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The Least We Can Do
Hilzoy covers most of it here, but here's a quick rundown.
There are a lot of people in Iraq who tried to help out the US and actually believed the lines we gave about freedom and democracy. Or at least figured they could help make things less bad. Those people's lives are in danger because the Bush Administration has failed at every turn and let Iraq spiral in to chaos. They're seen as collaborators, and are being killed now, and will likely be slaughtered when we leave. And we will leave, if for no other reason than to keep from completely breaking the army.
Therefore, since we fucked up their country and lives, and can't fix it, we should offer them asylum, here. Because otherwise, they're going to be killed.
But since 2003, the US has let in less than 800 Iraqi refugees. There's a lot more than that. We need to have been letting them in years ago, but that failing, we should be bringing them here, now.
There are two bills, one in the Senate, and one in the House. I'll quote Hilzoy's piece for the descriptions.
"Senator Kennedy has introduced a bill, S.1651, that would provide up to 5,000 visas a year for Iraqis who have worked for the US Government for at least a year, and for their families. It would also designate as "Priority 2 refugees of special humanitarian concern under the refugee resettlement priority system" Iraqis who have worked for US media organizations, NGOs, or agencies that the US has contracted with or given grants to. Earl Blumenauer has introduced legislation (HR 2265) in the House that's similar, except that it provides special visas not just for Iraqis who have worked for the US government for a year, but for those who have worked for American media organizations, NGOs, etc., and it provides 15,000 a year, not 5,000."
Write your Senators and Congresspeople. Or to the policy head of immigration at DHS. His address is here, and behind the cut is my letter I wrote to him.
Carlos E. Iturregui
Chief, Office of Policy and Strategy
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington, D.C. 20528
Mr. Iturregui,
The United States has a moral and ethical duty to help shelter Iraqis refugees our war has created. Especially the people in the most danger, the people who tried to help the US during our invasion and occupation. Their lives are in danger now as collaborators, and when we leave, they will be slaughtered en masse. For the crime of believing our claims about trying to bring justice and freedom to Iraq. We have done neither, and have destroyed what society and safety they had. Their plight is our fault, and since it's becoming increasingly evident we can't fix their country, we should at least offer them a place in ours.
Many of the refugees would be a benefit to our country, moral duty aside. Many of those who tried to help during the invasion and occupation are professionals such as doctors and lawyers and engineers and the like. It's a tragedy that they can't put their skills to use in their country, which we have destroyed. But it is better by far to offer them a place here, rather than leaving them to die.
We have a duty and debt to these people. We need to massively expand the number of Iraqi refugees we allow into the country. Ideally, we should allow any one who helped us, and their families, to emigrate for free. But our current rate is a downright embarrassment. We have allowed less than 800 Iraqis in since 2003. As of June 30 of this year, we've allowed in a grand total of 69. Tens of thousands of Iraqis have died in the chaos we created in that same time.
We have a moral debt to the Iraqis who have tried to help us. We have failed them massively, by destroying their country and allowing it to descend into chaos. The very least we can do is offer them somewhere to take refuge. The real debt we owe them for what we've done to their country is one we can never pay back.
Sincerely,
There are a lot of people in Iraq who tried to help out the US and actually believed the lines we gave about freedom and democracy. Or at least figured they could help make things less bad. Those people's lives are in danger because the Bush Administration has failed at every turn and let Iraq spiral in to chaos. They're seen as collaborators, and are being killed now, and will likely be slaughtered when we leave. And we will leave, if for no other reason than to keep from completely breaking the army.
Therefore, since we fucked up their country and lives, and can't fix it, we should offer them asylum, here. Because otherwise, they're going to be killed.
But since 2003, the US has let in less than 800 Iraqi refugees. There's a lot more than that. We need to have been letting them in years ago, but that failing, we should be bringing them here, now.
There are two bills, one in the Senate, and one in the House. I'll quote Hilzoy's piece for the descriptions.
"Senator Kennedy has introduced a bill, S.1651, that would provide up to 5,000 visas a year for Iraqis who have worked for the US Government for at least a year, and for their families. It would also designate as "Priority 2 refugees of special humanitarian concern under the refugee resettlement priority system" Iraqis who have worked for US media organizations, NGOs, or agencies that the US has contracted with or given grants to. Earl Blumenauer has introduced legislation (HR 2265) in the House that's similar, except that it provides special visas not just for Iraqis who have worked for the US government for a year, but for those who have worked for American media organizations, NGOs, etc., and it provides 15,000 a year, not 5,000."
Write your Senators and Congresspeople. Or to the policy head of immigration at DHS. His address is here, and behind the cut is my letter I wrote to him.
Carlos E. Iturregui
Chief, Office of Policy and Strategy
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Washington, D.C. 20528
Mr. Iturregui,
The United States has a moral and ethical duty to help shelter Iraqis refugees our war has created. Especially the people in the most danger, the people who tried to help the US during our invasion and occupation. Their lives are in danger now as collaborators, and when we leave, they will be slaughtered en masse. For the crime of believing our claims about trying to bring justice and freedom to Iraq. We have done neither, and have destroyed what society and safety they had. Their plight is our fault, and since it's becoming increasingly evident we can't fix their country, we should at least offer them a place in ours.
Many of the refugees would be a benefit to our country, moral duty aside. Many of those who tried to help during the invasion and occupation are professionals such as doctors and lawyers and engineers and the like. It's a tragedy that they can't put their skills to use in their country, which we have destroyed. But it is better by far to offer them a place here, rather than leaving them to die.
We have a duty and debt to these people. We need to massively expand the number of Iraqi refugees we allow into the country. Ideally, we should allow any one who helped us, and their families, to emigrate for free. But our current rate is a downright embarrassment. We have allowed less than 800 Iraqis in since 2003. As of June 30 of this year, we've allowed in a grand total of 69. Tens of thousands of Iraqis have died in the chaos we created in that same time.
We have a moral debt to the Iraqis who have tried to help us. We have failed them massively, by destroying their country and allowing it to descend into chaos. The very least we can do is offer them somewhere to take refuge. The real debt we owe them for what we've done to their country is one we can never pay back.
Sincerely,