Obama: Be "Responsible" Toward Displaced Iraqis
Speaking recently before a group of U.S. veterans, President Obama said "As a presidential candidate, I pledged to bring the Iraq war to a responsible end. That's exactly what we're doing -- as promised, on schedule."
But a "responsible end" must include a commitment to the most vulnerable Iraqis who still can't return to their homes.
1.5 million Iraqis remain displaced inside their own country, 500,000 of whom live as squatters in slums without access to basic needs like food, water, security and education for their children.
As the U.S. military withdraws we must ensure that vulnerable communities get the support and assistance they desperately need. The world must not forget Iraqis uprooted by war.
Tell President Obama to fund and increase access to humanitarian aid to Iraq's most vulnerable citizens.
Dear President Obama,
At a speech before America's veterans about ending the combat mission in Iraq you said: "As a presidential candidate, I pledged to bring the Iraq war to a responsible end. That's exactly what we're doing -- as promised, on schedule."
But a "responsible end" must include a commitment to assisting for the most vulnerable Iraqis displaced by years of war.
A vast number of Iraqis still can't return to their homes. 500,000 live as squatters in slums without access to food, water, security or education for their children. The military draw down will only make it harder to reach these vulnerable communities.
The U.S. must:
1. Fund UN humanitarian appeals at no less than 50 percent
2. Increase humanitarian access to Iraq's most vulnerable by pushing U.S. and UN agencies to operate more freely outside of Baghdad's international zone.
The U.S. bears a special responsibility toward a stable Iraq. As the draw down of troops begins, please don't abandon the Iraqis who remain uprooted by the war.
