Readers React: How do we help Syrian refugees while protecting ourselves from ISIS?

New migrants arrive at a refugee camp located in the Austrian city of Salzburg, near the German border, on Oct. 2.

Oct. 14, 2015 5 AM PT

To the editor: Finally, someone writes a realistic, truthful and, yes, sensitive solution to the Middle East migration situation. (“Welcoming terrorists,” Opinion, Oct. 5) This administration better stop drinking the Kool-Aid with respect to the terrorists coming into this country by any means, before it’s too late.

Where are all the other Middle East countries that are right next door in opening up their borders to the refugees?

Rana Davidson, Santa Monica

To the editor: In an effort to alert us to the national security risks associated with the resettling of Syrian refugees, Ari Harow offers a flawed remedy in the form of “creating havens in Syria and elsewhere.” He suggests that these “secure pockets of refuge” be run by the international community.

Aside from the logistical challenges involved in implementing such a plan, my concern with his analysis is twofold. First, the threat of jihadists hidden among the thousands of refugees is purely speculative, and, second, establishing these havens controlled by international authorities could be construed as an unwarranted incursion into sovereign territories.

Calling for an escalation of forces, Harow’s plan would create more regional security issues than it would solve.

Andrew Spathis, Los Angeles

To the editor: I wonder if Harow’s argument concerning the dangers of countries accepting Muslim refuges from the Middle East would have been the same for countries refusing to accept Jewish refuges during World War II?

As the pope discussed, we are all children of God.

Wayne Bauer, Santa Monica

To the editor: Why not the Golan Heights? It is Syrian territory captured by Israel during the 1967 war and is partially under United Nations control.

The international community could request that Israel allow Syrian refugees be sheltered in the entire Golan, under U.N. control.

Turkey — with a staggering number of refugees — and Jordan and Lebanon should be willing to provide, under U.N. mandate, the border security for Israel and the Golan in exchange for resettling the refugees from their respective countries. A robust U.N. buffer force around the Golan would be better security for Israel overall than the status quo, which is degenerating at a cataclysmic pace.

Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf states, to deflect criticism, might become more amenable to funding new housing in the Golan for the refugees.

Jean-Claude Demirdjian, Los Angeles

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook