Does Briton have a moral duty to take in as many Afghan refugees as possible?

GrannyGravy13

Ailidh

Yes.

I know there have been other situations that triggered it for other people but for me the Afghan situation is the one that makes me downright ashamed of my country's political leaders.

There are U.K. troops alongside US and Allied Troops keeping the Military side of Kabul Airport operational, they are processing evacuees round the clock.

The Defence Secretary has been giving interviews this morning, very interesting to listen to.

That's very heartening. And what I read about our Ambassador and our Embassy makes me very proud.

However, I am still ashamed of the political decisions that put them and the Afghan people in this situation.

Yes, definitely.

Of course.

The Taliban have called for an amnesty. They are asking for women to join the new government.

PippaZ

I think Lincslass that it is the government that governs. That means the buck stops with the leader of the party in power - Johnson.

It comes to something when his fans sink low enough to blame civil servants in order to protect Tory's, many of whom would be disowned by the majority of their own MPs, given half a chance.

What a pleasant person, calling me low, They are now coming, you think civil servants are beyond reproach. Are you one?
www.herald.ng/foreign-office-blocks-35-afghan-students-uk-scholarships/

Alegrias1

Is shows what we've come to when the response to the biggest foreign policy disaster in recent years, when people ask us to step up to our responsibilities, we get the "oh we're full, they could be terrorists, they're not like me, why didn't they stay and fight."

I'll be listening chapeau on this, not someone who thinks we're overrun. Shameful.

Well, we're not that full. Our government has managed to create some 160,000 empty spaces over the past 18months...

Totally agree. There is also the problem of overrunning the NHS, schools and housing. We are a very small country trying to keep our own people safe from coronavirus and terrorism. Of course we must help but we must be sensible about what kind of help we give and don't jump in feet first to the detriment of our own beautiful country. Surely there is another way? Not every Afgan would be keen to live here. We have heard all about the migrants complaining about their treatment here and moaning about certain areas they have been sent to describing it as "where you go to die". Common sense is required here not panic.

Yes from me (born here in the UK to parents who came to London from County Kerry, Ireland in 1948).

There's the most informative post from Chapeau on the "Am I Being Unreasonable to Weep for the Girls in Afghanistan" thread, quoting the words here for context and to address the many "_but the men_" posts -

Quote - Until a few years ago, I was a professor at the American University in Kabul for 4 years. Roughly half of my students were young women from all over the country, most on scholarships. Bright, enthusiastic and so determined to succeed for the betterment of Afghanistan.
For those of you concerned about the young men at the airport, my sources on the ground there tell me that the majority are ethnic Hazara. Being predominantly Shia Muslims they have been a persecuted minority for years in the region both in Afghanistan and the surrounding countries. The Sunni Taliban have once again decreed that all males should grow a beard which, because of their Asian descent, is almost an impossibility for Hazara males. During the previous Taliban period, hundreds of Hazara men were tortured and killed because of this. The recent spate of Taliban (and Daesh) attacks and suicide bombings in Kabul have specifically targeted the Hazara. Is it any wonder that these young men are risking their lives hanging onto evacuation planes at the airport? Unquote

I read that this morning and thought, of course. I'd read the Taliban question and beat men on the streets without beards. Makes sense when you know.

Interesting link from CNN relevant to the issues facing women now in Afghanistan.
edition.cnn.com/2021/08/17/asia/afghanistan-women-taliban-intl-hnk-dst/index.html?utm_source=twCNN&utm_content=2021-08-17T08%3A45%3A07&utm_term=link&utm_medium=social

I am obviously in the minority but No. These people need to fight for their own country. If all the young men heading over here stayed and fought they may stand a chance to defeat them. We should only take those who worked with our forces and as a result are in real danger.

Is shows what we've come to when the response to the biggest foreign policy disaster in recent years, when people ask us to step up to our responsibilities, we get the "oh we're full, they could be terrorists, they're not like me, why didn't they stay and fight."

I'll be listening chapeau on this, not someone who thinks we're overrun. Shameful.

How lovely to be able to say that in theory. You have absolutely no idea what would you do Floriel.

Most definitely the interpreter's and their families.

Personally, I do think we have a moral duty to take in refugees. That said, of course, they should all be vetted carefully and their personal circumstances taken into consideration.

Afghanistan has enjoyed relative freedom and human rights for the last 20 years. It must seem intolerable to have these rights removed, especially for younger people and women.

The official Taliban stance vs the potential threat to the general population seems miles apart. We'll soon see what happens.

"There's always one.' Make that two, Alegrias. I too feel sick to the stomach about what is happening out there, particularly to the women and girls, but I don't want hundreds of thousands more refugees here, especially from a culture so different from ours. If the Taliban came here I'd fight to the death and 'take one with me' as Churchill said. I don't understand why the Afghan forces didn't put up more of a fight.

Yes! We should recognise the huge humanitarian suffering and need and be generous and take as many as possible into this country. If it was us facing what they are facing in Afghanistan, we'd look at people living safe lives and struggle to understand how they could abandon us.

Yes we should take the ones who were working for us & their families. Also some of those who are not being taken by other countries but not a huge amount.
We can justify it by not letting in the
people coming over the channel by boat from France-they do not need to do this as they will be homed by France & Spain if they stay where they are. They just think we are a soft option.

We should now be repaying a lot of those poor people who helped our armed forces, teachers who tried to educate those little girls, interpreters, etc by giving them refuge here now. Time is running out and decisions need to be made now, no messing about.

Reading some of the posts, those from the gut rather than the brain, I do wonder what some people think the Americans, with our help, were there to do?

PippaZ

Tweet by Rory Stewart.

Well done Angela Merkel - Canada and Germany showing leadership - again - but there are many more who need assistance …now is the time to create a responsible international structure to share burdens and fulfil our obligations to the most vulnerable
Quote Tweet
Reuters
@Reuters
· 3h
Germany must evacuate 10,000 people from Afghanistan, Merkel tells party reut.rs/3CLiOuB

So true - why can't the UK have a proper leader like Angela Merkel, or Jacinda Ardern.

I think Lincslass that it is the government that governs. That means the buck stops with the leader of the party in power - Johnson.

It comes to something when his fans sink low enough to blame civil servants in order to protect Tory's, many of whom would be disowned by the majority of their own MPs, given half a chance.

Edith81

So sad for these poor people. We must help them as much as possible. I think Britain and the US have betrayed them and left them in the lurch. Of course, had there been oil there, the Us would certainly stir be there, also our Armed Forces are wondering why so much was sacrificed to come back to square one.

Well said

Whitewavemark2

Lincslass

PippaZ

Of course. I want no weasle words on this from our current government.

Aparently they have now agreed to take the Afghan Chevening scholars who were promised places earlier this year. Well done those who campaigned on this.

You do realise it was the mandarins at the FO that said they couldn’t come. Boris stepped in and turned it round. Whatever he does it won’t be right in some peoples eyes.

You mean Priti Patel I think.

IF it was Johnson who turned this around it will only be because of the massive outcry the ruling provoked. He has, time and time again, proved himself to be reactive, not proactive. He only acts when he can see the tories losing votes. He has no principles. Everyone should know this by now.

MaggsMcG

We should take our fair share but send the dinghy people back to France. I read an article on Internet that 90% of the people in Afghanistan want Shari Law. So maybe they will be happy. The rest of the world can help the 10% that don't.

Wow - you really believe this?

"We should take our fair share but send the dinghy people back to France."

So the UK - well England maybe - should be selective about what type of refugee to accept? It is a source of shame that this country has accepted so few, and so ungraciously.

Maybe Priti Patel has done a deal with Australia, and we can set up camps for "processing refugees/asylum seekers" in its outlying island territories.

Lincslass

PippaZ

Of course. I want no weasle words on this from our current government.

Aparently they have now agreed to take the Afghan Chevening scholars who were promised places earlier this year. Well done those who campaigned on this.

You do realise it was the mandarins at the FO that said they couldn’t come. Boris stepped in and turned it round. Whatever he does it won’t be right in some peoples eyes.

"Boris stepped in and turned it around...."

Yeah - like we all believe that one. He doesn't care about people in the UK, and "Johnny Foreigner" won't register in his consciousness.

Lincslass

PippaZ

Of course. I want no weasle words on this from our current government.

Aparently they have now agreed to take the Afghan Chevening scholars who were promised places earlier this year. Well done those who campaigned on this.

You do realise it was the mandarins at the FO that said they couldn’t come. Boris stepped in and turned it round. Whatever he does it won’t be right in some peoples eyes.

You mean Priti Patel I think.