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

Thu, 28 February 2008 at 2:32 pm

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.
Photos: Bauergriffinonline.com
Posted to: Angelina Jolie
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588 Comments

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# 151
heather @ 02/28/2008 at 4:16 pm

Say what you will: she’s simplistic, naive, not qualified, blah blah.

I’m impressed that she can open her heart to the worst humanitarian crisis in the world and at least tries to do something helpful, instead of hiding in her big house surrounded by luxury, (which is probably what I would do, if I had even 1% of her money)

It takes a strong person to keep learning about and empathize with millions of people who, most likely won’t see any happy ending to their problems, in the hopes of making life better for a statistically small lucky few.

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# 152
Brad Fan @ 02/28/2008 at 4:19 pm

You have to get the idea of WAR out of your head and HUMANITARIAN in it. It’s a different mind set. After all didn’t the Bush administration said the reason to go to Iraq was to deliver the people from the evil Saddam Hussein and “give” them democracy and peace? Well?

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# 154
coalharbourqt @ 02/28/2008 at 4:22 pm

Thanks JJ for the new thread about Angelina and this important issue. And thanks to all the sane, rational posters who see the good that Angelina is trying to effect in this world by putting the spotlight on an issue the government would rather cover up than fix.

BECAUSE OF WHO SHE IS AND WHAT SHE DOES, YOU NOW HAVE PEOPLE WHO CAME HERE TO READ CELEBRITY GOSSIP READING AND DISCUSSING AN ARTICLE ABOUT IRAQI REFUGEES. THAT IS HER JOB - TO BRING AWARENESS - AND SHE HAS DONE JUST THAT. SO GO WHINE SOMEWHERE ELSE HATERS. It’s not her job to set the policies of HOW everything gets done, but simply to bring awareness to the issue, and that is EXACTLY what she has done.

An anonymous aid worker would not garner the same kind of attention with an article in the Washington Post that Angelina does, or space in a celebrity gossip blog, and therefore would not be able to bring the same kind of awareness to the issue as Angelina Jolie. Never mind that many aid workers have NOT been to as many refugee camps as Angelina and do not have the same kind of perspective that she bring to the issue. So cast aside your judgmental bias haters and just listen to what she is saying, not WHO is saying it.

Would you expect an aid worker to come up with the full plan of HOW this could all be done, if they simply wrote an article bringing attention to the plight of the Iraqi refugees? NO, of course not. So get over yourselves.

Hello to CMAR - so awesome to see you posting again!! Thank you for your intelligent comments - we are in dire need of that around here these days.

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# 157
Francesca @ 02/28/2008 at 4:25 pm

Indie,
I did read her article and I think she is correct in saying we shouldn’t discount the possible anger and what it could potentially generate. I never said that I didn’t like her so I don’t know where you got that from. Yes, it is true that many who are in charge of okaying what goes on in these places are not necessarily there the majority of the time. However, they do devote the majority of their time to researching, strategizing and negotiating these issues. That is their main job and focus. They are not being distracted by film careers and all that that entails. I’m just not impressed with a column that exists solely to generate attention and not action. Think what you want about my opinions and what you think I should go do with them. They are mine and yours are yours. The end.

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# 158
estelle @ 02/28/2008 at 4:25 pm

just testing the icon thing….sorry!

:mrgreen:

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# 159
CLINIQUA @ 02/28/2008 at 4:25 pm

someone just posted elsewhere…left on Insider on msn just posted:

Owen Wilson wants Kate Hudson in the dog movie. They’re back together. They’re pushing Maniston out. Wilson is thinking of walking if she stays.

Bahahahaha!

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# 163
Brad loves Angie @ 02/28/2008 at 4:28 pm

So does the Rest of The World.

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# 165
vickifromtexas @ 02/28/2008 at 4:28 pm

to the people who have a problem with angelina going to iraq pregnant i think you should consider that she is a mother trying to make the world a better and safer place for her children. how anyone can find fault with that is really beyond me.

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# 166
Bijoux @ 02/28/2008 at 4:29 pm

Why is it that some will not take Angie at her word. She said that she was a citizen of the world. She shows compassion for refugees and orphan children. She is true to her word. Why would anyone want to bring up petty issues about her involvement.

Peace

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# 167
shut up @ 02/28/2008 at 4:30 pm

She is a freak! Seriously, she’s already acknowledging the fact that she doesn’t get into politics because she doesn’t know enough about them to comment.

She needs to keep to adopting all of the other nation’s orphans, while the US’s children remain orphans !

I think that if she knew what it would mean to stay in Iraq (177 Million dollars a day) she would shut here pie hole. We can still contribute the efforts of restoring life and structure as we did after WW II in other countries but it is not our job to continue to have the men and women in our country dying for a lost cause. Iraq needs to step it up because we are leaving next year! OBAMA 08′

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# 168
mmmjustsaayin @ 02/28/2008 at 4:30 pm

#157 Francesca, if you don’t bow at the altar of jolie and praise everything she does even when she’s WRONG….you will be smacked on this place. You see in brangieland, she’s never had a nose job, implants, made a mistake, lied, kissed her brother, screwed all her co-stars etc. DAT JUST BE DA WAY IT IS. Even when you us rational thoughts like you did and BACK IT UP WITH PROOF AND PICTURES…if they don’t like it you’re automatically a “FAN OF X, A HATER and the report your post trying to get you banned. kinda fun to watch though.

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# 169
Carmen @ 02/28/2008 at 4:30 pm

If some of us like her or not, through Angelina, peolple are aware of the iraqis suffering. That’s not something you see on the american news very often.

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# 172
shut up @ 02/28/2008 at 4:34 pm

I think that if she knew what it would mean to stay in Iraq (177 Million dollars a day) she would shut here pie hole.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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# 173
whenwillyoumoveon @ 02/28/2008 at 4:34 pm

someone just posted elsewhere…left on Insider on msn just posted:

Owen Wilson wants Kate Hudson in the dog movie. They’re back together. They’re pushing Maniston out. Wilson is thinking of walking if she stays.

Bahahahaha!

Wow so in the middle of this world crisis that jolie is supposedly enlightening you on and you’re so obsessed with Aniston you can’t leave her out of this thread…or ANY thread for that matter. Maybe you should see a shrink about. it Or are you that shallow. Jolie trying to save the world and your stuck in 2005 MOVE ON.

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# 174
a fact @ 02/28/2008 at 4:35 pm

-UNHCR is asking the US to set aside an amount of money “for refugees and internally displaced persons.” This money will be used to provide for these people for a year and is less than what the US spends fighting the war per day.

-Displaced Iraqis are not looking for handouts. They want nothing more than “the chance to return to their homes” “or, where those homes have been bombed to the ground or occupied by squatters, to build new ones and get back to their lives.”

- “Fifty-eight percent of these internally displaced people are younger than 12 years old.”

-Angelina Jolie is calling on “the presidential candidates and congressional leaders to announce a comprehensive refugee plan with a specific timeline and budget as part of their Iraq strategy.”

- 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.

- Army Gen. David Petraeus has offered to support UNHCR’s need for security information and protection for its staff and new efforts to address the humanitarian crisis “to the maximum extent possible”

- The 4 million or more displaced Iraqis are our moral obligation and a potential risk to our national security if the situation is not addressed.

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# 177
Felinelilly @ 02/28/2008 at 4:36 pm

Hey alia. :D
Thanks for the pictures.

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# 178
shut up @ 02/28/2008 at 4:38 pm

MADDOX ALREADY HAS THE CAMO OUTFIT.

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# 180
Yawn @ 02/28/2008 at 4:38 pm

dumb people don’t know the difference between politics and humanitarianism.

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