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thedrifter
01-30-07, 02:16 PM
A haven for Iraq's refugees
Chicago Tribune, IL
January 30, 2007

American soldiers and Marines serving in Iraq brave many dangers, but when their tours of duty are up, they have the consolation of returning to the safety of home. The Iraqis who have risked their lives helping us and their countrymen build a new nation are not so lucky. The same goes for 2 million people who have fled the country to escape its terrible hardships, or simply to stay alive.

The United States has spent a lot of blood and treasure on behalf of the people of Iraq. What it has not done is assure a safe haven for many of those who find they can no longer remain in their home country, including those who have done the most to help us. Despite the flood of people leaving Iraq in recent months, only 466 have been admitted to the U.S. as refugees.

The State Department says they are free to apply for asylum, but the strict screening put in place after Sept. 11, 2001, has "made it very difficult ... for people to pass through," acknowledges Assistant Secretary of State Ellen Sauerbrey. They are not even allowed to apply for asylum at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.

Interpreters have been an indispensable help to American military units trying to navigate a country where few soldiers know the language or customs. But these translators run special risks: Of the 5,000 who have served, more than 250 have been killed since the war began, most of them murdered during visits home.

Last year, Congress responded by creating a special program to take in interpreters--but, The Wall Street Journal reports, only 200 of them have been able to get visas. Even some who have been seriously wounded or maimed have little hope of getting to the U.S., since the program requires them to get a recommendation from a four-star general or a Navy admiral, which is impossible in most cases. And if they go home, their previous absence may create suspicions that could get them killed by local militias that see Americans as the enemy.

The U.S. government has to exercise some care in this area, since it needs intepreters in Iraq, not here at home. It also wants to avoid encouraging even more Iraqis to leave the country rather than stay and help in its reconstruction. As long as American forces remain in Iraq, the priority should be to make it safe for Iraqis to remain in their homes.

But the administration has to plan for all contingencies, including what to do if our forces end up withdrawing before the country is stabilized. After South Vietnam fell to communism in 1975, the U.S. accepted 100,000 Vietnamese, including many who had fought on our side in the war. After the 1991 Gulf War, we opened the door to 15,000 Iraqi Shiites.

Should the worst-case scenario unfold in Iraq, it would be necessary to offer similar assistance to locals whose lives would be at risk. Americans have done a lot in trying to help the people of Iraq, but there may be more left to do.

Ellie