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Angelina Jolie: We Have a Moral Obligation to Help Iraqi Refugees

Angelina Jolie: We Have a Moral Obligation to Help Iraqi Refugees

We have finally reached a point where humanitarian assistance, from us and others, can have an impact.

UNHCR goodwill ambassador Angelina Jolie visited Iraq earlier this month and penned her experience for The Washington Post.

Here are some excerpts from Angie’s excellent opinion piece: “During my trip I also met with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who has announced the creation of a new committee to oversee issues related to internally displaced people, and a pledge of $40 million to support the effort.

“My visit left me even more deeply convinced that we not only have a moral obligation to help displaced Iraqi families, but also a serious, long-term, national security interest in ending this crisis.

“Today’s humanitarian crisis in Iraq — and the potential consequences for our national security — are great. Can the United States afford to gamble that 4 million or more poor and displaced people, in the heart of Middle East, won’t explode in violent desperation, sending the whole region into further disorder?”

Read the full article at WashingtonPost.com.

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Apega/WENN

588 Comments

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the real tita @ 02/28/2008 at 5:40 pm

#99: What kind of awareness did you want her to do? Do you want her to carry a big arrow sign pointing to the people in Iraq? She doesn’t have to say anything…just twirl that sign like they do at streetcorners for Subway shops and tax preparers!

well,the x factor got a better moral obligation ,parading her azz,wearing a tiny panties,opening her legz with her 3 yr old bikini.thatz moral too.

You know maybe a bit of time should be spent in your own backyard, looking at all the homeless and displaced people in our own country.

How about the fact that we are fighting someone else’s war with OUR meaning mine and your money? Lets concentrate on bringing our own people back, then we can worry about what the Iraqis will do to get there own back home, as we are fighting for their freedom and rights.

She can’t even improve the climate in the relationship with her own father….why should we listen to her on the larger issues?

margot wins for dumbest post so far.

NOT ANUSTIN’S BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!

NOT HER WORDS & NOT IMPRES @ 02/28/2008 at 3:00 pm

Well, I see Trevor Neilson is really earning his keep.
——-
Your post implies that you ARE impressed! How do you know it’s Trevor Neilson who wrote it? It was Angelina who went to Iraq, not Trevor.

WOW! LOVE ANGY AND HER KLANN! AND SHE IS A LEFTY LIKE ME!

the real tita @ 02/28/2008 at 5:49 pm

#131: Your ignorance is showing. Read up on things you know nothing about. I will not enlighten you with more facts except to say that the UN did approve and so did the US Congress.

Read, my man before you start blurting out your stupidity for all to see!

thelookoflove1365 @ 02/28/2008 at 5:49 pm

#259 shut up @ 02/28/2008 at 5:23 pm Angelina Jolie: Seriously Beautiful

By Amy Argetsinger and Roxanne Roberts
The Washington Post
Thursday, September 29, 2005; Page C03

Jolie, the “U.N. goodwill ambassador,” wears a dark suit and a single strand of pearls. Her hair is expensively streaked. Her eyelashes are impossibly long.

Finally she speaks, declaring that the AIDS fight “needs to be all-inclusive,” tackling hunger and poverty as well. If the war in Iraq costs $5 billion a month, she complains, “three months of the war is all we’re spending on AIDS.”

Biden utters an impressed “Wow.”

“I don’t understand that,” she concludes. “I’m confused about the priorities.”

HAHAHAHA.

She’s confused and I’m confused too.
======================
angie’s words:
If the war in Iraq costs $5 billion a month, she complains, “three months of the war is all we’re spending on AIDS.” “I don’t understand that,” she concludes. “I’m confused about the priorities.”

What Angie meant was that “she was confused about our government priorites. How can we spend $5billion/month for war while so little for war on AIDS.

I think I know you knew what she was talking about. YOU just want to rant. Based on your ranting post after post, it is either you are stupid with limited reading comprehension or just plain lost it-again! You already made up your mind about angie so there;s no point of convincing you that you’re simply delusional. this is just an FYI, i;m not arguing with you.

I will leave you a food for thought:
Don’t argue with a fool. The spectators can’t tell the difference
-Nalin, C.

I don’t wan’t the spectators to think that I am fool so I will you leave you to your foolishness.

cool beans for all the fans…all you haters should be ashamed. why are you all even here?

#146 G550 @ 02/28/2008 at 4:11 pm
Face it, folks. Under the you break it, you bought it rule, Iraq is really the 51st state of the union. We may as well add another star to Old Glory and get used to supporting this area forever.

—————————————————————-
Why shouldn’t we? That is exactly what Angie is saying - we broke it we need to stick around and help “fix” it. Great article from a GREAT lady.

angietothemax @ 02/28/2008 at 5:51 pm

She speaks on her firsthand experience of talking with troops and Iraqi refugees getting both sides of the story. which is more than I can see about a lot of new personalities constantly giving their opinion but haven’t even bothered to go to Iraq themselves (i.e. O’Reilly who just went to Iraq for the first time a few months ago). The Iraqi civilians and refugees are the one’s being ignored in this war. 600,000 Iraqi civilians died and only 55,000 insurgents were killed in this illegal war. In 2003 the number insurgents was 15,000 today the number has increased to 70,000. 80% of the Iraqi citizens want the U.S to leave in order to gain control of their country and start rebuilding they cannot do that with soldiers stifling their progress. These people are the true victims of this so called war on terrorism.

——————-listen up——————–

Being a mother AND a doctor is one thing, but being an actor; someone who actually lives through the media and is therefor much more recognized and present( and often someone most people either like or hate); and ambassador, coupled with her accusing way, is a totally different thing.(and she´s even a mother)

After all actors should only be there to entertain.
And fact is that most people don´t care who the “real” people behind the facade are.
They want to read the newest scandals, know all about the new romances…..the petty stuff, you see?

So this is what most people (the ones who don´t bother with this site at all) will think : ” Ah, there she is again, telling other people what to do, believes she´s all high and mighty, easy talk if you have the millions to back you up- let´s see what Doug and Kerry are doing:”

And that´s the way it is.

Whenever I hear someone talking about her, it´s only bad stuff.(especially a year or so after her relationship with Brad was announced)

I don´t have a real problem with her, it´s just that stuff like this gets on my nerves- and not only when it´s her but other actors as well.(It´s just that there´s always so much more stuff posted about Angelina)

I got bored with Usher, LOST, Johnny Depp (at times)….ect. Nothing personal.

How could it be?

I don´t even know thoese people. And despite all your big words here (to the “agressive” Angie front) neither do you.

This is just a board where people voice their opinions, and most of them just don´t care that much- don´t forget that.

guli,

Thanks. I believe many people don’t have a clue as to what a military experience completely encompasses. Oh, it was the greatest experience and most one can learn on a variety of trades, skills, disciplines along with the combat training…The military highly trained to carry-out any mission where directed efficiently…I believe Angelina’s piece is suggesting since military personnel are already there, re - direct some of them to do the humanitarian deeds for which they are also trained…This is what the front line troops want.

coalharbourqt @ 02/28/2008 at 5:53 pm

nygal
_______________
That’s exactly what she and Brad have been doing in New Orleans. Make It Right - ever heard of it? DUH Too bad your government didn’t step up and meet the obligation there either. But at least they haven’t gone in and caused more destruction there. The US Government needs to meet the obligation it has to its citizens AND the citizens of Iraq. Both are decimated. Meanwhile the band plays on…

Anustin - Happy Birthday my fellow Maple Syrup drinker ;-) Hope you have a good one… flashing coochie in a too small bikini - that’s the ONLY obligation it has to her fans. Must be nice to have everyone expect so little from it. :lol: Unlike Angie, who everyone expects the sun, moon, and stars from. But our girl is tough and smart - she can meet the challenge.

I can’t believe that Angie’s visit to Iraq is being made a political volleyball. It’s not a political mission, it’s a humanitarian mission. I can’t get over the short sightness of some people. If some people would stop reading celebrity gossip and pick up a book or real news, they could make more informed decisions and perpectives than what i’ve read on some responses. To each it’s own, but i can understand why there are so many different opinions. All i’m saying is that some have pre-conceived opinions which have no validitys on Angies’s mission. I’m out of here for now.

Peace

USA destroyed the Iraq country and tries to rebuild it. Labeling that effort a USA humanitarian contribution to Iraq is just immorally deceptive.

I like and respect AJ a lot, but I don’t think that our presidential candidates need to go through her to decide what our Iraq policy should be. We are in a financial freefall and we cannot afford to be in Iraq indefinitely. We are spending billions of dollars a month and our economy is tanking, and Americans are losing their jobs and their homes. We need to find a way to withdraw from Iraq over the next two years and invite the rest of the world to get involved in the rebuilding of the region. The US is not the only country that benefits from peace in the middle east and its time to get everyone else involved. Hopefully, our new President (go Obama) will take a different route to foreign policy than Bush and we can get some things accomplished.

I can understand that as UNHCR rep, Jolie wants to plead for the funds, not that UNHCR gets its funds from individual donors but never mind.

I can understand that in that UNHCR role, she can’t express an opinion on the occupation.

What I can’t understand is why she would allow her article to appear under the headline “A Reason to Stay in Iraq”.

That sounds to everybody like a clear call for continued occupation. And that would be WAY out of line for a UNHCR rep. So either she agreed to that headline, in which case she’d better quit working for the UN, or somebody at the Washington Post owes her a major apology - preferably in print.

the real tita @ 02/28/2008 at 6:00 pm

#147: Funny as to who you’re calling a chicken…

Your idol was there only for an hour, why? Cause she saw the pictures of the bump that was circulating around people’s phones and blackberries. If she couldn’t stand up to a picture, how will she be able to withstand the real thing? Hmmm, when Brad starts whispering in Angie’s ear and Angie starts rubbing his tattooed belly, do you think your idol will just smile and say, how sweet?

http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-Iraq/idUSL2885648720080228
(Entire article at link)
Help Iraqi refugees or they may come to Europe: U.N.
Thu Feb 28, 2008 10:20am EST

By Peter Apps

LONDON (Reuters) - Iraqi refugees who are running out of money in Syria may head for Europe if the international community fails to supply sufficient relief funding, the United Nations said on Thursday.

“I think they will move north if things don’t get better,” UNHCR head of operations in Syria, Laurens Jolles, told reporters on a trip to Europe aimed in part at boosting funding from governments.

The number of Iraqis seeking asylum in European Union member states doubled in 2007 from the previous year to almost 40,000.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) says 1.5 million Iraqis have fled sectarian violence to neighboring Syria and more might move towards the EU in the hope of jobs, safety and better conditions.

Overall, Iraq has produced 4.5 million refugees and internally displaced people. Numbers soared after attacks on mosques in February 2006 sparked widespread ethnic violence.

Hundreds of thousands are also in Jordan and Lebanon, and growing numbers have fled beyond the Middle East.

UNHCR says it needs $261 million to increase food relief and assistance across the region. Some 30 percent will likely be funded by the United States.

dakota jean @ 02/28/2008 at 6:02 pm

Angelina has a moral obligation to love her bio children as much as she loves and dotes on her adopted ones.

Just my opinion. Everyone has a right to one….

# 265 guli

Really good summation of the article. I totally enjoy being a fan of Angie’s and Brad. Brad came late to my embrace. Always thought he was kinda good looking. But after his interview with Diane Sawyer where they went to Africa I told my girl friend that I was in love. He had changed and he looked different. Now I am hooked.

# 245 Felinelilly

It was after his second trip to Darfur. He had a press conference where he was asked some questions and didn’t know the answers to them. Plus the delegates were upset that he had called the press conference as if to inform them about what was happening in Darfur. The inference being that after two visits he felt compelled to lecture them. I can’t remember everything as GC is not one of my favorite people. To put it bluntly I don’t like him. JJ has it still in archives. Peace

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