Amnesty International: Iraqi Refugee Situation Remains Dire

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Last updated on July 1st, 2012 at 06:58 am

A new report by Amnesty International found that contrary to the Bush/McCain rhetoric, the situation in Iraq remains too dire for the 4.7 million Iraqis who fled to return home.

“While the U.S. government’s rhetoric indicates otherwise, the human rights situation in Iraq remains too dire to encourage voluntary returns,” said Sarnata Reynolds, Amnesty International USA’s refugee program director.

The report found that Iraqis are being killed every month by People are being killed every month by armed groups, the Multinational Force, Iraqi security forces and private military and security guards. The report points out that kidnappings, torture, ill-treatment and arbitrary detention are daily facts of life for Iraqis. The problem is made worse by the policies of Jordan and Syria who are imposing visa restrictions on Iraqis.

“Governments have done little or nothing to help Iraqi refugees and are failing in their moral, political and legal duties to share responsibility for them,” said Amnesty International. “Instead, apathy and rhetoric have been the overwhelming response to one of the worst refugee crises in the world.” Many Iraqis are being forced into “voluntarily” returning to Iraq.

This is the side of the Iraq war that we in the United States aren’t told about. Come to think of it, those of us in the United States aren’t shown or told anything about what is going on in Iraq. When John McCain paints his rosy picture of Iraq, why isn’t he mentioning the 4.7 million refugees that the invasion of choice that he supports and wants to continue created?

There is a whole other side to the situation in Iraq that we aren’t seeing. Remember, that these 4.7 million Iraqis became refugees, not by their own actions, but by those of George W. Bush. The refugee crisis in Iraq is another reason why the United States should be looking to foster peace instead of prolong the war.This invasion has served only to build hate and contempt for the United States that will likely linger on long after the troops are gone.

Quotes came from here.

Video of the Iraqi refugee crisis