After meeting Syrian refugees in the Za’atri Refugee Camp today, Secretary of State John Kerry essentially sanctioned desperate Syrians accepting assistance from nefarious terror groups as well as the western world.
About 120,000 people live in the camp opened a year ago, according to Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, making it one of the country’s largest cities.
Kerry said the people he met “put a real face on the level of the humanitarian crisis.”
“The stories are obviously horrendous. The life is very, very difficult. The burdens on Jordan are huge. And this is building into one of the great humanitarian crises on the face of the planet, and it’s getting worse by the day, not better. So I think coming here today puts a very real, human face and a searing, unforgettable passion and urgency to our needs to try to address it on an international scope,” he said.
When asked if the people he met were angry at the administration’s lack of attention to the plight in Syria, Kerry said, “I think they’re frustrated and angry at the world for not stepping in and helping.”
“I think there are – and I explained to them I don’t think it’s as cut-and-dry and simple as some would look at it. But if I were in their shoes, I’d be looking for help from wherever I could find it,” the secretary of State added.
Unfortunately, that “help” in the absence of assistance sought from the UN, EU, U.S. and elsewhere has come in the form of al-Qaeda and other jihadists coming to Syria to take advantage of the opposition’s despair.
“I think that President Obama has made certain that the United States of America is doing a huge amount here, and the American people should be very proud of the amount of their contribution to what is happening here. It’s the largest in the world,” Kerry continued.
“So we are working at this. It’s not simple. It’s not easy. But I share their passion and frustration for the plight that they face on a day-to-day basis, the destruction of their homes, their villages, their cities, and the loss in many cases of many members of their families. So this is not easy, and that’s why we’re all working to try to find a solution to it.”
Judeh said Jordan is happy to help, but they “look forward to the day we will celebrate closing” the refugee camp.
“That means these proud Syrian people going back to their homes and living in security and peace and stability,” the foreign minister said.
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