Readers React: The refugee crisis that the U.S. helped create

To the editor: The Times describes the flood of refugees heading to Europe as the consequence of conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Ukraine and Yemen. Left unsaid is that with the sole exception of Yemen (until recently), all of these conflicts were the result of U.S. policies of occupation, invasion and destabilization directed at these nations to achieve regime change. (“U.S. response to refugee crisis is nowhere near that of Europe,” Sept. 3)

Surely the Europeans are aware of the root cause of the refugee crisis, and governments far less willing to be supportive of U.S. policies than the current ones are likely to emerge soon.

John R. Yates, Los Angeles

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To the editor: A few months ago, I had a baby boy. So, when I saw the images of that little Syrian refugee boy — a toddler — washed up on a beach in Turkey, I couldn’t stop my tears or get the image out of my head.

We live in the greatest country in the world, yet we’ve taken in only about 1,000 refugees from Syria, while a few other countries have taken in more than 100,000 each. Our politicians have no real plans to help those fleeing the violence in Syria.

As a nation, we are bigger than that. It’s time we do something to help these poor children.

Lena Khan, Rancho Cucamonga

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