mexico, at a La Raza sponsored convention event in San Diego, where he spoke along with the Republican candidate Senator John McCain. Also, with both of us being from Chicago, and his wife Michelle and I both working at City Hall in the Daley administration at the same time. He also gave that famous YouTube video speech at my former church in Chicago, the Apostolic Church of God, on a Father’s responsibility to their children. Click on video here.

Over the last 8 years there have been significant shifts in the American political landscape, as indicated in this book by Dr. Leon. The election of Senator Barack Obama as America’s 44^th and first African American president signaled a giant leap forward in the American social, cultural, and political landscape. It has taken America 219 years to reach this point.

Based upon Senator Obama’s campaign promises, prior to him becoming president, many people looked forward to a more transparent and inclusive government. Others saw this election as a signal of a new post-racial America, but America has always been a country in conflict. As many basked in the comfort of Obama’s historic election, others feared its backlash. History tells us that white supremacy dies hard in America, if at all, and its proponents would not take America’s victory lying down.

The bigoted rants of the Tea Party and the ultra-right wing’s obstructionist agenda have resulted in a political statement unlike any other in recent American history. These reactionary politics coupled with the Democratic Party and Obama Administration’s inability to articulate an effective counter-narrative and employ effective countermeasures has left America in a political abyss.

Despite the author giving plaudits to President Obama, it is surprising to this writer that in his collection of Op Ed’s written by Dr. Leon, he devotes one in particular that seems critical of the former president; Obama’s Irresponsible Rhetoric Exacerbates Global Tensions – September 10, 2013. Politics: Another Perspective, is actually a collection of Op Ed’s written by the author that puts our present state and condition in perspective with that of the rest of the world.

In a bit of revisionist history, Dr. Leon quotes in his book former President Obama in regard to Obama’s Irresponsible Rhetoric Exacerbates Global Tensions, by stating: “We have been very clear to the Assad regime, but also to other players on the ground, that a red line for us is we start seeing a bunch of chemical weapons moving around or being utilized … That would change my calculus. That would change my equation.” This was said by President Obama on August 20, 2012, but obviously, he did not stay around long enough to see the changing conditions that the world now sees in regard to Syria and the new President, Donald Trump.

It seems that once President Obama left office, everyone tends to critique his every move when he was there, including Dr. Leon. This is clear in the author’s critique of Obama’s Irresponsible Rhetoric Exacerbates Global Tensions. To be fair, Dr. Leon’s observations and critique is food for thought, in this well written and thought provoking book.

A passage in Politics: Another Perspective that resonates with me, is the author’s take on the injection of ideological Christianity into mainstream American politics, particularly by the Republicans. Dr. Leon alludes to the hypocrisy of their position by giving the following examples:

• Ralph Reed, former head of The Christian Coalition, was implicated in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal.
• According to Florida authorities, State Representative Bob Allen, a Republican, was arrested in July 2007 outside the men’s restroom at a Titusville park after offering to perform a sex act on a plainclothes officer. According to the Orlando Sentinel, Allen sponsored the “Sexual Predator Elimination Act,” legislation that toughened penalties for lewd or lascivious conduct and created a new provision that allows sexual predators to receive life prison sentences for their offenses. Before his 2006 reelection, Allen had received a 92 percent rating from the Christian Coalition of Florida. Bob Allen is married.
• Washington Representative Richard Curtis, a Republican, resigned October 31, 2007, days after he was quoted in police reports as saying a man he had sex with after they met at an erotic video store was trying to blackmail him. Elected to the state House of Representatives in 2004, Curtis had voted against bills that would grant civil rights protections to gays and lesbians. Curtis, like Bob Allen, is married.

Dr. Leon points out in his book, rather succinctly, that by allowing ideological Christianity to control American politics, policy and day-to-day life, American have compromised the fundamental values, concepts and traditions that formed the foundations of its democracy. He further points out that Ideological Christianity is being used by the Christian Right as a weapon of exclusion and hatred instead of a positive force for redemption and reconciliation.

Perhaps, most significantly, the author concludes that America is slowly deconstructing Jefferson’s “…wall of separation between Church & State” brick-by-brick. These “family values” of the Christian Right have proven to be the values of a dysfunctional family, as concluded by Dr. Leon.

Dr. Leon even takes aim at the Democratic Party, in an Op Ed titled “The Democrat’s Problem with Democracy.” The author states: “If the Democrats fail to elect their presidential and allow the ‘Super Delegates’ to select him/her in the smoke-filled back rooms at the convention in Denver, the Democrats could create a long-term problem with their base. This, along with the decision to disenfranchise the Democratic voters in Florida and Michigan, could prove to be Democrats’ problem with democracy. In order to understand why the super delegate issue could be a problem, it is important to understand why the rules were created in the first place. For that, you have to go back to the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois.” With the recent election of Donald Trump as President, it looks as if Dr. Leon was being prophetic in his assessment of things. 

The author uses a number of anecdotes and examples throughout this well researched book, which is insightful, to buttress his conclusions. This thought provoking book will keep the reader enthralled, and pondering the ultimate fate of our society, and America as we know it. This is a book that I encourage readers to pick up.

Dennis Moore has been the Associate Editor of the East County Magazine in San Diego and he is the book review editor of SDWriteway, an online newsletter for writers that has partnered with the East County Magazine, along with having been a freelance contributor to EURweb based out of Los Angeles. He is also the author of a book about Chicago politics; “The City That Works: Power, Politics and Corruption in Chicago. Mr. Moore can be contacted at contractsagency@gmail.com or you can follow him on Twitter at: @DennisMoore8. 

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: UK Independent Twitter feed

July 24, 2017 (Raqqa, Syria) -- Women in Raqqa, Syria are burning their burqas and men are shaving off their beards in celebration of being liberated from the Islamic State, or ISIS, by U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, a Kurdish fighting group. British media reports photos and interviews of joyful, freed Syrians who had been forced to endure ISIS occupation of their city.

The U.S. has been providing arms to the Kurdish fighters through covert operations, and recent media photos have shown U.S. special forces vehicles in the region.

But now President Donald Trump, following a controversial private meeting with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin, has announced that the U.S. will end its covert program of arming Syrian forces that are opposing Syrian President Bashar Assad in Syria, where civil war has long been raging along with the battle against ISIS, the Washington Post reports.

Trump’s action has drawn strong objections from Republican Senator John McCain, who despite recovering from brain cancer surgery spoke out as chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.  McCain called the action “playing right into the hands of Vladimir Putin.”

McCain added, “A key pillar of American strategy must be the removal of Assad from power as part of an end to the brutal conflict in Syria, which has fueled ISIL’s growth through its cruelty, extended malign Iranian influence, and undermined broader regional stability.”

Former CNN producer Frida Ghitis has similarly called Trump’s action a “gift to Vladimir Putin.”

While the people of Raqqa celebrate escaping the cruelty of Islamic State terrorists, Trump’s decision is expected to leave Assad, a brutal dictator who has bombed and gassed his own people, in power indefinitely, as Russia has long wanted.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Defense Secretary Jim Mattis warned in his resignation letter of Russian efforts to "shape a world consistent with their authoritarian model...to promote their own interets at the epxens of their neighbors, America and our allies."

December 21, 2018 (Washington D.C.) – Prominent Congressional leaders in both parties have voiced alarm over President Donald Trump’s announcement yesterday that he plans to immediately withdraw U.S. troops from Syria. He also ordered the Pentagon to withdraw half of America’s forces from Afghanistan starting in January.

While that may come as welcome news to families of long-deployed military members, the decision was made without consulting Congress, military leaders or key cabinet officials. Many experts warn that this could plunge the region into chaos, allow ISIS terrorists to regain power, also benefitting Russian president Vladimir Putin, who has backed Syrian strongman Bashar Assad, as well as Russia’s ally, Iran.

It has also resulted in resignation of Defense Secretary and retired General Jim Mattis, known as the "warrior monk" for his deliberative approach to fully studying military matters before making key decisions.

Trump tweeted, “We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there.”  But national security experts in both parties make clear that there has not been a victory over ISIS, which remains a threat in the Mideast.   

Mattis resigned in protest over Trump’s unilaterial troop withdrawal decision and other recent actions that the Defense Secretary disagreed with including weakening alliances with European allies, calling for an end to military exercises in North Korea and ignoring Mattis’ advice in choosing the next chairman of the Join Chiefs of Staff.. He will step down February 28^th to allow time to find a successor “whose views are better aligned” with Trump’s.

In his resignation letter, Mattis criticized the President’s alliances with dictators instead of leaders of democracies. “It is clear that China and Russia…want to shape a world consistent with their authoritarian model—gaining veto authority over other nations’ economic, diplomatic, and security decisions—to promote their own interests at the expense of their neighbors, America and our allies. That is why we must use all the tools of American power to provide for the common defense.”

Mattis added, “My views on treating allies with respect and also being clear-eyed about both malign actors and strategic competitors are strongly held and informed by over four decades of immersion in these issues,” again emphasizing the importance of strong alliances with allies who share America’s values.

California Democrat Nancy Pelosi, who is expected to be the next Speaker of the House in January, called it “premature” for Trump to declare victory over ISIS, then warned, “All Americans should be concerned that this hasty announcement was made on the day after sentencing in criminal proceedings began against the President’s former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, who admitted that he was a registered foreign agent for a country with clear interests in the Syrian conflict.” 

A judge earlier this week admonished Flynn stating, “arguably, you sold out your country.”  Flynn’s sentencing has been postponed until March.Flynn pled guilty to lying to the F.B.I. after cooperating with Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller's investigation into Trump campaign ties to Russia which have now resulted in numerous indictments and guilty please by top Trump campaign officials including his campaign manager, Paul Manafort, Trump's attorney Michael Cohen, and former national security advisor Flynn as well as numerous Russian nationals and others. Some have suggested that Russia may have knowledge of illegal activities by Trump in his business dealings or Russian efforts to influence the U.S. election, and that Trump may be beholden to  Russia, a nation long viewed by the U.S.intelligence community as a hostile foreign power.

NBC news this week obtained a copy of a 50+ page agreement signed by Donald Trump proposing a Trump tower in Moscow during his campaign, even while he told the American people he had no business dealings with Russia.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, member of the Armed Services Committee, called Trump’s action   ordering troops withdrawn “chaos.” 

Brett McGurk, the Trump administration’s own special envoy for the anti-ISIS coalition, just last week said a U.S. withdrawal from the region would be “reckless.”

Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio says bluntly, “It’s a terrible decision. I hope it can be entirely or at least partially reversed, or we’re going to pay a big price for it in the years to come.”

Senator Bob Corker, Republican from Tennessee and chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called Trump’s decision “in many ways even worse” that Obama’s withdrawal from Iraq that critics said led to growth of ISIS.

The pull-out puts at risk the safety of Kurdish and Arab military groups that have fought ISIS with U.S. backing, Syrian residents, and Christians in the Middle East; all faced massacre and persecution at the hands of ISIS. 

In Afghanistan, U.S. withdrawal could lead to resurgence of the Taliban or al Qaeda.

At least one Senator has offered praise for Trump’s decision.  “I am happy to see a President who can declare victory and bring our troops out of a war,” Republican Rand Paul of Kentucky wrote on Twitter. “It’s been a long time since that has happened.”

Senator Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, said he wants to see a long-term plan which the President has not provided.  “If we move the troops out, are we putting more State Department personnel in?  Are we putting more development dollars into the areas where you have some American interests at stake?”

Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White issued a statement  confirming that the agency has “started the process of returning U.S. troops home from Syria,”  but adds pointedly, “The coalition has liberated the ISIS-held territory, but the campaign against ISIS is not over.”

By Miriam Raftery

January 4, 2019 (Washington D.C.) – One of the last acts of the outgoing Congress in 2018 was passage of H.R. 390, the Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act. The measure passed the House and Senate by unanimous consent and was signed into law by President Donald Trump on December 11, 2018.

The new law could impact familes, friends and loved ones of tens of thousands of Iraqi and Syrian immigrants and refugees who now call San Diego's East County home.

The action came shortly before President Trump ordered a pull-out of troops from Syria, against the advice of his generals and top security advisors. It is unclear how the troop withdrawal may impact implementation of the bill’s provisions.

The measure introduced by Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) with a bipartisan group of 47 cosponsors aims to help rebuild Christian and Yazidi communities in Iraq and Syria devastated by years of war and destruction by Islamic State (ISIS).  The bill provides funds to entities including faith-based organizations that are assisting with the humanitarian, stabilization and recovery efforts in Iraq and Syria to the region’s religious and ethnic minorities.

It directs the Trump administration to “assess and address the humanitarian vulnerabilities, needs, and triggers that might force these survivors to flee” the area, and to identify potential warning signs of violence against religious or ethnic minorities in Iraq and Syria. In addition, the bill provides for support to entities conducting criminal investigations into crimes against humanity and war crimes in Iraq perpetrated by ISIS members. It also encourages foreign governments to identify suspected ISIS perpetrators in a database to be used for security screenings and to aid in their capture and prosecution.

ISIS forces had ordered minority religious members including Christians and Yazidis to convert to Islam or pay a high tax. Many were killed, tortured, or forced to flee. Yazidi women and girls were kidnapped and forced to marry ISIS members, serve as slaves or be killed. Religious sites such as churches were destroyed and in some cases, priests and other religious leaders were slaughtered.

 “The fact that this bill passed both the House and the Senate unanimously shows that the American response to genocide transcends partisanship and that there is enormous political will to protect and preserve religious minorities in the Middle East, including Christians and Yazidis, who were targeted for extinction,” Knights of Columbus spokeseman Carl Anderson upon the bill’s passage, Catholic News Agency reported.  He testified to Congress that Knights of Columbus has provided some $20 million in aid to survivors of ISIS attacks.

Chaldean Archbishop Bashar Warda of Erbil in Iraq told Catholic News Agency that Christian and Yazidi populations have been decimated and that Christians are still struggling, without resources to rebuild their homes, despite liberation of their region. Lack of jobs has also led many to flee their homeland for opportunities elsewhere.

The Archbishop sees “providing jobs” especially for young people as key to revitalizing the region. He also faulted educational texts in public schools in Iraq for referring to all non-Muslims as “infidels” and supports prosecution of those who committed genocide so that victims can have their stories heard.

“Even though Islamic State was defeated, he concluded, “the ideology is still there. “Writing the history from the side of the victims; it would help the other (side) to realize 'okay, never again,” he observed, adding, “Hopefully.”

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Update September 10, 2019:  As feared, Turkey has launched an offensive against Kurdish troops who are U.S. allies, the Washington Post reports along with other major media, causing deaths, mass evacuations and a humanitarian crisis.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Kurdish rally in San Diego in 2014, when Kurdish Americans called for more protections for Kurds being massacred by ISIS, as ECM reported. 

 

October 8, 2019 (Washington D.C.) – President Donald Trump shocked top national security experts and military leaders, drawing condemnation from leaders of both parties in Congress after announcing on Sunday that he has ordered withdrawal of U.S. troops from northeastern Syria.  The move jeopardizes the lives of Kurdish fighters who helped the U.S. combat ISIS.

Trump announced his decision after a phone call with Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in which Erdogan announced his intent to send Turkish troops into  the Syrian region.  Associated Press announced last night that American troop withdrawals along the Turkish border have begun.

Turkey has long viewed Kurds as enemies and critics contend that pulling out U.S. troops puts Kurdish people at risk of genocide and also risks allowing ISIS, or the Islamic State, terrorists to regain control. The Turks are being left to fend for themselves, caught geographically between Turkey and ISIS fighters, as well as the Syrian military.  

 

Senate President Pro Tem Mitch McConnell, the senior Republican leader in Congress and normally one of Trump’s staunchest supporters, blasted the action by Trump as “a stab in the back” to our Kurdish allies.  "I urge the President to exercise American leadership to keep together our multinational coalition to defeat ISIS and prevent significant conflict between our NATO ally Turkey and our local Syrian counterterrorism partners," the Kentucky Senator said. "Major new conflict between Turkey and our partners in Syria would seriously risk damaging Turkey's ties to the United States and causing greater isolation for Turkey on the world stage.”

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), another Trump loyalist, posted on Twitter, “By abandoning the Kurds we have sent the most dangerous signal possible – America is an unreliable ally and it’s just a matter of time before China, Russia, Iran and North Korea act out in dangerous ways.”  

Graham pointedly announced, “We wil introduce bipartisan sanctions against Turkey if they invade Syria and will call for their suspension from NATO if they attack Kurdish forces who assisted the U.S. in the destruction of the ISIS Caliphate.” In a follow-up Tweet, he added, “Hope and expect sanctions against Turkey—if necessary, will be veto-proof.  This decision to abandon our Kurdish allies and turn Syria over to Russia, Iran & Turkey will put every radical Islamist on steroids. Shot in the arm to the bad guys. Devastating for the good guys.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), the Democrats’ senior leader, called the decision “a deeply disturbing development.” She said ISIS remains a serious threat, adding, “By turning operational responsibility over to the Turks, President Trump has abandoned our Kurdish partners. This decision poses a dire threat to regional security and stability, and sends a dangerous message to Iran and Russia, as well as our allies, that the United States is no longer a trusted partner.”

Both McConnell and ISIS have urged the President to reverse his decision.

Other prominent Republicans have denounced Trump’s action to abruptly pull out troops – an action that has already begun since his announcement, and abandon protection of Kurdish allies.

Senator Mitt Romney (R-Utah) posted on Twitter, “This president’s decision to abandon our Kurdish allies in Northern Syria is ultimately a victory for Assad, Russia, Iran and ISIS. The Administration must immediately reconsider withdrawing the few remaining US Troops who are playing a vital peacekeeping role.”

Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) tweeted that while the President is “right to want to bring our soldiers home…we cannot allow ISIS to return.

Right now some 15,000 ISIS fighters remain in Iraq and Syria, and Idlib Province has a higher concentration of terrorists than any location in last 40 years.”

Congresswoman Liz Cheney (R-WY), daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney, posted on Twitter, “Withdrawing US forces from Northern Syria is a catastrophic mistake that puts our gains against ISIS at risk and threatens US security. This decision ignores lesson of 9/11. Terrorists thousands of miles away can and will use their safe-havens to launch attacks against America.”

Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA) warns that the withdrawal “could also lead to war between Turkey and Syrian Kurrds, a result that will boost enemy regimes in Syria, Iran and Russia. This betrayal of the Kurds will also severely harm our credibility as an ally the world over.”

Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) issued a press statement condemning the action, which she says will “create a power vacuum that will jeopardize the gains we’ve made.  We cannot allow those who have fought by our side to be left alone at a time when bad state actors like Russia and Iran are looking to increase their sphere of influence across the Middle East. I’m concerned about the precedents that would be set by caving to Turkey, who has increasingly taken actions contrary to the best interests of the United States.”

Fox News commentator Brit Hume posted his own tweet criticizing Trump’s action. “This seems utterly reckless on Trump’s part,” he wrote.

Even Evangelical preacher Pat Robertson announced that Trump risks losing his “mandate from heaven” if he does not reverse his decision to pull troops out of Syria. 

Retired Admiral James Stavridis told MSNBC, “Everyone was absolutely flabbergasted” by Trumps troop withdrawal announcement. “Nobody saw it coming and that is a real problem when you’re trying to conduct not only foreign policy…but military operations.”

Up until last week, the Pentagon and State Department Special Representative for Syria Engagement James Jeffrey believed s system of safe zones and joint patrols were in place to prevent the Truks’ long-threatened incursion against the Syrian Democratic Forces, the U.S.-backed paramilitary group that includes Kurdish guerilla groups that formerly fought against the Turkish government.

Trump’s former ISIS envoy Brett McGurk, a senior diplomat who has served in both Republican and Democratic administrations, issued scathing comdemnation. “Donald Trump is not a Commander-in-Chief. He makes impulsive decisions with no knowledge or deliberation. He sends military personnel into harm’s way with no backing. He blusters and then leaves our allies exposed when adversaries call his bluff or he confronts a hard phone call."

McGurk also blasted a statement from Trump’s press secretary claiming that “Turkey will now be responsible for all ISIS fighters in the area captured over the past two years” after other nations refused to take the prisoners from the U.S.  “The United States is not holding any ISIS detainees,” McGurk tweeted. “They are all being held by the SDF which Trump just served up to Turkey.”

Trump issued his own string of Tweets responding to the criticism, stating, “…if Turkey doe anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I’ve done before!). They must, with Europe and others, watch over the captured ISIS fighters and families. The U.S. has done far more than anyone could have ever expected, including the capture of 100% of the ISIS caliphate. It is time now for others in the region, some of great wealth, to protect their own territory. THE USA IS GREAT!”

Trump’s own Secretary of Defense Mark Esper tweeted a correction of Trump’s statement and excoriating criticism of his own, but later deleted his post. 

“While ISIS territory has been greatly curtailed, it’s not true to say that the U.S. captured 100% of its former caliphate (or that anyone has). ISIS still remains a threat. President seems to trust Turkey enough to do this.  Whereas folks like his former U.N. ambassador and those above, do not.”  Esper included an image of a statement that the Dept. of Defense “does not endorse a Turkish operation in Northern Syria.  We will work with our NATO allies and Coalition partners to reiterate to Turkey the possible destabilizing consequences of potential actions to Turkey, the region and beyond…”

Defense Secretary Esper concluded, “Hopefully the President’s `great and unmatched’ wisdom won’t result in a genocide of longtime U.S. allies.”

By Miriam Raftery

Photo via @WhiteHouse on Twitter: President Biden, Vice President Harris and members of the President’s national security team observe the counterterrorism operation responsible for removing from the battlefield Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi — the leader of ISIS.

February 3, 2022 (Washington D.C.) – President Joe Biden announced this morning that the leader of ISIS is dead. The terrorist leader detonated a suicide bomb as troops closed in at his home in Syria, killing his own family members rather than be captured, President Joe Biden and White House officials announced.

There were no U.S. casualties, according to the Pentagon. The raid also reportedly killed an ISIS lieutenant, who barricaded himself in a room and engaged in a firefight with U.S. soldiers.

“Last night at my direction, U.S. military forces successfully undertook a counterterrorism operation. Thanks to the bravery of our Armed Forces, we have removed from the battlefield Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi — the leader of ISIS,” Biden announced on Twitter.

Biden told reporters this morning that the U.S. military chose a raid with special forces over an air strike because al-Qurayshi was with his family, a choice the Pentagon hoped would reduce the chances of civilian casualties.

“Knowing that this terrorist had chosen to surround himself with families, including children, we made a choice to pursue a special forces raid at a much greater risk to our own people, rather than targeting him with an air strike,” Biden stated. Officials said that the raid also took out an ISIS lieutenant, who barricaded himself on the second floor of the building and engaged in a firefight with U.S. forces, the Hill reports.

Al Qurayshi took control of ISIS after a 2019 U.S. counterterrorism strike killed the former ISIS leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

The President thanks troops for their bravery in carrying out an “incredibly challenging mission”, and noted that ISIS has continued targeting Americans, U.S. allies and civilians in the Middle East, African and South Asia.

He ended with a warning to other terrorists.  “We remain vigilant, we remain prepared,” he said. “Last night’s operation took a major terrorist leader off the battlefield and it sent a strong message to terrorists around the world — we will come after you and find you.”