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MAINZ, Germany Not even 100 days after she negotiated her way to a fourth term as German leader, Angela Merkel is mired in a political crisis that underscores Europes divisions over immigration amid a surge in populism.

The German chancellor faces a showdown with her own interior minister that threatens not only her fragile ruling alliance but also her European Union-wide vision of cooperation to deal with the migrant crisis.

The world's most powerful woman will embark on a weekend of talks ahead of a Monday meeting that could decide her future and potentially signal the end of the Merkel era. She has been in power since 2005.

Along with French President Emmanuel Macron, Merkel is seen as one of the last bastions of European liberal democracy amid the rise of populism across the continent.

Merkel may be forced to make a U-turn on her open-door policy which has already been scaled back since Germany opened its borders to welcome around 1 million asylum-seekers in 2015. At times more than 10,000 people were arriving daily in the country, which had a population of around 81 million.

Her refugee policy is widely blamed for a surge in support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which became the main opposition party after last September's inconclusive election.

Gemany's political turmoil comes amid a rise in populism and anti-immigration sentiment across Europe, including in neighbors such as Poland, Austria and Hungary.

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Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, a conservative critic of Merkel's migration policy, this week pushed for an "axis of the willing" among Austria, Germany and Italy to fight illegal migration.

It is a view shared by German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, who wants to reject migrants at his countrys border if they have already registered in other E.U. states to the south.

In March, Seehofer told a newspaper that "Islam does not belong to Germany." Seehofer is a member of Merkel's CSU Bavarian allies, who are further to the right than her own Christian Democrats (CDU). He has also vowed to implement a "master plan for quicker deportations."

Keen not to antagonize Germanys neighbors, Merkel prefers an E.U.-wide solution and wants to wait until the outcome of a summit of the bloc's leaders on June 28. She has warned that Seehofer's plan could shift the migrant burden onto countries such as Greece and Italy, where she is already unpopular for her economic policies.

"I personally think illegal migration is one of the big challenges for the European Union, so I don't believe we should act unilaterally," she said Thursday. "We should not act in an uncoordinated way, and we should not act at the expense of third parties.

However, lawmakers from the CSU have backed Seehofer, who said he might defy Merkel by going ahead with his plan next week without her agreement.

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If defied, Markel could be forced to fire Seehofer, or lead her CDU to split up the parliamentary bloc in which they have cooperated with the CSU since 1949. That would leave her coalition without a majority and could result in another election.

Merkel is caught between a rock and a hard place, said Thomas Walde, co-host of the political affairs show Berlin Direkt at NBCs German partner channel ZDF. She could either revoke her own policy, which would in effect mean that she is correcting herself and that everything she did so far was wrong. She cannot possibly do that because then she would be a lame duck in her position."

He added: Or, she could fire the minister of the interior on Monday, if he were to act. But then her coalition partner would leave the coalition, which would leave her without a majority in Parliament, which would be tough. She could try to go for a little while, but in effect that might lead to new elections.

Original post:
Germany's Merkel faces political crisis over migrant policy

A prominent UN official warned earlier this week that the next Migrant Crisis to crash into Europe might come from Africa and not the Mideast, and that its second iteration might be much more devastating than the first due to the sheer size of possible populations involved.

The Executive Director of the UN World Food Programmade global headlines a few days ago when he warned that terrorists might weaponize food scarcity in Africa in order to trigger a new Migrant Crisis in Europe, one which they hope to exploit in order to infiltrate the continent. These were David Beasleys exact words to the UK Guardian:

You are going toface a similar pattern ofwhat took place years ago, exceptyou are going tohave more ISIS [Daesh] and extremist groups infiltrating migration. What we are picking upis that they are partnering withthe extremist groups likeBoko Haram and al-Qaeda todivvy upterritory and resources and tocontinue toinfiltrate and destabilize inthe hope ofcreating migration intoEurope where they can infiltrate and cause chaos.

If you [the Europeans] think you had a problem resulting froma nation of20 million people likeSyria because ofdestabilization and conflict resulting inmigration, wait untilthe greater Sahel region of500 million people is further destabilized. And this is where the European community and international community have got towake up.

Liberal-Globalists might salivate at what he said because they see it as an historic opportunity to socio-culturally re-engineer the essence of European society and fulfill their ideological objectives, while EuroRealist patriots might shudder because this scenario represents the end of traditional Western Civilization as the world knows it.

Its still too early to say for certain that this dystopian vision of the future will materialize, but whats for sure is that there are plenty of systemic risks in Western and Central Africa that make it very possible that something like this could happen in the coming years, though this potential eventuality could be offset by robust security measures in the Mediterranean and a forward-focused US-French-Italian military presence in the region. It should be cautioned, however, that while theres a chance that these three countries and others might market the future expansion of their African footprint on this populist basis, there are also many ulterior reasons behind this move other than the publicly stated one, which includes of course securing access to energy deposits (such as Nigers uranium), monopolizing new markets, and altogether containing China.

Looking beyond the failed (former) state of Libya that NATO destroyed in 2011, there are several other crises waiting to happen in Africa and which could serve as the trigger for a Migrant Crisis 2.0 on the scale that Beasley warned. The first one isnt country-specific but deals with the continents woes in general, and thats the connected threats of food insecurity and explosive population growth threatening several strategic countries, the most fragile of which is Niger. This landlocked state is predicted by the UN to have the fastest population growth in the world and will grow from around 20 million people today to roughly 200 million by the end of the century if the current trajectory holds. On top of that, Niger also has one of the worlds largest uranium reserves and is unsurprisingly the site of several French bases and even a massive American drone base thats being built in middle of the desert right now.

Niger is squeezed between Mali and Nigeria, both of which are experiencing profound terrorist destabilization at the moment from Al Qaeda- and Daesh-linked groups, the first of which grew out of a failed Tuareg separatist campaign in the aftermath of the NATO War on Libya while the second broke out shortly thereafter in the Lake Chad basin, and both continue as low-intensity conflicts to this day. The US and its new global partner France are coordinating their military activities across the broad swath of longitudinal space called the Sahel that stretches from the Senegalese Atlantic Ocean coast to the Sudanese Red Sea coast. Paris is leading the so-called G5 Sahel group of states in the western part of this region that are impacted by the Malian and/or Nigerian terrorist insurgencies, but the organization has yet to show any actual military effectiveness as France has struggled to Lead From Behind like the US is known for doing in these cases.

This Arc of Crisis from Mali to Nigeria, which owes its origins to the NATO-led destruction of Libya, dangerously has the very real prospect of expanding into neighboring regions, to say nothing of coming together into an unprecedented Chaos Belt that would put Daeshs 2014 Syraq campaign to shame. There are many large and poorly government (or in some cases, outright ungoverned) spaces in this transregional zone, with the most sparsely populated of them being fertile ground for quasi-states to flourish, whether caliphates or something else. Burkina Faso is already at risk of boiling over due to the Malian overspill, but this domino effect could spread into the neighboring region of Atlantic West Africa if the destabilization of that small landlocked state triggers a recurrence of violence in the northern Ivory Coast. This country is important because its part of the West African quad of interconnected coastal states together with Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, the latter two of which experienced vicious civil wars in the 1990s.

The regional security environment in some parts of Africa is such that unrest in one state could easily spill over into another, as was seen in Atlantic West Africa immediately after the Cold War as well as the highland nexus between East and Central Africa at that time too. The cascading civil wars in Rwanda and then immediately thereafter in Burundi produced what was called the Great Lakes Refugee Crisis and ultimately contributed to the two back-to-back Congo Civil Wars that altogether claimed the lives of over 5 million people through various means. Congo is once again on the brink of descending back into civil war, and the destabilization bridge between it and the Arc of Crisis Chaos Belt that was described above is Nigerian-neighboring Cameroon and the Central African Republic that sits between them both. The first-mentioned is facing a multi-front Hybrid War against both Boko Haram and Anglophone separatists along the Nigerian border, while the latter is already embroiled in civil war.

Any serious intensification of the Boko Haram crisis in the Lake Chad region could push Cameroon over the edge and into collapse if the Anglophone separatists take advantage of this, possibly current with a Color Revolution succession crisis following the inevitable passing of elderly President Biya (which could be made all the worse if Weapons of Mass Migration continue streaming in from the Central African Republic). Although each nature of conflict across the Chaos Belt would differ from Islamist-driven violence in the west to its predominantly ethno-tribal counterpart along the eastern (Central African) edge of this zone, its possible to see the bigger picture of just how geographically broad the consequences of uncontrolled Hybrid War destabilization in Mali and the Lake Chad region can become if left unchecked, which isnt even fully accounting for the unrest from the combination of growing food insecurity, explosive population growth, and dysfunctional resource export-dependent economies.

For as intimidating as these somewhat interlinked continental-wide security challenges may seem, both in general and definitely from the EuroRealist patriotic perspective of a native inhabitant wanting to avoid the dystopian Migrant Crisis 2.0 scenario that the Executive Director of the UN World Food Programoutlined earlier this week, the cynical argument can be made that they wont automatically (key word) lead to a massive outflow of millions upon millions of people up north simply because most of these victimized masses are much too poor to pay the smuggling fees that comparatively better-off Syrians were able to afford. The Sahara is so dangerous to cross that these people cant do so without expert assistance, and while some are still paying to get across in the present day, these are probably the relatively wealthier members of society who can afford these costs (which might be footed by their families) and not the average impoverished citizen.

That shouldnt however be taken to infer that a Liberal-Globalist workaround cant be created in promoting equal opportunity migration for all through the Soros-led NGO network modelled off of the existing operations that are ongoing in helping illegal immigrants cross the Mediterranean as well as their Mexican counterparts involved in the so-called caravan. These organizations could either directly aid in Saharan crossings or contribute to subsidizing the journey at discounted prices in paying off professional smugglers. Either way, theyll probably play a role in this process or at least attempt to, with the key variable being whether their homelands militaries deployed in the region will facilitate this or not. There could also be an interesting (and choreographed) interplay between these two actors whereby an increase in Western NGO smuggling activity is exploited to justify further military measures in Africa or vice-versa, with each of them feeding off of the other to result in more Western influence in the area in general.

When the Executive Director of the UN World Food Program spoke about the nightmare scenario of a Migrant Crisis 2.0 from Africa slamming into Europes shores in the coming years, this food-focused technocrat could hardly have known how geopolitically ominous his prediction was given the multitude of interconnected security challenges stretching across West and Central Africa. Close to 500 million people or put another way, half a billion, which is approximately the size of the EU could indeed be simultaneously pushed out of their homes by the consequences of state collapse and also be pulled into Europe by NGO facilitation, but the reality is that not every single one of those people will be able to afford the journey.

Even if a only quarter of them flee, which is roughly equal to the percentage that left Syria, thats still more than 125 million people (the combined population of France and Italy), many of whom will probably succeed in at least making it to Africas Mediterranean shoreline. The forward deployment of Western military forces in the region, whether publicly marketed to be on an anti-migration basis or otherwise, can only do so much to stem the tide, and a comprehensive policy involving Mediterranean naval units will have to be fully coordinated with the frontline states of Spain, France, Italy, Malta, and Greece if Europe is to stave off this civilizational onslaught. In addition, this state of affairs will expectedly be exploited by the Brussels bureaucracy for its own integrational advantage.

At this moment, its difficult to imagine how else the EU can survive amidst this towering threat, but the blocs possible reform into a decentralized collection of Three Seas-led EuroRealist states might present an alternate solution. Some degree of multilateral coordination is required to confront this existential challenge, but everything could be managed through new sub-regional integrational platforms (even if informal) instead of Brussels, with a future European military comprised of the maritime frontline states forces and their hinterland allies (such as Poland and Hungary) taking the lead instead of NATO, though this might in effect end up being the same thing at the end of the day. Nevertheless, the accent is on retaining as much national sovereignty as possible and thwarting the Liberal-Globalists plot to take advantage of this situation in order to demolish the nation-state.

DISCLAIMER:The authorwrites for this publication in a private capacity which is unrepresentative of anyone or any organization except for hisown personal views. Nothing written by the authorshould ever be conflated with the editorial views or officialpositions of any other media outlet or institution.

Continue reading here:
Migrant Crisis 2.0 Might Come From Africa | OrientalReview.org

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Link:
Europe Migrant Crisis Articles - Breitbart

Mar. 26, 20186:55 AM ET

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) The head of the United Nations food agency warned Monday that the relocation of Islamic State group members from the Middle East to Africa could trigger a massive new European migrant crisis.

World Food Program executive director David Beasley talks during an interview at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra, Australia, Monday, March 26, 2018. Beasley says the collapse of the Islamic State movements self-described caliphate across Syria and Iraq has led to extremists mounting a recruitment drive in sub-Sahara Africa which threatens to trigger a new European migrant crisis. (AP Photo/Rod McGuirk)

World Food Program executive director David Beasley talks during an interview at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra, Australia, Monday, March 26, 2018. Beasley says the collapse of the Islamic State movements self-described caliphate across Syria and Iraq has led to extremists mounting a recruitment drive in sub-Sahara Africa which threatens to trigger a new European migrant crisis. (AP Photo/Rod McGuirk)

David Beasley, executive director of the World Food Program, said many of the militants who fled Syria amid the collapse of the Islamic State group's self-described caliphate had ended up in the greater Sahel region, a belt of semi-arid land spanning east-west across Africa and home to 500 million people.

Islamic State militants are now collaborating with other extremist groups, including al-Qaida, al-Shabab and Boko Haram, to create "extraordinary difficulties" across the Sahel, Beasley said in an interview with The Associated Press.

He said he has warned European leaders that they could face a far larger migrant crisis from the Sahel than the Syrian conflict generated if they do not help provide the region with food and stability.

"You're talking about the greater Sahel region of 500 million people, so the Syria crisis could be like a drop in the bucket compared to what's coming your way," Beasley said he told them.

"What they're now doing is coming into an already fragile area, a very destabilized area because of climate impact and governance, and they're infiltrating, recruiting, using food as a weapon of recruitment to destabilize so that they can have mass migration into Europe," he said.

"Mother after mother will tell you that 'My husband did not want to join ISIS or al-Qaida, but we had no food,' and if you haven't fed your little girl or little boy in two weeks and the alternative is signing up with ISIS, you sign up," Beasley added, referring to the group, also known as Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.

The World Food Program wants to provide stability, economic growth and sustainable development as well as food to the region, said Beasley, who was in Australia for talks with the government on funding strategies.

The Sahel which includes Burkina Faso, Chad, Niger, Mali and Mauritania is vulnerable to droughts and floods and faces constant food insecurity.

Five nations have also been grappling with a growing menace from extremists, including groups linked to al-Qaida's North Africa branch.

In February 2017, the so-called "Group of Five" agreed to assemble a 5,000-strong force to combat extremist groups, organized crime and human trafficking.

U.N. experts monitoring the implementation of sanctions on Mali warned this month that the conflict-wracked West African nation and its neighbors "face intensified terrorist threats," especially in the border area between Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.

The experts' interim report said the militant group calling itself the official al-Qaida branch in Mali and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara extremist group have declared that "jihadist groups are working together" to fight the 5,000 troops.

In January, the U.N. Security Council threatened sanctions against parties in Mali who obstruct or delay the full implementation of the peace deal agreed to by Mali's government, Tuareg separatists and armed groups.

The experts concluded after their Mali visit in February that "all parties to the agreement are responsible for delays."

Mali has been in turmoil since a 2012 uprising prompted mutinous soldiers to overthrow the country's president. The power vacuum that was created ultimately led to an Islamic insurgency and a French-led war that ousted the jihadists from power in 2013. But insurgents remain active in the region.

The U.N. panel said "insecurity continues to rage and is now shifting increasingly toward the center of the country" from the north.

Across the country, it said, "an estimated 4.1 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance."

The experts said the extremist group Jama Nusrat Ul-Islam wa Al-Muslimin, which positioned itself as the al-Qaida branch in Mali, and Islamic State in the Greater Sahara have claimed attacks not only in Mali but in Niger, in the Tahoua and Tillaberi regions.

In Burkina Faso, the experts said, "the terrorist group Ansar Al-Islam has multiplied attacks in the last months against the government, including two attacks against Burkinabe security forces in Soum province on Dec. 2 and Dec. 21."

Beasley told the Security Council last week that the number of people around the world in danger of dying unless they get food urgently surged to 124 million last year mainly because "people won't stop shooting at each other."

He said by video link that almost 32 million of those acutely hungry people live in four conflict-wracked countries: Somalia, Yemen, South Sudan and northeastern Nigeria, where famine was averted last year.

Globally, Beasley said, 60 percent of the 815 million chronically hungry people who don't know where their next meal is coming from live in conflict areas.

Go here to read the rest:
AP Interview: UN food agency boss warns of migrant crisis

In this edition of Insiders our reporter Claudio Lavanga travels across Italy speaking with voters, campaigners and activists about migration. Italy has borne the brunt of the migrant crisis, and because of its proximity to the North African coast has taken in the largest share of migrants compared to other European countries. The resultant humanitarian crisis has been used by some parties, particularly those right-of-centre, to blame the countrys tattered economy and alleged growing crime rate on migrants.

The leader of Italys nationalist Brothers of Italy party pointed out that migration is going in both directions and spoke of a brain-drain of Italian graduates as well as an influx of illegal immigrants. But our reporter also caught up with civil society activists that are trying to help migrants find a home in Italy. A group of guerrilla artists were keen to draw attention to the plight of migrants, who embark on risky journeys during which, as one migrant put it, you can die at any time. Meanwhile in Castel Volturno, near Naples, NGOs are helping migrants, mostly for Sub-Saharan Africa, get access to health services and their children better integrate.

Read more:
Italys migrant crisis fuels election campaign | Euronews