"Iraqis who are unable to flee the country are now in a queue, waiting their turn to die."
(As described by an Iraqi journalist)
People in Iraq are still being targeted as a result of religious affiliation, economic status and profession(especially doctors, teachers and hairdressers for being "anti-Islamic"). One in every five Iraqis has been displaced, according to the UN Refugee Agency. Not only have they faced troubles relocating themselves within the surrounding countries, but once there, the problems only seem to enumerate. The United States, unfortunately, fell short of its 7,000 Iraqi refugee quota in the 2007 fiscal year. From Iraq, the total number of accepted refugees was 1,608. We have now promised to resettle 12,000 in the 2008 fiscal year, but as of January, February and March, the total adds up to just under 1,500. Hopefully, this number will grow. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees no longer has enough resources to assist the refugees in the Middle East, which also applies to Afghanistan. It requires far more funding to provide adequate protection for the people of Iraq, funding that it does not have. Not only is Iraq facing problems in the highest of all international bodies, but the surrounding nations are looking to no longer tolerate their presence. Overwhelmed by the massive emigration, the economies, and nations themselves, are facing destabilization. In addition, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria see the problems of the refugees as temporary, closing doors and gates, allowing them to stay for only a short while. The problems only continue to escalate.
Although I will remain to take the stance that the United States presence is doing more harm than good in Iraq, we do need to accept that our tactic isn't working. Thousands are still fleeing, and worse thousands more are dieing. The United States must realize the extent to which we have influence in this great world. As the greatest super power we have an extreme amount of influence, and what we need to do is use that power beneficially, to help those who can not escape. We need to encourage the surrounding Middle Eastern countries to take in these refugees, to relocate them to a place where they can be safe from persecution. We need to work with the government, that we created, within Iraq to set up boundaries and laws so that this persecution is no longer tolerated; so that the government better responds to the needs of its people.
It is time for the United States to justify its location in Iraq.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
The Final
The whole reason that I've been doing research on this topic is for the sake of the enormous Junior/Senior Research Project. For our final, this past semester, we had to write an abstract, two-page paper on our subject. Here it is:
Just another number, another statistic. Over 1.5 million Iraqis are living as refugees in Syria, about the same number of Afghans are relocated as well. But now, now, their neighbors are mandating the return to their homes. As written by Farangis Najibullah, whether voluntarily or forcibly removed, they are being relocated to displacement in the nations they once called home. When the United States took over control in Afghanistan, they brought hope; when the United States took over control in Iraq, they brought change; now all that is hoped for is change, that change is peace. As more refugees continuously flee from their nations of oppression, persecution and fascism, the strain on their neighboring nations continues to grow; the responsibility of international nations begins to grow.
Violence in the Middle East is sure to not disappear in the near future. When the United States invaded Afghanistan, as stated by Rohde and Sanger, intelligence informed that the Taliban was no longer as strong as it used to be; but the Taliban is still inextricably linked to Afghanistan and still insists on reclaiming their radical Islamic state. Also found in Iraq, the problems that arise, from issues as massive as these ingrained tribal loyalties, are extremely difficult to solve, making peace inconceivable.
Those living within Afghanistan and Iraq agree: United States involvement has benefited their ability to achieve freedom. Although Chomsky’s assertion that the United States’ arrival was criminal; with the establishment of ISAF, the International Security Assistance Force, to deal specifically with the issues of Afghan refugees, the United Nations and the United States have been taking enormous steps to increase the level of safety within the Middle East. On the home front, the United States refugee policy, found in Appendix E: Overview of U.S. Refugee Policy, gives priority to those suffering from religious persecution. Felton has criticized the policy in Iraq as being too rash and Roberts has investigated the humanitarian issues facing warring nations; each has addressed the major flaws in execution of policies and the difficulties in finding peace.
Change in Iraq and Afghanistan is imminent; peace is plausible. The presence of the United States will remain, despite debates put forth in New Strategy in Iraq. As addressed by Johnes-Pauly and Nojumi, the judicial system within Afghanistan will remain to be difficult to set up; religion is too closely affiliated with state. But we will persevere. The Iraqis, now being forcibly removed from Syria because they tried to create a home, or the Afghans who are being pushed away from Iran deliberately to destroy the economy, as stated by Hogan, have no true place they belong. Braving through harsh conditions and cold winters on the streets because their surrounding countries no longer want them becomes a reality, a way of life.
Afghan refugees returned to Afghanistan after the United States took over, because they saw hope. Afghans are willing to live through terrible conditions, endure starvation and live homeless, because they want to see the day when their country is beautiful again. Iraqis flee to Syria because they see the beauty that their country once held. As refugees flee they find that there is no difference between them anymore, those who are Shi’ites or Sunnis or Jews or Christians all flee, together. Those who are old, young, intellectual or dumb are all being forced back to their countries, together. Burning Baghdad puts it best, “No matter how wealthy or educated or comfortable, a refugee is a refugee. A refugee is someone who isn’t really welcome in any country-including their own… especially their own.”
Just another number, another statistic. Over 1.5 million Iraqis are living as refugees in Syria, about the same number of Afghans are relocated as well. But now, now, their neighbors are mandating the return to their homes. As written by Farangis Najibullah, whether voluntarily or forcibly removed, they are being relocated to displacement in the nations they once called home. When the United States took over control in Afghanistan, they brought hope; when the United States took over control in Iraq, they brought change; now all that is hoped for is change, that change is peace. As more refugees continuously flee from their nations of oppression, persecution and fascism, the strain on their neighboring nations continues to grow; the responsibility of international nations begins to grow.
Violence in the Middle East is sure to not disappear in the near future. When the United States invaded Afghanistan, as stated by Rohde and Sanger, intelligence informed that the Taliban was no longer as strong as it used to be; but the Taliban is still inextricably linked to Afghanistan and still insists on reclaiming their radical Islamic state. Also found in Iraq, the problems that arise, from issues as massive as these ingrained tribal loyalties, are extremely difficult to solve, making peace inconceivable.
Those living within Afghanistan and Iraq agree: United States involvement has benefited their ability to achieve freedom. Although Chomsky’s assertion that the United States’ arrival was criminal; with the establishment of ISAF, the International Security Assistance Force, to deal specifically with the issues of Afghan refugees, the United Nations and the United States have been taking enormous steps to increase the level of safety within the Middle East. On the home front, the United States refugee policy, found in Appendix E: Overview of U.S. Refugee Policy, gives priority to those suffering from religious persecution. Felton has criticized the policy in Iraq as being too rash and Roberts has investigated the humanitarian issues facing warring nations; each has addressed the major flaws in execution of policies and the difficulties in finding peace.
Change in Iraq and Afghanistan is imminent; peace is plausible. The presence of the United States will remain, despite debates put forth in New Strategy in Iraq. As addressed by Johnes-Pauly and Nojumi, the judicial system within Afghanistan will remain to be difficult to set up; religion is too closely affiliated with state. But we will persevere. The Iraqis, now being forcibly removed from Syria because they tried to create a home, or the Afghans who are being pushed away from Iran deliberately to destroy the economy, as stated by Hogan, have no true place they belong. Braving through harsh conditions and cold winters on the streets because their surrounding countries no longer want them becomes a reality, a way of life.
Afghan refugees returned to Afghanistan after the United States took over, because they saw hope. Afghans are willing to live through terrible conditions, endure starvation and live homeless, because they want to see the day when their country is beautiful again. Iraqis flee to Syria because they see the beauty that their country once held. As refugees flee they find that there is no difference between them anymore, those who are Shi’ites or Sunnis or Jews or Christians all flee, together. Those who are old, young, intellectual or dumb are all being forced back to their countries, together. Burning Baghdad puts it best, “No matter how wealthy or educated or comfortable, a refugee is a refugee. A refugee is someone who isn’t really welcome in any country-including their own… especially their own.”
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Peace, the Unattainable Necessity
On Saturday January 12, 2008, I held an interview with a man who just returned from living in Afghanistan for the past two years. His information was very insightful and as of present time I feel that I need to address the issues facing Afghanistan. The Taliban is still at large, especially in the East and the South, and they are wreaking havoc wherever they go. Killings and brutalities are not a forgotten method of torture, these people are destroying the lives of the innocent. The United States presence within the nation of Afghanistan is a positive force and with the help of the United Nations and NATO, they have put together ISAF, International Security Assistance Force, to devote time, energy, money and intelligence to the people of Afghanistan. The United States is a sign of hope to these people, refugees living in neighboring nations came back, voluntarily, to Afghanistan, because they forsaw peace, a peace that the United States is helping to bring.
Within the nation of Iraq, the United States has not received as welcome a response. The main goal right now is to help establish a democratic government within the nation, but the radicals have not made it easy. The sending back of refugees has not helping the economical stability, these people are forced into displacement, as they are in Afghanistan, lives that contain no stability, little money and food, no shelter and many other things that we, in America, take for granted on a daily basis. Iraq is constantly faced with car bombings, land mines and suicidal mass killings. Thousands of lives are being lost in the Middle East and not just American lives.
The United States presence, whether welcome or unwelcome, no matter what the American public decides to believe, is a positive presence, making a difference and saving lives. There's just so much more to do.
TWO MUST SEES
http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/2007_10_01_riverbend_archive.html , "Burning Baghdad," blog written by an Iraqi refugee living now living in Syria.
http://www.afghanistannewscenter.com/index.html, a constantly updated website with current Afghan news.
Within the nation of Iraq, the United States has not received as welcome a response. The main goal right now is to help establish a democratic government within the nation, but the radicals have not made it easy. The sending back of refugees has not helping the economical stability, these people are forced into displacement, as they are in Afghanistan, lives that contain no stability, little money and food, no shelter and many other things that we, in America, take for granted on a daily basis. Iraq is constantly faced with car bombings, land mines and suicidal mass killings. Thousands of lives are being lost in the Middle East and not just American lives.
The United States presence, whether welcome or unwelcome, no matter what the American public decides to believe, is a positive presence, making a difference and saving lives. There's just so much more to do.
TWO MUST SEES
http://riverbendblog.blogspot.com/2007_10_01_riverbend_archive.html , "Burning Baghdad," blog written by an Iraqi refugee living now living in Syria.
http://www.afghanistannewscenter.com/index.html, a constantly updated website with current Afghan news.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Iraq: Get the Facts; Afghan: No More Taliban
As the research was limited with regard to the topic from my previous post, I'm going to be changing my topic a little bit. The focus will now switch to specifically Iraq and Afghanistan. Within those two countries the United States plays a major role as a cause to the refugee issue. These two nations are the most recently affected by United States Foreign Policy and because of that I will be looking into the impact the United States Foreign Policy has left on these nations. On the other end of the spectrum, Iraqi refugees and the way in which the surrounding countries are treating them will be a main theme in contrast to the way in which the Afghan refugees take, well, refuge. The lack of human rights these refugees have is atrocious; the impact of the United States on these countries is detrimental; the topic is now much more specific and much more intriguing.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
The Beginning
Thousands of refugeese flock to countries where they hope to find security. With this emigration they hope to find happiness, safety, a chance to live for just a few years more. What are the economic and social impacts of the immigration of these refugees in the Middle Eastern region of the world? What are the impacts that refugees leave on America? More than 40 million people who flee from their countries are unable to return home, are their new homes ready to accept them?
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