US opens its doors at last to 7,000 Iraqi refugees
 

The Bush Administration said yesterday that it was finally ready to admit up to 7,000 Iraqi refugees into the US, after months of delays and growing condemnation on Capitol Hill over the refusal to grant asylum to some of the 2.2 million Iraqis who have fled the war.

Acknowledging for the first time that Iraqis who have helped US forces since the 2003 invasion are at risk of death inside the country, the Department of Homeland Security said that new procedures were in place to screen the thousands who have been referred by the UN for resettlement in the US.

Refugee groups welcomed the move, but condemned it as too little, too late. The US has admitted fewer than 800 Iraqi refugees, leaving more than two million in refugee camps and cities across the Middle East. Another two million Iraqis have been displaced internally by the war, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Refugees International, a Washington-based advocacy group, said that Sweden had accepted 18,000 Iraqi refugees and Australia has resettled nearly 6,000. Britain has granted only 115 Iraqis asylum since 2003, out of 8,075 applications, according to Home Office figures. Ken Bacon, president of Refugees International, said: “The US should be doing much more.”

Congress ignored the issue almost completely until the Democrats’ takeover on Capitol Hill last year. During hearings in January – when only 466 Iraqis had been admitted since 2003 – a Sunni translator from Mosul told how assisting coalition forces had made him a condemned man.

:mad2:

We let in 69 last month. That is enough. Close the borders.

They are Iraqis. The 2 million we drove out of their country - they deserved it. The second 2 million that are now living homeless - its all their fault.

just a reply I received from Cheney

We could send them to Mexico and make them sneak in like everyone else.

It could be a game...

Does that mean they would have to run through wild game perserves in Texas? What's the record for the largest Iraqi? Does it could it one is bagged in a game perserve?

What will they do when Cheney wants to go hunting for Iraqis? Give him how many more lawyers?

The countries that started this war have a very poor record of caring for the displaced citizens in Iraq.

I hope the rest of the 'coalition of the willing' are going to follow suit and try and create some normalcy in these people's lives.

I don't know? can you eat them? Yuk. No thanks.:headshake

If "we drove" them out, why not just "drive" them back in?

I don't think we drove them out, just gave them an excuse to leave.

I'll drive them back in when you are with them.

Never happen.

These millions of people left when the invasion started? Why didn't they go back when it was mission accomplished?
The only fighting after that, was in response to insurgents attacks. So it's not us that's keeping them away, it's their countryman.
If the US pulls out, how many would go back? Were they part of the ruling minority under Saddam? If so they can never go back.

Note the term "ruling minority"... The majority have freedom of movement. I do believe, at great agnst to the UN, people are redistributing within their country. An unfortunate but survival tactic in times of civil war.

As if 4 million people were simply waiting for one excuse so they could all leave and go live in poverty. Are you truly that extremist as to believe even that propaganda?

America created an insurgency that was even predicted by Iraqi analysts in the State Department. This is what happens when an invading nation does not do nation building - also called Phase IV planning.

So how does TheMercenary spin this? He puts blame on those 4 million people who all decided at the same time to be homeless, to live without jobs, and to live as paupers. Clearly they wanted an excuse to live this way ... which is how he defends George Jr and his beloved "Mission Accomplished" war.

TheMercenary is again caught and expose for spinning a lie that will jusitify his political agenda - reality be damned.

Reality? TheMercenary does not need no reality. He has a political agenda.

Ok, let 69 more in then close the door. That would be fair.

Or let 666 in so we can accuse them all of being the devil. After all, they are not Christian. So they must be evil. Serves them right for being muslims. That is unofficial American government response.

No, no, no. You know your mantra, "Death to America, the Great Satan!". The peace loving radical Muslims are but innocent by-standers of our failed policy.

There are plenty of peace loving muslims in the world.

Note term "radical". There are about 1.4 billion Muslims in the world. The majority are not the problem. It is the radical minority and the silent middle that bare the burden.

radicals of any religion are a problem.

The problem is the inference which is drawn upon hearing the phrase 'radical muslims'.

Not my problem. That is a problem for Muslims in general, not non-Muslims.

So now you're saying radical muslims are a problem only for mainstream muslims to deal with?

Well, no we unfortunately have to deal with them as well. The problem of "the inference which is drawn upon hearing the phrase 'radical muslims'" is one which needs to be delt with by the Muslim community, not by non-Muslims.

I'll bet there was more than 4 million people that wished they could escape Saddam.

You can't escape the fact that all these terrorist attacks going on around the world have been perpetrated by Radical Muslims. They are a problem.... for everyone.

Yes, they are everyone's problem.

Allah Akabar.

They could have left then just as they can leave now. Saddam was not loved. But in major parts of Iraq, he was not despised - in direct contradiction to propaganda in America.

Even the Kurds were doing business deals with Saddam. So much business that Kurds would fight among themselves for that business with Saddam.

Of course, within a month of the Kuwait liberation war, Saddam completely restored electricity. Except for one day, Americans have never been able to exceed the electrical supply provided by Saddam.

This does not go unnoticed by the Iraqi who have no idea why Americans cannot even supply power - but Green zones are brightly lit every night. The air conditioner works every hour of every day in the Green zones. Iraqis know the difference between a dictator and an occupying force that makes life even worse.

Same people who could have left under Saddam's rule are leaving by the millions due to Americans. We even lie about it - call it a coalition. And still cannot even provide electricity.

But Saddam didn't have thousands of people trying to stop him from delivering electricity.

Whilst I agree that the governments who caused their displacement should be responsible for sorting it out, I doubt that moving them halfway across the world to places with entirely different cultures and where they are in the minority religion, race and language-wise is going to create any "normalcy".

Because if they did he'd cut off their hand.

That's right. They did not so hate their government under Saddam as much as they hate American occupiers and the American puppet government.

Normalcy? That ship left five years ago when "America does not do nation building". Even George Jr has been caught saying that American troops may be in Iraq for the next ten years.

Considering how the Democrats even folded like wimps - less, George Jr is probably correct. And just like in Nam, the American death rates will only increase every year. As for the indigenous people (also called Iraqis) - they are now nothing but cattle to be slaughtered. That is the attitude that Americans are taking. Wacko extremist somehow call that morality.

No, I am not kidding. We took this same attitude in Nam. Vietnamese became nothing but horsemeat in a war where our 'big dics' were still fighting a proxy war against China and USSR. "Mission Accomplished" is following the same track complete with an adminstration that claims we are "winning the war". Iraqis are now taking on an image of second class people complete with an American puppet government. Americans - military and civilian - are becoming numb to the massacres of the locals. Even American troops in mass numbers (one in three) consider torture and indiscriminate shooting to be 'situation normal'. It’s only a matter of years before America creates another My Lai.

Deja vue Nam. When our leaders are outright liars and crooks, crime - domestic and military - becomes acceptable. Tell me in such situations where anything for Iraqis can be normalcy?

Can't.

My point, really, but in more words and with more political posturing. (but no emotion ;) )

OK, maybe normalcy wasn't the right word. Maybe I should have said, 'so they can live without worrying about being shot by one of the many different factions shooting guns within Iraq at the moment'.

Do we really need more 7-11 managers in this country. The last group of exiles we let in (Iranians) took over a major segment of our service industry. I have worked with these people and have seen businesses ruined and customers cheated.
One case in point, a cab company in El Toro Ca. was running improperly registered, and uninsured taxis. When this company was investigated by the PUC the owners Mahmood, and Mosen disappeared and left the middle managers holding the bag.
We allow these people in and they flaunt our laws, and rip off everybody they can. If people want to come here and play by the rules, and try to get along come on down there is always room for more at my table. Just don't come here and expect us to let you cheat, and ridicule our country.

I'm suprised we didn't leave them to be killed by their fellow countrymen, considering how we've handled every other aspect of this war...

Ugh, corporations do that too.

and instead go to school and get shot? ;)




(yup, cheap shot)

And the queen of political agenda should know.

Hmm. True to form: no better at Arabic than any other language. Check.

Two syllables in akbar, you low-talent non-sage unpundit.

Anyone ever notice that if someone does something bad in the news the only times they'll state the persons religious afflilation is if there Muslim? Or obviously if they're a religious official (Priest, Rabbi, Minister)

Yes. Those are the subtle tricks the news use to get you to agree with their agenda.

They will also never show a beautiful shot of an area that is suppose to be "bad". All you will see is desert and poverty.

Fitting response...:neutral:

Now we know where your true allegiance lies.

Maybe it is because those other people are not running around performing that "bad" "something" in the name of Allah. :cool:

yea with God, all he said was "God is great"

I don't think you would actually get Muslims and Christians to agree that the God they worship is the same one. That would be a quote used exclusively by Muslims. I subscribe to neither group exclusively.

Allah is only the Arabic word for God, even Christian Arabs refer to their God as Allah.

Sorry but the Christian God (Allah) is not the same "God" worshiped by Muslims in any language.

do you believe Christians, Catholics and Jews worship the same God?

No, and I don't care. But I do know that the teachings of the Muslim faith are not the same as the Christian faith. There is a great book out now making the circuit that talks quite candidly about what the Muslim faith is all about. I would recommend it to all who want to learn more:

http://www.amazon.com/Infidel-Ayaan-.../dp/0743289684

merc

that book talks more about ethnic customs than religious ones but whatever, i can see you have already made up your mind, selam aleykum

Muslims worship the prophet Jesus (PBUH), they have different gods....

I believe they recognize Jesus as a minor prophet as do Jews. But you are correct. Their Gods and idea of God are completely different.

One of the most important points she makes in her book are that not all people are equal in the Muslim faith. There are two kinds of people. Believers and non-belivers. That about sums it up. Woman are completely marginalized in the Muslim culture. That was a huge issue for her and she has a legit axe to grind. She avoided an arranged marriage and became what she is today, a voice.

Completely different? What?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam

Muslims believe in not only the same God, but Jesus, Moses, the angels, Adam & Eve, Noah, Heaven, Hell and much more. The main thing Muslims and Christians disagree on is that Muslims do not believe Jesus was the son of God.

Islam vs. Christianity - What are the major differences?

Many people wonder what the comparison is between Islam vs. Christianity. While there are a few similarities between Islam and Christianity, such as a belief in moral living and doing good to others, nevertheless, Muslims and Christians have vastly different views on major points of ideology and theology. First and foremost are the differing perceptions of Jesus, the Christ. Islam readily accepts that Jesus of Nazareth existed and that He was born of the virgin, Mary. Islam teaches that Jesus was merely another prophet, equal to and following in the line of Adam, Noah, Abraham, and Moses. Muslims believe that Muhammad is the final messenger, superior to all previous prophets, the ultimate. Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God, which as the Jews accused of old, makes Him equal to God. He is accepted as the Second Person of the Trinity, God Himself come to earth in the flesh.

Islam vs. Christianity - What are the major differences?

Secondly, Islam refutes the idea that Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross. They believe that God spared His messenger from such an ignominious death and later took Him up to Himself. For Christians, the death of Jesus Christ on the cross is the focal point of all that they believe. The only way for man to be reconciled to a Holy God is for the ultimate price to be paid. Christians believe that Jesus Christ paid the ultimate price by shedding His blood. Without that precious act, Christians remain hopeless and in sin. "In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness" (Hebrews 9:22).

The religion of Islam has the Qur'an as the source of truth. Muslims believe that the original New Testament, which they call Injil, was the original revelation that Jesus received from Allah. They believe, however, that the Christians of today have corrupted the original Scriptures; therefore the Bible that is read by Christendom today is unreliable. Muslims believe that the message of Muhammad continued the original truths that were outlined in the Injil, and additionally, have corrected the errors that Christians have added. Christians hold that the Bible, including the Old and New Testaments is the infallible Word of God. They believe that God inspired the Scriptures; it is their only source of truth and instruction. "For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21).

Finally, Muslims do not hold to any assurance of salvation. They do not feel that is was even necessary for Jesus to pay for our sins. The belief that they hold is that every man must bear and pay for his or her own sins; for Jesus to be punished and responsible for our sins would be unjust in their eyes. Christians believe that man had no ability to atone for his sins. Christians believe that we are hopelessly lost except for the immeasurable gift of God's grace, which is the only means of salvation. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8).

Cool chart.

http://www.religionfacts.com/islam/c...ristianity.htm

I would submit that in the eyes of Muslims they may believe that the God is the same, all be it a highly corrupted view, I would also submit that you would be quite pressed to find Western Christian religions that would agree with that notion.

I think the U.S. should let in more than 7.000 Iraqi refugees, the U.S. started the war.
But, I wouldn't be surprised if the U.S. asked the E.U. to let thousands of Iraqi refugees in. Because lately the E.U. is cleaning up in countries like Afganistan and Iraq. While the U.S. started a big war they couldn't win.

Welcome to the Cellar, Kreatores.:D
Can you tell us what the EU is doing in Afghanistan and Iraq?