Syrian Refugees Research Paper

The terrorist attacks on Paris furthered the rejection of Syrian refugees by enhancing the Islamophobia against Syrians, feeding to the Anti Syrian Sentiment. The international community used the fear produced from the Paris attacks to develop more restrictive policies such as closing borders, refugee detainment, and Syrian refugees now seek shelter with the negative stigma of being associated to terrorism.

On the night of November 13th, six specific Parisian local hotspots, chosen by ISIS extremists, were bombarded with explosives and gunfire. The main players involved were ISIS extremists against French people. The motive behind this massacre was to attack sites that were against the moral values of ISIS. The Islamic State refers to Paris

as "the capital of abominations and perversions," resulting in terrorist attacks being committed in areas where French residents go to enjoy themselves (International Business Times). Many people were puzzled to discover that the targeted locations were not prestigious landmarks visited by tourists. The sites chosen were locations of pure amusement: a sports stadium, a concert hall, restaurants and bars.
Initial attacks occurred simultaneously, with two explosions close to the Stade de France, and eventually moving into Central Paris. In total, 352 people were injured, 99 people were in critical condition and 130 people were pronounced dead (source). This was the deadliest violence strike against France since World War II. The most bloodshed occurred at the concert hall hosting an American rock band. The concert hall had many civilians held hostage, with the attackers later detonating their explosive belts. Once police forces stepped inside, the concert hall was already a horrific blood bath. In addition, dozens of civilians were killed in an attack in a restaurant in the 10th arrondissement and several other crowded establishments on a Friday night. It is quite alarming that terrorists preferred to cause mayhem in the heart of working-class Paris rather than a touristy neighborhood. Paris was a target because of the city’s core values and inclusive way of life. In the third location, authorities said that at least three people died when the bombs went off outside the soccer stadium.
Contrary to belief, the Paris massacre did not emerge out of the blue. Prior to the November 13th attack, France launched airstrikes in Syria on Sept. 27, 2015, a move that the governments of other European countries like the United Kingdom and Germany have yet to legally sanction. This airstrike worsened the relations between France and the Middle East, causing further animosity. Moreover, France opposes the idea that Assad should play a role in the Syrian transitional process from a dictatorship to a democratic state. France’s combative attitude toward Assad and the large scale of its intervention in Syria can be clarified by two factors. Firstly, France is using its interventionist foreign policy in Syria and the Middle East more broadly in order to reinforce its self-perception as a great power. Secondly, France regards its steadfast opposition to Assad as an opportunity to enhance security cooperation with anti-Assad Sunni countries in the Middle East that also share France’s deep distrust of Iran.
It is unfortunate that ISIS chose the 10th and 11th Districts of Paris; districts opposing France’s foreign policy (New York Times). These districts are neighborhoods with a strong immigrant and working-class influence, and have become increasingly gentrified in recent years. ISIS extremists were attentive with the culture of these French sites rather than the politics surrounding European involvement in the Middle East. These targeted locations are known for alcohol consumption, dining, and musical entertainment. They are locations where cultures and religions intermingle as thousands of people gather for a festive night. Regrettably, all these actions committed by Parisians challenge the foundation of ISIS’s pure principles.
As the crime scenes were investigated, it was alarming that there was discovery of a Syrian passport, found near the body of one of the terrorists. This newly found evidence generated maximum security within Europe and among other countries, such as the United States and Poland. It is unsure if the passport discovered was intentionally left behind by ISIS or as a way to frame Syrian refugees. Regardless of the intentions, the passport found at the site left a negative stigma against Syrian refugees. There is concern that ISIS supporters may be traveling alongside the thousands of asylum seekers coming into Europe. The possibility of this occurring has generated a backlash against Muslim refugees in Europe and even in the United States.
Immediately following the Paris terrorist attacks, United States President Obama made a statement on national television addressing the massacre by saying the attack is “… on all of humanity and the universal values we share”. As the United States oldest ally, we need to stand in solidarity with France during a period of immense struggle. President Obama furthered his address by saying that "we stand prepared and ready to provide whatever assistance the people of France need to respond." (CNN) Relief for refugees, fueled by the image in September of a drowned Syrian boy on a Turkish beach, has shifted to dire warnings of unacceptable security risks after the revelation that at least one of the terrorists arrived with migrants through Greece. Several governors now stand against refugees not being welcomed in their states. House GOP leaders are drafting legislation to Obama's plan to accept 10,000 refugees in 2016.
Texas senator, Ted Cruz, initially expressed acceptance in early 2014 concerning the refugee debacle. Cruz spoke about the dilemma concerning refugees seeking asylum in the United States, and spoke generally about U.S. values. "We have welcomed refugees, the tired huddled masses for centuries," he said. "That’s been the history of the United States. We should continue to do so,". In present day, with Syria's bloody civil war still raging and with fears stoked about ISIL fighters slipping into the U.S., Cruz takes back his acceptance and is pushing legislation that prevents Syrian refugees from entering the country. Cruz challenged Obama’s refugee relief efforts for 2016 "I have to say, particularly in light of what happened in Paris, that's nothing short of lunacy."
In present day, the refugee crisis is primarily an emergency of global governance.
Effective global governance is “a process of cooperative leadership that brings together national governments, multilateral public agencies, and civil society to achieve commonly accepted goals.”(International Monetary Fund) International countries, specifically the EU, need to be proactive when carefully addressing the problem.

There is a lack of aid for the countries attracting the most refugees as a result of the proximity to conflict zones is not effect governance. There should be strategies to share the burden among countries accepting refugees; and a renewed focus on addressing the underlying issues that motivated refugees to flee their home countries. Refugees face on a societal level is the ability to support themselves.” Davis described the local- and family-level challenges faced by those considering fleeing from conflict. She also brought attention to the disproportionate impact that the refugee crisis has on the already impoverished communities of the host

countries.
With 6 million, registered plus unregistered, Syrian refugees in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and the autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government of northern Iraq.

Still inside Syria, there are 7.6 million displaced by the chaos. These last, mainly Sunni Syrians, are especially vulnerable now that Russia, the main ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad after Shia Iran, has stormed into Syria and targeted most of its air strikes on non-Isis rebels caught between the regime and the jihadis’ so-called Islamic State. Walid Jumblatt, Lebanese leader, says most of these internal refugees will be permanently displaced, as the war fractures Syria on ethno-sectarian demographic lines. Jumblatt says, “The 7-8 million displaced will never be able to return to their homes and villages”. “They have been ethnically cleansed.” (CNN) Asylum seekers and refugees are running out of places to flee. Many could swell the Syrian migration just as aid turns against refugees. Still others could be driven to seek refuge with Isis, in its self-declared caliphate. This requires a political solution. Without a resolution, the refugee numbers expand and the duration of exile lengthens. The hope withers and refugees become frantic. At the same time, a gradual disproportionate weight arises to many developing countries that continue to host the majority of the world’s refugees. A solution to alleviate the burden on less developed host countries is for more developed nations to take some of the most vulnerable

refugees for resettlement.
Muslim extremist groups have been an issue for several decades now and the current actions of both the United States and France has not been successful. The airstrikes and continuous killings of civilians in the Middle East have generated further support for these Muslim extremist groups. However, ISIS is so extreme that negotiations and peace talks are non-existent. But what I do believe is that the global community should continue to close their borders to preserve their land and citizens. We must think of the greater good of our countries and disregard our inhibitions. If we aimlessly accept more refugees we can end up in Paris’s position of mass mayhem. Our families, friends, community and very existence can be tarnished at the hands of these unpredictable refugees.