United States’ President Donald Trump has banned entry of immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries viz, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Sudan, Somalia and Yemen. The executive Order issued by him directs the State Department and the Homeland Security to build up data of American citizens killed by immigrants (read terrorists) of these countries on American soil for a 40-year period (i.e., between 1975 and 2015).
If the statistics gathered by Mr. Alex Nowrasteh of the CATO Institute, a conservative think tank, are any indication, no Americans were killed by immigrants from these nations during the designated period on American soil.
It is surprising that these nations are found on the list of Mr. Trump’s travel ban while several other countries who exported terrorists to the American soil, find no mention on the list. For instance, immigrants from Saudi Arabia killed 2,369 American citizens during the same period (It may be recalled that the terrorists who enacted the terror attack on World Trade Center in New York were from Saudi Arabia). Yet there is no ban on entry of Saudi immigrants. The number of American citizens killed by Egyptians is 162 and those by the immigrants from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is 314.
Selfish Motives
Some US newspapers have explained those countries included in and excluded from the list as those which have Trump’s hotels, buildings or offices and those which do not. The CATO Institute study says the chance of an American being killed by a foreigner during these years was one among 36 lakh people. And of an American being killed by a refugee from these countries has been one among 3.5 billion people.
Mysterious Exclusion
CNN journalist Fareed Zakaria says there is no rational explanation for these seven countries being targeted for travel ban, and the exclusion of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt is ‘mysterious’ as killing of American citizens have happened only at their hands. Actually, these were countries where Trump has his hotels and business interests.
Fareed Zakaria alleged that Trump is only exploiting fear to present himself as the country’s protector. He said, “From birther campaign to the talk of Mexican rapists, Trump has always trafficked in fear mongering”. “He has chosen to punish ordinary men, women and children who are fleeing terrorism and violence in those countries”, he added.
Liberty Lamp Turn-off
“What is at stake is the image, reputation and goodwill of the United States of America as the beacon of the world. Donald Trump seems to want to turn off that lamp on the Statue of Liberty”, he concluded.
(Facts extracted and transcribed from CNN Broadcast dt. Jan. 30, 2017)
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