Syrian Refugee Crisis: on War & Peace


Ben Carson: Support Syrian refugees in Jordan; place more with Kurds

Q: You recently visited a Syrian refugee camp in Jordan and you deemed it "really quite nice." Are these camps are a long-term solution?

CARSON: I asked the Syrians themselves: What do you want? Their supreme desire was to be settled back in their own country. I said, "What can America do?" They said, "Support the efforts of those who are trying to provide safety for us, including the Jordanians." They had a brand new hospital, for instance, that was unstaffed because there wasn't enough money to do it. But if you go into Hasakah province, that's an area that's as big as Lebanon. It's controlled by the Kurds, the Christians and the moderate Sunnis. You could settle a lot of people there.

Sen. Lindsey GRAHAM: I've been to the refugee camps in Turkey, and Jordan. We've got to stop this war. Do you realize that there are more Syrian refugees in Lebanon going to school than Lebanese children? Do you realize if this war goes for another year the King of Jordan could fall? Let's have a no-fly zone

Source: 2015 CNN/Salem Republican debate on Syrian Refugees Dec 15, 2015

Lindsey Graham: If Syrian war goes on another year, Jordan's king might fall

Q [to Carson]: You recently visited a Syrian refugee camp. Do you think these camps are a long-term solution?

Dr. Ben CARSON: I asked the Syrians themselves: What do you want? Their supreme desire was to be settled back in their own country. I said, "What can America do?" They said, "Support the efforts of those who are trying to provide safety for us, including the Jordanians." They had a brand new hospital, for instance, that was unstaffed because there wasn't enough money to do it. But if you go into Hasakah province, that's an area that's as big as Lebanon. It's controlled by the Kurds, the Christians and the moderate Sunnis. You could settle a lot of people there.

GRAHAM: I've been to the refugee camps in Turkey, and Jordan. We've got to stop this war. Do you realize that there are more Syrian refugees in Lebanon going to school than Lebanese children? Do you realize if this war goes for another year the King of Jordan could fall? Let's have a no-fly zone.

Source: 2015 CNN/Salem Republican debate on Syrian Refugees Dec 15, 2015

John Kasich: No-fly zone 1st priority, but ok with more aid for refugees

Q: Ben Carson is saying what we need to do is give more money to Jordan and other places to help Syrian refugees. Is that the answer?

KASICH: I don't mind if we give some humanitarian aid to the Jordanians or the Saudis if need be, but I've been for this no-fly zone so that we can have a sanctuary for people to be safe. And it was the Kurds and perhaps the Jordanians who could defend it. But the Russians have now deployed S-400 air defense system that threatens our ability to move around. The only thing you can do with that air defense system is to take it out. And of course that's very serious.

Q: You would take out a Russian air defense system?

KASICH: No, I think that we should proceed with moving forward on a no-fly zone. And I think we should proceed by putting boots on the ground and a coalition with Europeans and with our friends in the Middle East like we had in the first Gulf War to destroy ISIS once and for all.

Source: ABC This Week 2015 interview on Syrian Refugee crisis Nov 29, 2015

John Kasich: US ground troops in Syria, but not involved in civil war

As for his policy to defeat ISIS, he proposed leading a coalition that includes soldiers fighting on the ground in both Syria and Iraq. He would not indicate a number and said the coalition should not be involved in Syria's civil war. "Civil wars do not work out well for the U.S.," he said. "Nation building. Count me out."
Source: 2016 presidential hopefuls on Syrian Refugees by NBC News Nov 17, 2015

Maggie Hassan: We are at war on ISIS; intensify our efforts to destroy them

It's clear that we must do more to defeat ISIS. To eliminate ISIS:
  • We must intensify our efforts to destroy ISIS's command and control structure through both air strikes and targeted special operations raids where necessary.
  • We must increase our coordination and support for moderate forces like the Kurdish fighters who have shown promising capability on the battlefield.
  • We must strengthen both our intelligence capabilities and our ability to cut off ISIS's funding mechanisms by targeting its lucrative oil business and smuggling activities.
  • And we must increase pressure on Russia and the rest of the international community to reach a political solution in Syria that takes into account who will fill the void that will be left after Assad. And it also means that Congress should finally take up, debate and pass a strong Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF), and be honest with the American people about the fact that we are at war with ISIS.
    Source: Hassan OpEd in Manchester Union Leader on Syrian Refugees Nov 17, 2015

    • The above quotations are from Opinions and policy on the Syrian Refugee crisis.
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    Page last updated: Dec 03, 2021