The longstanding crisis of Syrian refugees fleeing the excruciating violence that has consumed their country collided in the streets of Paris with the security crisis posed by Islamist terrorists. No, that's not quite right. None of the terrorists was a refugee. Nearly all, if not all, were French or Belgian nationals and some second-generation immigrants from the Mideast. It was not in the world of facts, but in the world of fears, that the two crises collided.

Some 12 million Syrians have been displaced from their homes and more than 4.3 million have sought refuge, mostly in Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon, but also in Europe. More than a third are under the age of 12. Do the math. That comes to 1.5 million children.

This is a humanitarian crisis that should be inspiring telethons, social media fundraising campaigns, and clothing drives. Remember the earthquake in Haiti? The tsunami in Asia? Where is our compassion?