Should Mare Nostrum be restored?

MathDebater

Italy says 4,100 boat migrants rescued in ongoing weekend mission - Nearly 4,100 migrants were rescued from boats near the coast of Libya on Saturday and Sunday and rescue operations continued as people smugglers took advantage of calm seas, Italy's coast guard and navy said.

http://in.reuters.com/article/2015/05/03/europe-migrants-italy-idINKBN0NO07120150503

Record numbers are expected to make the journey from Libya this summer. Interesting times.

stringed theory

It's interesting if you're in Ireland and safely out of the Schengen zone, something I used to be very much in favour of. I suppose, however, that the Italians might eventually find a way to give these migrants passports so they can be moved on to the UK, where most of them would normally head for. Once established they'll then send for their extended families back home.
I again this week heard the analogy with "coffin ships." But the Irish immigrants of the 1840s were heading to a country that actively needed them, and which wouldn't exist as we know it today without mass immigration. The African immigration of the 21st century is more likely to lead Europe backwards to an earlier stage of social development as outlined by the OP.

MathDebater

Maltese patrol boats have not been picking up migrants at sea because the migrants themselves refuse to be rescued by Maltese boats, the commander of the AFM’s maritime unit, Lt Col Andrew Mallia has been quoted as saying by the Italian newspaper La Repubblica.

He said that whenever Maltese patrol boats intercepted migrants’ boats the migrants invariably refused help.

He explained that the migrants did not want to come to Malta because that would make it difficult for them to proceed to Northern Europe.

Once the interceptions were made in international waters and as long as the migrants were safe, their boats had right of passage and could refuse assistance, Col Mallia said. Maltese boats often stand by and monitor the boats in case they faced an emergency.

The situation changed if the boats were found in Maltese waters, Col Mallia said.

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20150504/local/migrants-refusing-help-from-maltese-patrol-boats.566735

Are people still going to contend that the majority of those coming by boat are not economic migrants?

Irish Stones

MathDebater wrote: »

Italy says 4,100 boat migrants rescued in ongoing weekend mission - Nearly 4,100 migrants were rescued from boats near the coast of Libya on Saturday and Sunday and rescue operations continued as people smugglers took advantage of calm seas, Italy's coast guard and navy said.

http://in.reuters.com/article/2015/05/03/europe-migrants-italy-idINKBN0NO07120150503

Record numbers are expected to make the journey from Libya this summer. Interesting times.

In the past three days we rescued in excess of 7,000 people at sea. Southern Italy's structures are full so the authorities are sending them to northern regions and councils are asked to find about 10,000 accomodations for these last migrants and for the incoming ones.
Northern regions are unwilling to accept migrants in their territories, the reasons are obvious and clear.
It's interesting how easy is to find thousands of rooms and beds, and how much food and other facilities (millions of euro involved) can be quickly found in these cases, and how difficult is to help our fellow citizens who don't have a home or food or money because of the recession.
The truth is that our poor don't make our politicians gain money and votes, our poor don't have the whole world's eyes on them, they suffer in silence in an alley or in a subway station!

I swindled the NSA

hfallada wrote: »

What Africa needs to do is reduce its birth rate, to reduce strain on its limited resources. Iran, China both did it and their economies improved. Africa has barely reduced its birth rate and its a cause of most of their problems. Although their corrupt Government,

Dude there is no "African Government"

realitykeeper wrote: »

Lefties love to accuse right wingers of racism and xenophobia, yet as a right winger I believe the migrants from Africa should be escorted safely to Europe and given work permits immediately. In a free market, there is no such thing as "our" jobs. Let Europe compete in every way for the mutual benefit of all.
.

As a rule it tends to be right wingers who tend to be advocate heavily restricting immigration (free movement of goods and services is all fine and dandy but free movement of labour is not) If (as you advocate) there were no minimum wage here people would have less reason to come here (which depending on your point of view may or may not be a good thing) but then European consumers would have less money to spend.

realitykeeper

I swindled the NSA wrote: »

As a rule it tends to be right wingers who tend to be advocate heavily restricting immigration ....

Really? And where is that rule written? As a right winger, I was not aware that there was some rule forcing me to advocate restrictions on immigration. Facetiousness aside, there is of course no such rule. In fact, right wing interests such as the business community welcome a competitive labour market and immigrants help to bring that about.

The stereotype redneck racist brigade are very often closet lefties who work for an employer and oppose what they see as scab labour coming in from abroad, undermining their cosy unionized cartels.