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Albright, Kissinger ask Congress to back off refugee legislation
By Eliza Collins
12/01/15 03:10 PM EST
Madeleine Albright, Henry Kissinger and David Petraeus have joined other national security experts and military leaders in calling on Congress to stop proposals that could deter the flow of Syrian and Iraqi refugees into the U.S.
“We believe that America can and should continue to provide refuge to those fleeing violence and persecution without compromising the security and safety of our nation," reads the letter, which was signed by a group of 20 bipartisan policy experts and sent to Congress on Tuesday. “To do otherwise would be contrary to our nation’s traditions of openness and inclusivity, and would undermine our core objective of combating terrorism,” it continues.
The letter writers said that the current refugee vetting process is already “robust and thorough.”
"Given the stringent measures in place, we are especially concerned by proposals that would derail or further delay the resettlement of Iraqis who risked their lives to work with the U.S. military and other U.S. organizations. These refugees were given priority access to U.S. resettlement under the Refugee Crisis in Iraq Act. The United States has a moral obligation to protect them,” they said.
The letter continues, “Refugees are victims, not perpetrators, of terrorism. Categorically refusing to take them only feeds the narrative of ISIS that there is a war between Islam and the West, that Muslims are not welcome in the United States and Europe, and that the ISIS caliphate is their true home.”
After the Nov. 13 terrorist attacks in Paris that left 130 dead, the House quickly passed legislation that would tighten screening for Syrian refugees, despite a veto threat from Obama. The Senate has yet to formally act.
The full list of signatories is below:
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/12/national-leaders-write-letter-congress-refugee-legislation-216318#ixzz3t78upkk3
(These dinosaurs need to retire - Oh How They Hate America)
By Eliza Collins
12/01/15 03:10 PM EST
Madeleine Albright, Henry Kissinger and David Petraeus have joined other national security experts and military leaders in calling on Congress to stop proposals that could deter the flow of Syrian and Iraqi refugees into the U.S.
“We believe that America can and should continue to provide refuge to those fleeing violence and persecution without compromising the security and safety of our nation," reads the letter, which was signed by a group of 20 bipartisan policy experts and sent to Congress on Tuesday. “To do otherwise would be contrary to our nation’s traditions of openness and inclusivity, and would undermine our core objective of combating terrorism,” it continues.
The letter writers said that the current refugee vetting process is already “robust and thorough.”
"Given the stringent measures in place, we are especially concerned by proposals that would derail or further delay the resettlement of Iraqis who risked their lives to work with the U.S. military and other U.S. organizations. These refugees were given priority access to U.S. resettlement under the Refugee Crisis in Iraq Act. The United States has a moral obligation to protect them,” they said.
The letter continues, “Refugees are victims, not perpetrators, of terrorism. Categorically refusing to take them only feeds the narrative of ISIS that there is a war between Islam and the West, that Muslims are not welcome in the United States and Europe, and that the ISIS caliphate is their true home.”
After the Nov. 13 terrorist attacks in Paris that left 130 dead, the House quickly passed legislation that would tighten screening for Syrian refugees, despite a veto threat from Obama. The Senate has yet to formally act.
The full list of signatories is below:
- Madeleine K. Albright, Former Secretary of State
- Samuel R. Berger, Former National Security Advisor
- Zbigniew K. Brzezinski, Former National Security Advisor
- General George W. Casey, Jr., U.S. Army (Ret.), Former Chief of Staff, U.S. Army
- Michael Chertoff, Former Secretary of Homeland Security
- William S. Cohen, Former Secretary of Defense
- Stephen J. Hadley, Former National Security Advisor
- Chuck Hagel, Former Secretary of Defense
- General Michael V. Hayden, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), Former Director, Central Intelligence Agency
- General James L. Jones, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.), Former National Security Advisor, Former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, Former Commandant of the Marine Corps
- Henry A. Kissinger, Former Secretary of State, Former National Security Advisor
- General Richard B. Myers, U.S. Air Force (Ret.), Former Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
- Janet A. Napolitano, Former Secretary of Homeland Security
- Leon E. Panetta, Former Secretary of Defense, Former Director, Central Intelligence Agency
- General David H. Petraeus, U.S. Army (Ret.), Former Director, Central Intelligence Agency, Former Commander, U.S. Central Command
- William J. Perry, Former Secretary of Defense
- Brent Scowcroft, Former National Security Advisor
- George P. Shultz, Former Secretary of State
- Admiral James G. Stavridis, U.S. Navy (Ret.), Former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, Former Commander, U.S. Southern Command
- General John W. Vessey, Jr., U.S. Army (Ret.), Former Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/12/national-leaders-write-letter-congress-refugee-legislation-216318#ixzz3t78upkk3
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