Political leaders in the U.S., particularly on the far right, have used the attacks in Paris to galvanize support for their anti-immigrant platforms. Based on evidence that one of the attackers may have posed as a refugee to gain access to Europe, the House recently passed a bill to halt settling any refugees in the U.S. that originated from Syria or Iraq. Over two dozen governors have also, without any legal authority, refused refugees. This behavior, while not without precedent, is both baseless and repugnant to the fundamental character of this country.

There are over 4.3 million U.N-registered refugees who have fled Syria. Lebanon, which had a population of 4.5 million, absorbed 1.2 million Syrian refugees. Turkey, with a population of 75 million, is housing 2 million refugees.

And it’s not just countries in the Middle East accepting refugees from Syria. Germany (population: 80 million) has accepted 38,500 Syrian refugees. France (population: 66 million) announced, days after the attack in Paris, that it would accept 30,000 refugees. Canada (population: 35 million), has taken in 36,300 Syrian refugees since 2013.

The U.S., a country of 319 million people, so far, has accepted 1,682 refugees — about half of which are children, according to the State Department. The process currently takes about 18–24 months, and includes interviews with officials from the Department of Homeland Security. Syrian refugees, in particular, have their documents placed under extra scrutiny. For all the panic, this doesn’t seem like a very convenient way for a would-be terrorist to gain access to the U.S.

In terms of moral responsibility, it should be noted that ISIS emerged largely as a result of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, and particularly the decision to disband the Iraqi army. Yet France and Germany, two countries which strongly opposed the Iraq war, are bearing much more of the burden of accepting families fleeing the region.

The Obama administration has pledged to take in 10,000 refugees from Syria. The U.S. can and should accept significantly more. There was also opposition to accepting refugees from Southeast Asia during the last decades of the 20th century — but the U.S. accepted more than a million without significant issue. Welcoming Syrian refugees is important for humanitarian reasons, and also for our character as a country. If some of the Republican candidates truly want to “make America great again,” they could start by returning America to a country that welcomes, rather than repels, immigrants and refugees yearning to breathe free.

ISIS: Competitive Startup in A Fast-Paced Environment

Slide 1: Who We Are

ISIS is a band of young professionals seeking to redefine the boundaries of governance in the Middle East. ISIS combines the dynamic professionalism of a modern day army with the flare and edginess of a 21st century terrorist organization, with computer skills beyond “proficiency in Microsoft Office.”

• Core members educated and radicalized in the most prestigious American prisons.
• Years of hands-on experience operating in the explosive Syrian market.
• Many everyday people, looking for a positive change and direction in their life!

Slide 2: Our Product:

The Islamic State provides social and security services to underserved communities across the Levant.*

*Must subject oneself completely to ISIS’s brand of Islam to receive benefits. Not valid for certain minority groups already deemed heretical. Failure to comply may result in injury or death.  

Slide 3: Market

Our organization has seized upon recent realty opportunities resulting from the Syrian Civil War and the legacy of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Market research found large amounts of territory to be entirely ungoverned, creating huge demand for our product to fill. Based in the historic “Cradle of Civilization,” ISIS is well-positioned to capitalize on the demands of this unique market and expand internationally.

Slide 4: Competition and Competitive Advantages

ISIS faces significant competition from established states as well as other start-ups in both the Syrian and Iraqi markets. However, our funding, modern technology, and ruthless ambition will guarantee our advantage over competitors.

SYRIA:

• Heavily saturated market: In a highly fractured environment, ISIS’s brand recognition stands out as an extreme alternative to ordinary start-ups.
• Moderate Forces and Other Extremists: Thanks to captured U.S. weapons from Iraq, ISIS maintains a powerful advantage over less-established competitors like the Free Syrian Army and the al-Nusra Front.
• Assad’s Regime: Business interests temporarily aligned.

 Iraq:

• Iraqi National Government: An unpopular, ineffective brand, detachment from local communities, and dysfunctional structure means the Iraqi government poses little threat to our growth.
• Iraqi Kurdistan and Peshmerga: ISIS’s main competitor in Northern Iraq, ISIS is working hard to outcompete the ambitious Kurdish up-start and seize assets wherever possible.
• United States: Both an adversary and unwitting partner, the U.S.’s actions to dismantle ISIS are key to increasing our growth and credibility across the region.

Slide 5: Growth Outlook

Over the past 3 years, ISIS has seen indomitable growth by every possible metric:

• Members: Over the past 3 years, ISIS’s membership has increased from 1,000 to up to 80,000 members! Additionally, we expect huge increases in recruitment following initial airstrikes by the U.S. and other countries.
• Territory: Now in control of up to 35,000 square miles of territory.
• Capital: Crucial infrastructure includes oil fields and refineries, as well as over $2 billion in cash on hand.
• Revenue: ISIS brings in up to $3 million each day from diversified sources, including revenue from exports to other markets, mandatory crowd-funding from individuals and businesses, as well as tangential professional services such as merchandising, ransoms, bank robberies.

Slide 6: Reviews and Testimonials: 

The ISIS brand is now internationally recognized, and discussed widely. VICE made a video about us. The international community, stunned by our fiery expansion, is clearly impressed by our credentials and abilities.

“[ISIS] is as sophisticated and well-funded as any group that we have seen. They’re beyond a terrorist group. They marry ideology, a sophistication of strategic and tactical military prowess. They are tremendously well-funded”…”This is beyond anything that we’ve seen.”

                        –Chuck Hagel, U.S. Secretary of Defense

“I do think they [ISIS] present the greatest threat we’ve seen since 9/11.”

                        – Representative Michael McCaul, chair of USA’s Homeland Security Committee

[ISIS is] “probably more sophisticated than most U.S. companies.”

                       – Aaron Zelin, Washington Institute, on ISIS’s social media game.

One of my first editorial cartoons was a single panel criticism of Russia’s blatant support for the Assad regime, which had already begun massacring the Syrian opposition. Two years later, I think it’s also appropriate to criticize U.S. policy, which is supporting moderate elements of the opposition in a hesitant and limited manner. The CIA-administered support, which includes non-military aid as well as small arms, and recently, a number of anti-tank weapons, has helped  sustain the opposition against the Syrian army without tipping the balance in the opposers’ favor. If one believes in both the competency and cruelty of U.S. foreign policy, this strategy could be interpreted as a deliberate attempt to subject each side to the slow, bloody death of a civil-war stalemate, with hopes of some negotiated settlement down the line. However, the U.S.’s limited intervention could simply be a clumsy and risk-averse policy meant to create the illusion of “helping,” while inadvertently prolonging the conflict and allowing more lives to be lost on both sides.

Given the European interests they were based on, it’s amazing that the Middle East’s borders have survived this long.

He presented his argument well – that man sure is articulate – with a speech that outlined why he wants to go in, what the history is, but I dunno – somethin’ in his speech made me feel all icky again. It was a lot like watching those infomercials with them sad looking African kids with them weird-looking potbellies, or the commercials where Sarah McLachlan sings a depressing little ditty while a slideshow of skinny dogs with sad eyes plays in the background.

A new Russian-sponsored plan calls for the Assad regime to relinquish control of a massive and secretive chemical weapons stockpile painstakingly accumulated over decades, in order to avoid U.S. military strikes.

The diplomatic breakthrough with Russia and Syria came right in the nick of time – just as Congress was preparing to vote against initializing a potentially disastrous regional war in the Middle East by attacking Syria. A vote that, unfortunately, may also be read as a reluctant acceptance of Assad and others using chemical weapons as a casual means of domestic population control.

“We hope that this plan will allow the Syrian regime, as well as the United States, a little time to sit back and relax before deciding on a course of action that will inevitably change the dynamics of the Middle East for the worst,” said Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergay Lavrov in a statement.

In his national address Tuesday night, Obama postponed the Congressional vote, readily giving the Russian-sponsored plan enough time to fail on its own.

“If Putin, in all his unbiased moral superiority, wants to write an Op-Ed in the New York Times and take the lead on fixing Syria, that’s fine by me,” Obama told the nation. “What do I have to lose?”