The Unmentioned...Iraqi Refugees

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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sara-reef/a-preventative-approach-t_b_701857.html

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Email Comments 2 Over the past week, we witnessed the last American combat troops withdraw from Iraq. If we do not now increase our aid to the 2.2 million displaced Iraqi refugees they may soon have a detrimental effect on our future security.

As innovative as America is, prevention is not one of our strong points. One of the least talked about aspects of the 2003 US-led allied incursion into Iraq is the Iraqi refugee crisis. Over the past 7 years, over 4 million Iraqis have been displaced from their homes and 2.2 million have sought shelter mainly in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. Although conditions vary greatly in these three countries, a few themes have emerged. The majority of refugees are not able to work due to their undocumented status, and they have limited access to education.

If the head of an undocumented Iraqi household is not able to work in one of the aforementioned countries he may turn to other outlets to feed and support his family. As Iraqi Voices Amplification Project (IVAP) member Michael Jordan said during a panel discussion at Intersections International, the people the refugees may turn to do not necessarily share our values or ideals. Imagine an Iraqi refugee in southern Lebanon who is dependent upon Hezbollah for food. Multiple this by 2.2 million -- the number of Iraqi refugees, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Apart from the inability to access a livelihood, a generation of Iraqi children is now being raised without any basic critical thinking or problem solving skills. I hasten to think how this generation will make well informed decisions in the future. Iraqi children will suffer when competing with their peers for employment, and may find themselves unemployed, poor, and living on the margins of society. Just like in the previous example, someone will have to provide for them who may not share our principles.

The US has an indirect responsibility for creating the Iraqi refugee crisis; however, we are doing little in terms of solving this crisis. Since 2003, we allowed in less than 50,000 Iraqi refugees. This number is dismal compared to our European allies. Sweden, a country of 9.2 million, for example, has accepted over 40,000 Iraqi refugees since 2003.

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[Mnemosyne]

1. The devastation to Iraq and to it's refugees is a war crime. We owe them so much. KnR n/t