World Politics News   Articles for World Politics Course

A growing number of state governors–including, to my dismay, Governor Baker of Massachusetts–have announced that they will not take in any Syrian refugees.  That decision is based on fear and not on any clear understanding of the nature of refugees and the overwhelming moral imperative to take them in no matter what the risks may be.  It may be instructive to remember how the US opposed the admission of Jewish refugees in 1938.   We should never let our fears override our responsibilities  as human beings.

A bomb blast killed 32 people in the Nigerian city of Yola.  The bombing had all the hallmarks of an attack by Boko Haram, the radical group in the northern part of the country.  President Muhammadu Buhari, who took office last May, has vowed to stop the group but has been unable thus far to limit the violence.  Since he took office, Boko Haram has killed about 1,000 people.   The group has also declared its allegiance to the Islamic State and considers itself to be part of the Caliphate established by the IS.

France has invoked Article 42.7 of the EU’s Lisbon Treaty which triggers off a mutual defense clause among all 27 members of the European Union.  According to reports, all members of the EU have responded positively to the request, but it is not at all clear what commitments have been made.  Interestingly, France has yet to invoke Article 5 of the NATO charter which has a much more binding mutual defense commitment:

Article 5

The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence recognised by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.

Any such armed attack and all measures taken as a result thereof shall immediately be reported to the Security Council. Such measures shall be terminated when the Security Council has taken the measures necessary to restore and maintain international peace and security .

Article 5 has only been invoked once since 1949 after the attack on the US on 11 September 2001.