It's time the U.S. pitched in to help Europe with its "Mediterranean crisis" ("Crisis in the Mediterranean," April 22).
Most of the migrants fleeing war, poverty and violence are from nations where America recently waged destructive wars. Now Libya has become the staging area for refugees setting out to sea — and we were involved there as well
So far at least 900 migrants have died attempting to cross from Libya to Europe, and the numbers will increase. But what happens to the ones who land in Italy and other parts of Europe? How can those countries care for, shelter and employ hundreds of thousands of sub-Saharan Africans and Middle Easterners? Is it any wonder the mood in Europe has "soured" on immigration?
Thanks to our reckless adventures around the world, most recently in the Middle East, a humanitarian crisis is growing. We need to get involved in a crisis that is partly of our own making.
The U.S. has spy satellites and drones capable of spotting vessels heading out to sea. We have the ability to monitor human traffickers' communications to stop them before unseaworthy, overcrowded vessels put out to sea.
This is an enormous undertaking that Europe shouldn't be asked to handle alone. Our country is responsible for many of the failed states from which these migrants are fleeing. Europe can't take them all in, nor should it asked to.
The problem must be dealt with at its source. Turning the coastal nations of Europe into enormous refugee camps is not the way to solve this situation.
R. Nester Ellis