That's Angelina Jolie, no surprise, she's a smart woman and much smarter than TV readers playing at journalism.
Angelina is the UNHCR's Goodwill Ambassador and made her third trip to Iraq today. The above statement by her appears in CNN's coverage. The San Francisco Chronicle quotes her stating, "There are some changes. There are returns of displaced people, not a big number, but there is progress. This is a moment where things seem to be improving on the ground, but Iraqis need a lot of support and help to rebuild their lives."
Wow. She puts everyone to shame. The Docker Boys of the New York Times take pot shots at her but she shows more awareness in interviews today than the paper publishes when it comes to Iraq -- whether the story was filed in DC or Iraq.
Maybe her thoughts are on Iraqi refugees and the New York Times, a paper who helped sell the illegal war to begin with, does double-time as it attempts to re-sell the illegal war, re-brand it and add a sugary topping to make it go down so much easier.
We'll stay with the topic of refugees for this entry. Richard Hall's "Fearful of returning to Iraq, refugees opt to remain in prison" (The Daily Star) covers life for some Iraqi refugees in Lebanon:
BEIRUT: "Rot Here or Die There" reads the title of a 2007 Human Rights Watch report on the predicament of Iraqi refugees in Lebanon. It’s a pertinent description of the limited choices that Iraqis have, and even more so when applied to those who are currently residing in Lebanese prisons.
Situated atop a jagged mountain-face 18 kilometers northeast of Beirut, Roumieh Prison holds approximately 3,700 prisoners, of whom 52 are Iraqis, while the vast majority are Lebanese.
The total number of Iraqis detained in Lebanon is estimated to be around 120, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Most are detained in Roumieh, although some are held in other facilities around the country.
That's Lebanon. AFP reports this on Iraqi refugees in Jordan, " The United Nations said on Tuesday a budget shortfall has forced it to suspend medical aid to hundreds of chronically ill Iraqi refugees in Jordan."
Every day conditions continue that create more Iraqi refugees. Women leave because they and their families are trouble and because their rights have been destroyed since the start of the illegal war. Women and men leave because they're Christians and Iraqi Christians are always only a month or two away from the latest wave of attacks on them. Sunnis leave because their neighborhoods were 'ethincially cleansed,' even Shi'ites leave. And there is the ongoing assault on Iraq's LGBT community. They are targeted for who they are. And some targeted aren't even gay. But someone decides they 'must' be (out of ignorance or to protect themselves -- easiest way to hide in a closet is to point to others) and they get targeted as well.
And when has Nouri ever called it out? Iraq Christians? If the Pope is publicly speaking out, Nouri will find time to toss out a few words. Otherwise? He's as silent on the attacks on Iraqi Christians as he is about the attacks on Iraqi gays.
Nouri was supposed to be paying monies to neighboring countries like Jordan, Syria and Lebanon -- supplying them with money to cover for schooling and other expenses the refugee populations create. But that really didn't happen. Just like Nouri's efforts to improve life for Iraqis didn't really happen but he talked so pretty in the lead up to the January 31st elections (in 14 of Iraq's 18 provinces) this year.
How long does someone get to lead before their refusal to aid their own people is noted regularly? Nouri's been prime minister for over three years now.
It's over, I'm done writing songs about love
There's a war going on
So I'm holding my gun with a strap and a glove
And I'm writing a song about war
And it goes
Na na na na na na na
I hate the war
Na na na na na na na
I hate the war
Na na na na na na na
I hate the war
Oh oh oh oh
-- "I Hate The War" (written by Greg Goldberg, on The Ballet's Mattachine!)
Last Thursday, ICCC's number of US troops killed in Iraq since the start of the illegal war was 4323. Tonight? 4327.
The e-mail address for this site is common_ills@yahoo.com.
iraq
i hate the war
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