Gen. Martin Dempsey Calls Migrant Flow Into Europe a 'Real Crisis'
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin Dempsey, called the flow of migrants into Europe from Syria and North Africa “a huge problem” and acknowledged that there is a growing recognition among U.S. and NATO military leaders “that this is a real crisis."
In an exclusive interview with ABC News’ Martha Raddatz,
Dempsey said the issue of migrants flowing into Europe has been “the
most prominent issue” discussed by U.S. and NATO military leaders at
regular meetings the past few months. More of Dempsey's interview will
air this Sunday on ABC News' “This Week with George Stephanopoulos.”
“The southern Europeans feel as though they’re not gaining enough
support for this challenge, the central and northern European leaders
feel as though it’s a problem that needs to be dealt with in the south,”
Dempsey said. “Although, I think there’s beginning to be a bit of
recognition that this is, this is a real crisis."
Dempsey said that the issue of migrants fleeing violence in Syria and North Africa is “something I’m concerned about.”
Dempsey added that one of the things that's changed since he became
chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff "is the prominence of this refugee
and internally displaced person problem, and it is a huge problem.”
Dempsey’s term as chairman ends on Oct. 1, when Marine Gen. Joseph
Dunford will succeed him as the nation’s top military officer.
The image of a 3-year-old Syrian boy who had drowned off the coast of Turkey has galvanized world attention on the migrants desperately fleeing the war in Syria for Europe.
Dempsey said the photos may have a similar effect to the 1995 deadly
mortar attack on a Sarajevo market square that tipped the balance in
favor of NATO’s intervention in Bosnia.
“I remember the world stopped and looked at Sarajevo,” Dempsey said.
“Today, while we sit here, there’s 60 million refugees in the world,
42,000 families a day according to the U.N., and it just feels like
there’s not the level of interest in it that that one incident in
Sarajevo generated, you know, just, 20 years ago.”
Dempsey said the implications of a breakdown of family units among those
60 million refugees is an issue that future leaders will deal with for
decades.
“My own judgment on this is we need to look both unilaterally and with
partners at these issues as a generational problem, and organize
ourselves and resource ourselves at a sustainable level to deal with it
for 20 years,” said Dempsey.
Dempsey said he was aware of unconfirmed press reports that Russia’s military might be looking at more active ways to back the regime of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad against ISIS and other rebel groups.
Dempsey said a Russian effort to train and equip Syria’s military “would
be one thing,” but “if they actually participate in the campaign
against, what they believe to be ISIL, it could complicate things.” ISIL
is another name used to describe ISIS.
“I don’t think they would be as discriminating among groups as maybe we
would,” Dempsey said. “I mean there’s probably four, five, six, 10, 15
groups, and if they’re all declared to be anti-regime, and then the
weight of this effort would be thrown against them, then I think that’s a
problem.”
end quote from:
http://abcnews.go.com/ThisWeek/gen-martin-dempsey-calls-migrant-flow-europe-real/story?id=33513415
Gen. Martin Dempsey Calls Migrant Flow Into Europe a 'Real Crisis'
Gen. Martin Dempsey Calls Migrant Flow Into Europe a 'Real Crisis'
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