George Bush’S Great America [EN]: Chapter 361

The Great America of George W. Bush – Episode 360

< Episode 360 >

Europe is grappling with a massive influx of refugees.

Bush attributed the crisis to Europe’s own policies, pointing out that their governments initiated the wars and established the frameworks that led to the refugee crisis. However, many European citizens felt unjustly burdened. While some might argue they were complicit in supporting the EU’s invasion of Iraq, the root cause of the problem, such a perspective implies that no one is entirely blameless.

To many Europeans, the refugees demanding constitutional changes without having contributed to the country felt like invaders. In some ways, this perception wasn’t entirely inaccurate. These refugees were, in effect, creating a separate nation within a nation, gradually expanding their influence and encroaching on the livelihoods of the native population.

While numerous countries accepted refugees, only one nation seemed to avoid the associated problems.

That nation was the United States.

This wasn’t due to a strict anti-refugee policy or a brilliant government solution. Several factors contributed to the US’s relative stability. First, Europe and Turkey served as initial buffers, absorbing the first waves of refugees. Second, the Atlantic Ocean acted as a natural barrier, separating Afro-Eurasia from the Americas, providing a significant distance advantage.

Even if the US welcomed Middle Eastern refugees, the journey itself was arduous. Of course, the US had accepted a considerable number of Middle Eastern refugees over time, with estimates, including illegal immigrants, reaching 1.5 million. This was by no means a negligible figure.

However, the US avoided major issues for several key reasons:

Firstly, the sheer size of the country provided ample space. Establishing refugee camps on otherwise unusable land addressed a significant portion of the problem. While this required substantial tax revenue, it simplified management.

When refugees integrate into cities, crime inevitably increases. While not all refugees commit crimes, discrimination from locals can push even well-intentioned individuals towards illegal activities, unless they possess extraordinary resilience.

Furthermore, significant cultural differences exist. While Islamic culture had gained some traction, it often clashed with the relentless efficiency demanded by American companies.

Those who feel wronged often seek to reclaim their rights, regardless of the fairness or justification of their actions. This sense of injustice can unite people, leading to the formation of groups. And what follows when groups form?

Therefore, large-scale refugee camps, while not ideal, represented a viable second-best option. They concentrated potential problems in one area, and job creation could be focused within the camps themselves, addressing a key demand of the refugees.

Of course, conventional methods wouldn’t suffice. If they did, Europe would have already implemented them. In fact, throughout history, job shortages rarely triggered such widespread unrest.

The Bush administration granted the refugee camps a degree of ‘autonomy,’ minimizing interference in their internal affairs. This was a temporary solution that could potentially lead to future issues, but it proved effective in the short term.

Initially, such measures were unnecessary. There was no need for autonomy or even refugee camps. The US had abundant job opportunities, and absorbing a few more workers wasn’t a problem. As for the crime rate, it was a drop in the bucket.

While the public might have disliked the situation, they were gaining far more than they were losing. The labor shortage was alleviated, boosting the economy. The American Dream experienced a resurgence.

The situation changed with the outbreak of Super SARS. Bush spearheaded a global effort, leveraging US resources and encouraging international investment to develop a cure quickly.

During this time, Bush avoided implementing widespread quarantine measures. While the government did take precautions, they didn’t mandate individual compliance, knowing that such appeals would be ignored.

Opponents would rally and spread the disease like zombies in a movie.

In other words, forcing quarantine on individuals, rather than focusing on government action, was futile and a waste of resources. Therefore, Bush gambled on finding a cure, and his gamble paid off.

However, the interim period wasn’t without its challenges. While the outcome was positive, the process had consequences. America’s brief golden age ended. While ‘returning to normal’ was a more accurate description than ‘decline’ or ‘regression,’ job opportunities undeniably decreased. Furthermore, it became cheaper to employ people from slums than refugees.

It’s important to note that cultural differences, a major issue in Europe, weren’t as significant in the US. The wars in Afghanistan and their aftermath had increased interest in Islamic culture. Moreover, Bush’s appeals to refugees after the 9/11 terrorist attacks had softened public opinion.

However, the principles of capitalism dictated that cheaper labor would be favored. Refugees were gradually marginalized, and as the US began to resemble Europe, the Bush administration took preemptive action.

They established refugee camps, granted limited autonomy, and declared a halt to accepting ‘Middle Eastern refugees.’ The key was the limited nature of this autonomy, with plans to repatriate refugees once the Middle East stabilized.

In other words, they were denied the citizenship crucial for long-term integration into the US. While this sparked backlash, the refugees lacked allies. With Europe abandoning its pretense of supporting refugees, no nation remained to advocate for them.

East Asia maintained its conservative refugee policies, while Australia aggressively reversed its open-door policy, effectively ceasing refugee intake. Even illegal immigrants were deported.

In normal times, such actions would be condemned as inhumane, but the economic turmoil caused by the refugee influx created an emergency situation. In emergencies, atrocities are often tolerated, or at least dealt with later.

Returning to the US, the Middle Eastern refugee situation was managed as described above. The focus then shifted to illegal immigration from Central and South America. Despite its reputation as a nation of immigrants, the US doesn’t automatically grant refugee status, as the disadvantages outweigh the advantages.

The only potential benefit a country gains from accepting refugees is a sense of moral superiority. Additionally, it can secure labor or manipulate political conflicts for the regime’s benefit.

And the losses? Just look at Europe. Of course, Europe’s problems were exacerbated by the sheer number of refugees, exceeding manageable levels.

However, the relative acceptance of Central and South American immigrants stemmed from their ‘Hispanic’ identity. Hispanics already had a presence in the US, creating a significant difference compared to Middle Eastern refugees.

At least, the US didn’t experience the full-scale conflict between refugees and citizens seen in Europe. The primary concern was the sheer ‘number’ of refugees, regardless of public sentiment. The influx from Central and South America was enormous. While still smaller than Europe’s influx, Bush, generally tolerant on human rights, grew weary after reviewing the reports.

The caravan that entered the US the previous year totaled 220,000 people, including legal and illegal immigrants. This was a significant number that couldn’t be ignored.

This influx had to be stopped. Building a Great Wall of China in the 21st century was impractical, but measures were needed. The approach involved using both incentives and pressure on Central and South American countries. Funds were provided to Brazil and other nations in the name of stabilization, while simultaneously pressuring them to prevent emigration to the US.

This proved somewhat effective, and the caravans heading to the US decreased noticeably. However, a considerable number still entered illegally, but the situation remained manageable.

This was the US’s overall refugee policy in the first half of 2008. It wasn’t a problem that could be solved immediately but a long-term challenge for future presidents.

The US acted swiftly and managed to achieve a temporary solution, but Europe faced a different reality. Conflict between refugees and citizens was now commonplace. Petty crimes like pickpocketing and theft occurred hundreds or thousands of times daily, while major crimes like murder and rape happened at least once a day.

Under normal circumstances, this wouldn’t have occurred. But these were not normal times. In abnormal situations, anything was possible, such as a legal Islamic party gaining power in a European country.

This situation fueled fears of “Eurabia,” the idea that Europe would become an Islamic continent. Even those previously sympathetic to refugees now shared this concern. And with governments largely silent, the conflict intensified, leading to the present crisis.

To fully understand the escalation to full-scale war, we must rewind the clock slightly.

January 1, 2008. A time when most countries were celebrating the New Year with traditional festivities.

“T, this is a dream. This can’t be real!”

A flag symbolizing Islam was being paraded through the center of Berlin. It was an unholy procession, Islam’s invasion of the Christian world. Refugees had come to drive out the locals.