Thursday
Apr092009
Iraqi Refugees need U.S. help, advocates say
By Michael Ruhl, University of New Mexico – Talk Radio News Service
America must invest more time, money, and human resources to help those displaced by the ongoing Iraq War, according to human rights advocates from the Washington, D.C.-based Refugees International.
The presence of 2.6 million displaced Iraqis persons is overwhelming to neighboring Middle East countries and is “undermining” to the social fabric of Iraq, said Ken Bacon, President of Refugees International, at a speech made today at the National Press Club.
President Barack Obama talked about displacement with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki during his surprise visit to Iraq on Tuesday.
Bacon is happy at what is being seen as a distinct change from the “little attention” that the Bush Administration paid to Iraqi displacement.
It is estimated that since the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, 2.6 million Iraqi’s have lost their homes and have fled other parts of the country. An additional 2 million have fled to neighboring countries, including Syria, Jordan and Egypt.
Bacon said that greater American and international support in receiving refugees and providing financial-aid can help stop the crisis.
Displacement of that many people “affects the whole region”, said Bacon, which results in educated citizens and specialized workers fleeing the country.
There are only 18,000 practicing doctors in Iraq, down from 32,000 doctors in 2002. There are more Iraqi doctors in Jordan than in Iraq’s capitol city of Baghdad, Bacon said.
Last year Democratic Senators Robert Casey (PA) and Benjamin Cardin (MD) introduced a bill to increase aid to Iraqi refugees and allow more of them to enter the United States. Since the FY2010 Budget has been approved by Congress, any appropriated funds to help Iraqi citizens would have to come through additional legislation, Bacon said.
A spokesman for Senator Cardin said it has not been decided yet if similar legislation would be introduced in this Congress.
Refugee International’s Field Report on the Iraqi refugee situation said that the Iraqi government is trying to keep more of its citizens from fleeing their homeland. It is feared by the Iraqi government that the existence of so many refugees tarnishes the image of overall security within the country.
The report also said Iraq violated international refugee laws in 2007 by asking Syria not to accept any more Iraqi refugees.
Many refugees have fears of returning home, the report says, because many of those that returned already have been killed.
Kristele Younes, an advocate with Refugees International, says that security is a major issue in Iraqi neighborhoods, with each little borough acting as its own walled off “fiefdom”.
Younes said that the United Nations is trying to place a tourniquet on the flow of persons out of the country by the end of the year, but significant challenges remain in Iraq, including budgetary shortcomings due to low oil prices, corruption within the government and sectarianism.
The Refugees International’s report on Iraq can be found here.
America must invest more time, money, and human resources to help those displaced by the ongoing Iraq War, according to human rights advocates from the Washington, D.C.-based Refugees International.
The presence of 2.6 million displaced Iraqis persons is overwhelming to neighboring Middle East countries and is “undermining” to the social fabric of Iraq, said Ken Bacon, President of Refugees International, at a speech made today at the National Press Club.
President Barack Obama talked about displacement with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki during his surprise visit to Iraq on Tuesday.
Bacon is happy at what is being seen as a distinct change from the “little attention” that the Bush Administration paid to Iraqi displacement.
It is estimated that since the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, 2.6 million Iraqi’s have lost their homes and have fled other parts of the country. An additional 2 million have fled to neighboring countries, including Syria, Jordan and Egypt.
Bacon said that greater American and international support in receiving refugees and providing financial-aid can help stop the crisis.
Displacement of that many people “affects the whole region”, said Bacon, which results in educated citizens and specialized workers fleeing the country.
There are only 18,000 practicing doctors in Iraq, down from 32,000 doctors in 2002. There are more Iraqi doctors in Jordan than in Iraq’s capitol city of Baghdad, Bacon said.
Last year Democratic Senators Robert Casey (PA) and Benjamin Cardin (MD) introduced a bill to increase aid to Iraqi refugees and allow more of them to enter the United States. Since the FY2010 Budget has been approved by Congress, any appropriated funds to help Iraqi citizens would have to come through additional legislation, Bacon said.
A spokesman for Senator Cardin said it has not been decided yet if similar legislation would be introduced in this Congress.
Refugee International’s Field Report on the Iraqi refugee situation said that the Iraqi government is trying to keep more of its citizens from fleeing their homeland. It is feared by the Iraqi government that the existence of so many refugees tarnishes the image of overall security within the country.
The report also said Iraq violated international refugee laws in 2007 by asking Syria not to accept any more Iraqi refugees.
Many refugees have fears of returning home, the report says, because many of those that returned already have been killed.
Kristele Younes, an advocate with Refugees International, says that security is a major issue in Iraqi neighborhoods, with each little borough acting as its own walled off “fiefdom”.
Younes said that the United Nations is trying to place a tourniquet on the flow of persons out of the country by the end of the year, but significant challenges remain in Iraq, including budgetary shortcomings due to low oil prices, corruption within the government and sectarianism.
The Refugees International’s report on Iraq can be found here.
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Barack Obama, Benjamin Cardin, Congress, Egypt, FY2010 Budget, George Bush, Iraq, Iraqis, Ken Bacon, Kristele Younes, Legislation, Michael Ruhl, Middle East, NGO, Pennsylvania, Refugees International, Robert Casey, Ruhl, United Nations, baghdad, brain drain, bush administration, corruption, democrat, doctor, fiefdom, financial aid, international, iraq war, jordan, maryland, michael, michael t ruhl, michaeltruhl, national press club, nouri al-maliki, oil prices, president, prime minister, refugee, sectarian, sectarianism, security, senator, syria in Frontpage 2, News/Commentary
Republicans: Our Energy Proposal Creates “Real Jobs”
“Innovation, conservation and production,” were the key messages coming from the Republican Study Committee and the Western Caucus as Congressional Republicans unveiled their alternative energy proposal today.
Congressman Tom Price (R-Ga.) said, “Republican are wholly committed to finding positive solution to the challenges we face. Like with the stimulus, like with the budget and now in contrast to the Democrats national energy tax we are here to offer our vision.”
The American Energy and Innovation Act, as the proposal will be labeled, will create jobs and reduce debt according to Republicans. The main aims outlined in this bill are to, “encourage innovation” by creating renewable fuel options and environmental jobs. “Promote conservation” by “providing incentives for easing energy demand and creating a cleaner, more sustainable environment” and “increase production” by making use of all available technology and resources.
Congressman Rob Bishop (R-Utah) said there were now “two roads” Americans could chose to tackle energy needs. “The Democrat road is saying it can’t work we are not even going to it, our road is saying we have the ideas now is the time to do it, said Bishop.
Adding that “The Democrats have already given us an option on energy issues that will cost individuals up to $3000...the Republican road we want to go down is one that actually grows our energy supply so that no-one is harmed and in fact we have the chance to reduce the cost of energy.”
Bishop compared the two strategies to the movie ‘Back to the Future’ saying, “Remember those sequels to ‘Back to the Future’ where there were the two worlds? Our world is the one where the McFly family is happy, the Democrat version is the one where Biff runs everything.”
Congressman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said the bill would be a “common sense act that is going to use our natural resources and our advanced technology to meet our energy needs and most importantly help our economy grow.”
In closing, Congressman John Fleming (R-La.) added, our vision “creates a vision for jobs, more jobs, not the so called paper mache jobs the green jobs, but real jobs created by industry.”