An obligation to refugees

The following editorial was published recently by the Boston Globe:

As American troops withdraw from Iraq, they leave behind a population of refugees who are only part of a humanitarian crisis encompassing war zones all around the world. The United States is the largest donor of refugee relief, yet despite this effort and the United Nations refugee program, temporary shelter and aid give little comfort to refugees who are highly vulnerable to contagious disease and violence. As people grow up and die in camps, the idea that only temporary shelter is needed has become an idyllic fairy tale. The United States should provide a haven for more refugees.

Each year the U.S. government sets a number of refugees to resettle in the United States for protection, and this year the ceiling was raised from 70,000 to 80,000. This increase acknowledges the scale of the crisis but ignores the thousands of available spots that go unfilled each year. Existing programs to select refugees cannot meet the cap, and few refugees, who lack homes or clean water, could be expected to apply without help. Meaningful offers of resettlement require expanding support for programs that encourage eligible refugees to apply.

Though resettlement and aid are critical to stemming the international crisis, the United States has a unique responsibility to those displaced by the war in Iraq. The American-led war caused 4 million Iraqis, nearly one-sixth of the population, to be driven from their homes. Their condition deteriorates as they deplete their savings and are unable to get work permits or access food rations.

The goal in refugee crises is to safely return refugees to their homes, yet these conditions do not exist in Iraq. The United Nations has determined that Iraq is still too fragile to absorb the 1.5 million Iraqis who remain outside its borders. Many are now living in Jordan and Syria. Despite the huge socio-economic burden of refugee populations, these countries provide basic social services to many displaced Iraqis. They should not be punished for their generosity. The United States must increase support for these populations and shift some of the burden from Iraq's neighbors.

Many Iraqis continue to face persecution. Saving those who aided U.S. forces should not just be the work of individuals such as Kirk Johnson of Somerville, Mass., who, after leaving Iraq, is forwarded death threats received by former interpreters and embassy workers begging for help to resettle.

Even after moving to the United States, Iraqis face a poor quality of life. A study by the International Rescue Committee found that the program for resettled Iraqi refugees is "dangerously underfunded," leaving many on the verge of homelessness and hunger. Even in humanitarian crises, no one should be satisfied with merely inviting homeless Iraqis to become homeless Americans.