Australian Defense Minister warns against accepting Afghan guards and interpreters

[mellowyellow]

Australian Defense Minister Peter Dutton has accused some of the former Afghan guards and interpreters who worked with Australia of shifting their allegiance to the Taliban or al-Qaida, and denounced critics of the Morrison government’s response as “lounge chair experts”.

In an interview on Wednesday defending the government’s slow processing of some of the visa applications, Dutton suggested that an unspecified number could pose a security threat, and said he would be criticised “if one person was brought in that committed an atrocity in our country”.

Dutton also told ABC TV some of the applicants may be hiding their true identity or “forum shopping” by seeking visas from multiple countries, and he said some family groups included “males of fighting age” and “we don’t know enough about those individuals”.

He questioned whether some of the countries pledging to rapidly resettle thousands of refugees from Afghanistan would actually follow through: “Let’s see whether people put their money where their mouth is.”

Source: The Guardian

 

[Warrigal]

He really is a piece of work, isn't he? Dutton has proved over and over again that his heart is a piece of granite.

When ruthless people are in charge of your country/territory and the foreigners that are withdrawing their support couldn't care less about the safety of your family, it makes sense to placate the local war lord.

I grew up with a girl whose parents were in Ukraine during the German occupation. I've always suspected that her father assisted the Germans. When the Russians were on the doorstep the family fled to Germany and were in Berlin when it was being carpet bombed at the end of the war. As refugees they were accepted by Australia. My friend's baby brother died of dysentery before the boat sailed and they arrived in Sydney with just one suitcase. They were not Nazis, nor Communists. They were just a family hoping to survive.

 

[Murrmurr]

From the late 70s to the mid-90s thousands of Vietnam refugees settled in my city. There were so many, the city named their business district Little Saigon, as many large cities did. The new citizens opened grocery stores, hair & nail salons, dozens of restaurants and noodle houses, laundromats, produce and flower shops and 2 shops that sell movies and CDs in their native languages. There were never any VC gangs, no significant police activity related to the Vietnamese population, except when one of their businesses gets burglarized (always by someone who isn't Vietnamese)....no problems, period. Currently, a descendant of a Mr and Mrs Refugee is running for re-election to congress.

 

[Warrigal]

Same in Sydney, Murrmurr. When Vietnamese fleeing from the Viet Cong arrived in Australia many were housed not far from where I live and they were welcomed by locals who brought them gifts of clothing and helped them to find housing. Many were catholics and the Baptist church where I attended Sunday School gave them their old church building for a community centre.

At first many Australians were hostile because there has always been a high level of xenophobia over here towards Asians. There were quite a few unaccompanied minors and not unexpectedly many got into trouble but that has been the case since early days in the colony.

Overall, Australia is the successful and civilised society that it is because of the contributions of migrants and their descendants. We have plenty of room for many more of them. After all, don't we sing about our "endless plains to share"?

 

[fmdog44]

Many wars in South America, the Middle East and Africa result in thousands fleeing their homes.

 

[Don M.]

I would imagine that these Afghan refugees would be Very appreciative towards Any nation that takes them in. Those people are facing a personal tragedy few of us can fully understand. If history repeats itself, any of those who have helped our troops in this conflict, and fail to escape, will most likely be "eliminated". Those who DO escape, but leave family behind, will probably never see their relatives again.

 

[fuzzybuddy]

My God!!! Some Afghans have "males of fighting age". We lets just shoot the SOBs.
I doubt many Afghans would pass "Dutton's" true Aussie Loyalty Test. When people are fleeing for their lives, it's not exactly the right time to judge them.