Angelina Jolie Says U.S. Should Stay in Iraq.
Angelina wrote a thought provoking editorial this week for the Washington Post. Unlike most of the liberals( I think saying Angelina is liberal is a safe assumption-I’m also pretty liberal so no judgment here.) she thinks we should stay in Iraq. Based on her Iraqi experiences in Febuary, she thinks this is the best course of action for the country, and the region at large. Here’s a snippet:
“My visit left me even more deeply convinced that we not only have a moral obligation to help displaced Iraqi families, but also a serious, long-term, national security interest in ending this crisis.
Today’s humanitarian crisis in Iraq — and the potential consequences for our national security — are great. Can the United States afford to gamble that 4 million or more poor and displaced people, in the heart of Middle East, won’t explode in violent desperation, sending the whole region into further disorder?
What we cannot afford, in my view, is to squander the progress that has been made. In fact, we should step up our financial and material assistance. UNHCR has appealed for $261 million this year to provide for refugees and internally displaced persons. That is not a small amount of money — but it is less than the U.S. spends each day to fight the war in Iraq. I would like to call on each of the presidential candidates and congressional leaders to announce a comprehensive refugee plan with a specific timeline and budget as part of their Iraq strategy.
As for the question of whether the surge is working, I can only state what I witnessed: U.N. staff and those of non-governmental organizations seem to feel they have the right set of circumstances to attempt to scale up their programs. And when I asked the troops if they wanted to go home as soon as possible, they said that they miss home but feel invested in Iraq. They have lost many friends and want to be a part of the humanitarian progress they now feel is possible.
It seems to me that now is the moment to address the humanitarian side of this situation. Without the right support, we could miss an opportunity to do some of the good we always stated we intended to do.”
Read the article in its entirety here.
March 2nd, 2008 at 1:34 am
HERE IS MY OPINION… I LIVE IN THE US… LIKE I HAVE SAID IN NUMEROUS TIMES, WITH FRIENDS, FAMILY, AT WORK, AND SO ON, BUSH HAS DIG A HOLE WITH THE WAR SO DEEP THAT COVERING THE HOLE WILL NOT DO… MEANING, TAKING THE TROOPS OUT OF IRAQ IN THE NEXT 2 YEARS. IF ANYONE HAS LEARN FROM HISTORY, THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE WITHOUT SUFFERING A GREAT CONSEQUENCE. I ALSO THINK, THE WAR IN IRAQ CAN ONLY BE SOLVE WITH A LONG TERM PLAN. AS MUCH AS I WOULD LOVE FOR ALL TROOPS TO COME HOME, WE DONT LIVE IN LALA LAND AND WE HAVE TO SEE REALITY. IF ANYONE READS THIS AND WONDERS… IM A LIBERAL.
March 2nd, 2008 at 5:13 am
Supposing that leaving Iraq, the troops would be home, what do we expect happening afterwise? Big trouble to come, I think the next civil war would happen and the crisis will never end.
Remaining hopeful that the US securety will, at least now, not sign a memo that brings back the their security home, even from Kosovo. Let’s not talk about Iraq.
Thanks!
March 2nd, 2008 at 8:20 pm
Stayed or not stayed in Irak, big problem, US has to assume responsiblities now, and protect refugees but never abandon them.