Iraqi Refugees Burdening Neighbors

[struggle4progress]

Source: The Associated Press

By DALE GAVLAK
Thursday, July 26, 2007; 2:40 PM

AMMAN, Jordan -- Jordan and Syria .... issued urgent calls for help at a conference on Iraqi refugees, specifically expanded resettlement opportunities in the West and financial assistance. ~snip~

The influx of 750,000 Iraqis is costing Jordan $1 billion a year in basic services, Abu-Jamous told the gathering in the Jordanian capital. He also said the Iraqis posed security concerns for Jordan, which experienced its worst terror attack in 2005 when Iraqi suicide bombers linked to al-Qaida in Iraq killed 60 people at three Amman hotels. ~snip~

Some 1.5 million Iraqis have also fled to Syria and 200,000 to both Egypt and Lebanon, driven out of Iraq by the turmoil that followed the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 that toppled Saddam Hussein.

By contrast, the United States has only accepted 133 Iraqi refugees so far, citing security concerns, but it recently announced it will resettle some 7,000 more by the end of September. ~snip~

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/26/AR2007072600496.html

[dollie300]

1. Bush was warned about destablizing the entire ME region.

But he and his cronies know what is best for the world.

[Supersedeas]

2. Nothing to see here -- feed them more Lohan or cats that predict rain/death

[maxrandb]

3. Could Someone Please Tell Me

WHY THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE HEARD ABOUT IRAQI REFUGES IN THE "LIBERAL" MEDIA?

I thought everything in Iraq was just going wonderfully. Who knew there were over 2,000,000, "effing" refuges.

It's like were back to the 1800's and the American media is reporting that the "Native Americans had a nice walk to Wounded Knee"!!!

When Bush destroys the Republican Party and we once and for all place the final stake through the black heart of the "effing" CON-servative movement in this country, we need to fix this "effing" media bullshit once and for all!

Sorry, but this just infuriates me. If you asked 100 Americans on the street today about this they would say "What Iraqi Refuge Problem?". "Did hear that Lindsey Lohan got arrested though"

These are families that have been DRIVEN FROM THEIR "EFFING" HOMES on the guise that we were delivering them "freedom".

I'm so pissed at our media that I can't see straight.

[onewholaughsatfools]

4. who the hell is lindsey lohan

I guess i don't watch tv that often, but yes there is a refuge problem, this I knew and I also agree they should not come to America........I would never invite people who hate me to come live with me........

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. Covered in various places before

PBS in March 2007: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/indepth_coverage/middle_east/iraq/jan-june07/refugees_03-21.html
CNN in Jan 2007: http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/01/08/iraq.refugees/index.html
Newsweek, April 2007: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17997100/site/newsweek/page/0/
CBS, Nov 2006: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/11/29/eveningnews/main2217431.shtmlml
ABC, Nov 2006: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=2687552

etc.