U.N.: 4.2 Million Iraqis Now Displaced

U.N.: 4.2 Million Iraqis Now Displaced

www.usatoday.com

GENEVA (AP) — More than 4 million Iraqis have now been displaced by violence in the country, the U.N. refugee agency said Tuesday, warning that the figure will continue to rise.
The number of Iraqis who have fled the country as refugees has risen to 2.2 million, said Jennifer Pagonis, spokeswoman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. A further 2 million have been driven from their homes but remain within the country, increasingly in "impoverished shanty towns," she said.

(visit the link for the full news article)



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Shocking, and enlightening article, I challenge all to read the full article before commenting.

Is this the new Iraq the Iraqi people were promised freedom and democracy would bring?

www.usatoday.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Interesting level of apathy many seem to have now regarding news like this from Iraq.

Shame actually.

Hey, Gazz...

They're not displaced. They're free. We liberated them. What's the problem?

www.ronpaul2008.com... Read this ok? You are not alone. Let me know what you think. U2 me if you want. Antar

Can you imagine for a moment if the subject line had read U.N.: 4.2 Million Americans Now Displaced ??

Many people are just not that interested in bad news from Iraq.

An accepted reality, war, and outcome perhaps, tragic nonetheless.

Yes, but did you hear that Paris Hilton went to jail? And all the other b.s. news that keeps people with their heads in the sand...
Who wants to hear that the president wants to become a total dictator and can sign bills that no longer have to be governed by the House and Senate!
Who wants to hear that our constitutional rights are being sold out as America is dismantled and our freedoms stripped?
None of the real issues are being even discussed at all. We are headed for civil war and when they can no longer sit back chewing bags of chips and watching TV and playing video games, then and only then will they grieve for the real news the real truth. Until it hits 'them' it really does not matter.
Those people live far away from here, they look different, they are less human, they have been warring for centuries it is more than apathy Um_Gazz, it is desensitization and mind control. They have not been controlled to care.
As long as they can watch their story who cares?
I am glad to know that you care, that is a start.

Um
But isn't this a good thing? I don't understand?! There have been so many people on this site proclaiming the great work that we are doing in Iraq. We were bringing the Iraqi's freedom. Isn't this good news? They are free! Free to roam the world homeless too I guess obviously. In a way I guess we did bring them the idea of democracy (Im talking about some of the peoples idea of democracy on this site) now they are just like the millions of other Americans sleeping in cardboard boxes or street curbs and no place to go.

I still dont understand how some people can say that people who see the shame in all this as being unpatriotic and sympathetic to terrorism. I really feel sorry for these confused and heartless people who think this way.
I thought these things were done by despotic people and despotic countries. Not by The United States Of America.

Interesting Gazz, there does seem to be a sort of lack of concern or reason here on this site about this important humanitarian issue. Maybe you should have tricked them in here with a different title to the post...
Top Russian model 'bares' all while scarfing a big mac!

I just wanted to bring this post back up for the day people to see and hopefully respond to. I feel it was important to Gazz and is a reminder that we are all connected as human beings and to not become complacent and dull about such tragic occurrences. After all isn't that why so many Jews were killed during hitler?

I wrote about that few months ago:

World 'Ignoring Iraqi Refugees' on 21/3/07

But the thread was "Ignored" alongside with Iraqi refugees.

But at that time it was almost two million more people are displaced inside Iraq - people who have fled their homes to escape the violence. I find it strange, that only few months after that, the number has risen for 2.2 million.

the DisplacePerson thing is bad & i empathaize with those who are displaced,

in germany, after WWII, somewhere between 13.5-16.5 ethnic germans
were either put in DP Camps, or else were forced to migrate...
in 1950 i myself came from DP camp BuccherStrasse outside of Pegnitz
W Germany to an adoptive family here in the USA under a childrens' refugee program.

but with the flood of southAmericans into the USA
and a 'desirables' list for immigrants with established career paths
or higher education/advanced degrees,
the days look bleak for the average Iraqi DP.

then there's Darfur, the Congo, etc etc etc....

Wow... They are now free...to roam around aimlessly.

I love the use of the word "displaced" as opposed to flat out homeless. This is truly a shame and a travesty, especially when you hear certain party members bragging out how much they care about how the Iraqi's were treated under Saddam.

Dang...at least they had homes then.

I always thought it was funny to see how suddenly republicans and conservatives cared so much about the welfare of the Iraqi people. They were a non-issue to everyone until Bush wanted to overthrow Saddam.

I used to hear that stuff in the south from some of the pickup driving country boys I grew up with about how we need to free them, and I would think "you wouldn't even have an Arab over for dinner, man." I grew up in the South and I know how close minded a lot of folks are down there.

Maybe all those people that supported this action can invite some refugees to stay with them for a time? A majority of Americans are going along with what the President feeds them. How did this Admin convince them so well I wonder?

[edit on 6-6-2007 by lee anoma]

honest to god i would have Bush and Blaire up for war crimes.

isn't it something like over 600 thousand have died as a direct result of the conflict , and now 4.4 million have been displaced.

Absolutely disgusting. I'm ashamed to say my government did this.

Just a question...what does everyone who have posted in here think would happen if the coalition left?

You all actually think that "the coalition is doing this"?...

BTW, don't get me wrong, I feel bad for these people, but you should all by now know that the coalition is not the one doing this....

[edit on 6-6-2007 by Muaddib]

Originally posted by Muaddib
Just a question...what does everyone who have posted in here think would happen if the coalition left?

You all actually think that "the coalition is doing this"?...

Do you think it would be like this in Iraq, had there never been an invasion?

You actually believe the invasion and occupation has helped the Iraqi people?...

Over 500,000 Iraqi children under the age of 5 died in Iraq because of the same sanctions that countries like China, Russia, France, and Germany wanted to continue, and that's not counting the amount of people older who also died not only because of sanctions but because of Saddam's regime.

Something else had to be tried, allowing for the sanctions to continue would have only increased the amount of children and older Iraqis dying not only because of the sanctions, but as I said because of Saddam's regime.

As I said, I do feel for these people, but i do wonder what would you be doing now if the sanctions were still in place and the number of Iraqi children under the age of 5 dying because of such sanctions would have increased to a million or more?

Would you, and all those members who try to blame everything that happens in Iraq on the U.S., have been just as critical of the countries that wanted these sanctions to continue and would you have blamed these countries for the death of these children?

Do i wish this on the Iraqi people? no... But make no mistake what is happening over there is because of the insurgents/terrorists.

I have seen members label all coalition forces for what some of them have done, and for what the insurgents/terrorists have done over there and proclaim "it is all because of the U.S."

Despite the fact that first, if anyone would have actually decided to keep track you will find the insurgents/terrorists have killed more Iraqis than they have killed coalition forces.

Second, the coalition is not the reason these people had to flee.

This would be like blaming those who fled during WWII on "the U.S.' actions" (Because that's what all these threads about puting the blame on the coalition is all about.)

I really wish that something could be done so these people didn't have to flee, but if the coalition leaves, things will get worse and not better.

[edit on 6-6-2007 by Muaddib]

I hate to keep repeating myself. We went there because we were told Al-Queda had training bases in Iraq, that Osama Bin laden had ties to Iraq, that Iraq was tied to 9/11 and Saddam Hussein had WMD's that we were told by Cheney and Rice as well as others that would be landing on US Soil. Nothing to do with freedom for Iraqis, Nothing to do with the cruelty of Saddam Husseins regime. WE BROUGHT/ATTRACTED AL QUEDA THERE. There are no And, Ifs or Buts about it. The people are fighting us off because they didnt want a regime change and they kind of figured out for themselves that they were not guilty of having possesion of WMD's. Its pretty simple to see.

Your theory on sanctions are an afterthought and not a reason for war. So please save yourself the effort of making stuff up to explain this away.

Originally posted by Muaddib
I really wish that something could be done so these people didn't have to flee, but if the coalition leaves, things will get worse and not better.

Muaddib, you crack me up knowing you are the last person on the planet that is still using the word coalition. Even GW doesn't use it anymore. But God bless ya, if it wasn't for you there would be no one left to support this mistake and continue to make up excuses after four years of tragedy.


Along with the tragedy that 4.2 million people have been displaced is that the first ones to leave were Iraq's best and brightest that left early because they knew they would be targets. Hopefully they intend to return to help rebuild if given the opportunity.

The remaining refugees that are displaced within the country are going to be desperate and will need aid to be sure.

If you really want to define the word tragedy, I suggest watching a re-run of the republican primary debate and listen to the wind when they were all asked what to do next if the surge does not work.

Originally posted by Muaddib
Over 500,000 Iraqi children under the age of 5 died in Iraq because of the same sanctions that countries like China, Russia, France, and Germany wanted to continue, and that's not counting the amount of people older who also died not only because of sanctions but because of Saddam's regime.

Something else had to be tried, allowing for the sanctions to continue would have only increased the amount of children and older Iraqis dying not only because of the sanctions, but as I said because of Saddam's regime.

As I said, I do feel for these people, but i do wonder what would you be doing now if the sanctions were still in place and the number of Iraqi children under the age of 5 dying because of such sanctions would have increased to a million or more?

Would you, and all those members who try to blame everything that happens in Iraq on the U.S., have been just as critical of the countries that wanted these sanctions to continue and would you have blamed these countries for the death of these children?

Do i wish this on the Iraqi people? no... But make no mistake what is happening over there is because of the insurgents/terrorists.

I have seen members label all coalition forces for what some of them have done, and for what the insurgents/terrorists have done over there and proclaim "it is all because of the U.S."

Despite the fact that first, if anyone would have actually decided to keep track you will find the insurgents/terrorists have killed more Iraqis than they have killed coalition forces.

Second, the coalition is not the reason these people had to flee.

This would be like blaming those who fled during WWII on "the U.S.' actions" (Because that's what all these threads about puting the blame on the coalition is all about.)

I really wish that something could be done so these people didn't have to flee, but if the coalition leaves, things will get worse and not better.

[edit on 6-6-2007 by Muaddib]

At least most of the people had roofs over their heads, water running out of their taps, toilets that worked and electricity to use. Now all that infrastructure has been bombed to oblivion. The hospitals are in shambles unless you're an American soldier. Saddam was an evil person, there's no doubt about that. However, at least there was stability and now there is none. Instability will continue because of the American presence there, the people of Iraq have realized that the US will not deliver what was promised and that the US is only interested in making money off of their country much like it does to other 3rd world countries. The Global Conglomerates rule and don't care about the people, only the money they can make at their expense and that of their country.

THE WAR IS LOST ACCEPT THE FACTS AND GET OUT BEFORE EVERYONE LOSES COMPLETE FAITH IN THE US