Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

October 13, 2008 9:02:23 AM CDT

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

Refugees: Iraq's Unspoken Crisis

Posted Jun 26, 08 6:56 AM CDT in Opinion,  World 

(Newser) – New York Times columnist Nicholas D. Kristof travels to Jordan to report on one of the unintended consequences of the Iraq war: a regional refugee crisis. About 2 million Iraqis, mostly Sunnis, have fled since the war, living mostly in Jordan and Syria in deplorable conditions. "They are the new Palestinians," writes Kristof, "the 21st-century Arab diaspora that threatens the region’s stability."

America has a "moral responsibility" to help Iraqi refugees, but doing so is also in the national interest. As Kristof writes, poor young refugees risk becoming radicalized unless they receive education, food, and basic assistance. The best way to prevent decades of Mideast instability, says the columnist, is not "Blackhawk helicopters, but help with school fees and school construction."

Source New York Times

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • United Arab Emirates Cancels Iraq's $7B Debt

    Jul 7, 08 4:31 AM CDT
    United Arab Emirates Cancels Iraq's $7B Debt Iraq's diplomatic isolation among its Arab neighbors is easing, reports the BBC. The United Arab Emirates canceled Iraq's entire debt of close to $7 billion and appointed a new ambassador, while Jordan's King Abdullah will become  the first Arab head of state to visit Iraq since 2003, boosting the Baghdad government's standing in the region. More »

  • Iraq Still Lacks Clean Water, Health Care

    Mar 17, 08 11:23 AM CDT
    Iraq Still Lacks Clean Water, Health Care Five years after the US-led invasion of Iraq, its health care system is “now in worse shape than ever,” and millions of Iraqis still don’t have clean water and medical care, Reuters reports. “The humanitarian situation in most of the country remains among the most critical in the world,” the Red Cross said in a new report. More »

  • Cheney Makes Surprise Visit to Baghdad

    Mar 17, 08 6:45 AM CDT
    Cheney Makes Surprise Visit to Baghdad Leading Iraq war architect Dick Cheney made an unannounced visit to Baghdad today, beginning a nine-day Middle East tour by promising Iraq the "unwavering commitment of the United States in finishing the difficult work that lies ahead." John McCain, traveling as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, simultaneously met with other Iraqi leaders in the capital, AFP reports. More »

  • McCain Makes Surprise Visit to Baghdad

    Mar 16, 08 7:59 AM CDT
    McCain Makes Surprise Visit to Baghdad John McCain made a surprise visit to Baghdad this morning, where he will meet with Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, Gen. David Petraeus, and US troops. Details were sketchy for security reasons. McCain, who has linked his political hopes to success in Iraq, has begun a tour of the Mideast and Europe to position himself for the general election as a world leader, the Chicago Tribune reports. More »

  • Iraq Pullout Would Spur Genocide: Mac

    Mar 14, 08 2:45 AM CDT
    Iraq Pullout Would Spur Genocide: Mac John McCain charged yesterday that early withdrawal from Iraq proposed by both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton would  trigger "genocide" across the region. He launched his latest attack on his Democratic rivals on the eve of his planned international tour to Britain, France, Israel, Jordan and possibly Iraq to pitch his war strategy to America's allies, reports the Daily Telegraph. More »

Iraqi women are seen through the window of a bus bound for Syria in central Baghdad, Iraq. A half-million Iraqis fled their embattled country in 2007, the third consecutive year more Iraqis were displaced...   (AP Photo)
U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres speaks at a press conference in Amman, Jordan, Monday, Feb. 18, 2007. The international community and Iraq must bear greater financial responsibility...   (AP Photo)
Iraqi men sit at the Shako Mako Cafe, a gathering place for Iraqi refugees, near Cairo, Egypt on Saturday, Sept. 1, 2007.   (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)
Iraqi refugees fill in information forms at the Al-Tanaf border crossing with Iraq, 170 miles northeast of Damascus, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2007.   (AP Photo/Bassem Tellawi)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (
1
 of 3)

Tags

Iraq  • Iraq war  • Middle East  • Syria  • Jordan  • Sunnis  • Iraqi refugees


Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

Today's Most Popular

Loading...

Other World Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Newser gives you more news in less time. We search for the best and most important stories all over the web, read them for you, and deliver concise and sharp summaries—along with links to the full text. Newser provides a way to stay on top of an ever-expanding horizon of news and opinion—politics, sports, business, trends, technology, personalities, crimes, and controversies. Newser keeps you not just better informed, but, with our signature graphic interface and smart condensed format, more enjoyably informed.

Learn more »