[anne666]

Originally Posted by jennyjuniper

It is tragic that so many people lose their lives, but I still think it's even more tragic that the situation in their respective countries becomes so dire that they need to flee. Surely, even if only from an economic point of view, it would be better to try to help them to live well in their own countries? After all what is NATO for if not to help other lands not to be ruled by despots.
I still wonder why so many try to get to Europe, when (if they are a muslim country, as so many seem to be) they would surely find a much warmer welcome and easier travel to other muslim countries?

The vast majority of refugees are hosted by their neighbouring countries though. Most of them are Muslim countries, like Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey and much poorer than European countries.
Aid agencies are grossly underfunded and there's nowhere left for many refugees to go, apart from risking their lives further by travelling to Europe. The EU were warned by UNHCR and others of the deteriorating situation around 3 years ago and they ignored it then instead spent inestimable billions in the wrong place, Europe and thousands have drowned and will continue to drown.
Germany's economic future is under serious threat because of their fertility rate, the lowest in the world. They need young fit and preferably fertile new workers at the rate of 500,000 annually! If other EU countries hadn't stopped their quest the inadequate Turkey deal would never have happened.