Claim Iraq is won proved a lie by admission of refugees

Sept 13, 2008

If the U.S. is "winning," or even "has won," the war in Iraq, and if Iraq is becoming, or has become, a safe, peaceful, stable, free, self-governing society, why are we admitting tens of thousands of Iraqi refugees starting this year?

One refugee advocacy group, Human Rights First, said it welcomed the news Washington had met its target for Iraqi arrivals in 2008 but that the "low" goal of resettling 17,000 refugees in fiscal 2009 should be raised to at least 30,000.

"The number of Iraqi refugees we have welcomed to our shores is still just a fraction of those in need," said Amelia Templeton of the New York-based group. She said the U.N. refugee agency estimated that 85,000 Iraqi refugees from the most vulnerable groups would need resettlement next year.

Ditto Australia's intake of Iraqi interpreters.