US soon to accept 59 Iraq refugees - 7,000 to be admitted

[NNN0LHI]

http://rawstory.com/news/afp/US_soon_to_accept_59_Iraq_refugees_05292007.html

The United States has approved 59 refugees of the Iraq war here, the government said Tuesday, the first of a possible 7,000 "vulnerable" Iraqis to be offered sanctuary in the country.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced that the department has approved the cases of 59 Iraqis after developing "enhanced screening procedures" for those hoping to resettle in the United States, especially Iraqis who had worked with US-led coalition forces.

"This department has been actively interviewing Iraqi refugees for potential resettlement, and has already completed interviews for more than 300 cases affecting more than 700 Iraqis," Chertoff said in a statement.

"The first 20 cases involving 59 individuals have been approved and these refugees will travel to the US in the coming weeks."

Chertoff said that the department's improved screening operations opened the door to the Iraq resettlement program, with the government committed to accepting up to 7,000 "of the most vulnerable Iraqi refugees, such as persons whose lives may be in jeopardy because they worked for coalition forces."

[babylonsister]

1. Weak start, but a start. Finally. nt

[Sadie5]

2. I feel bad for the Iraqi's

There homes have been blown to smithereens and they lack the basics such as food water and sewage facilities all because Bush lied. He cared nothing for the human life and sacrafice that these people have endured along with our own Soldiers.

[babylonsister]

6. Me, too. We've been ignoring Iraqis for years, and there are some in

dire straits. Some headed to Syria to save their skin, can't work there, so are now prostituting themselves just to feed their family. It's criminal what we've done to these people, and then to not accept them into our country after we've destroyed their relatively peaceful reality because they might be terrarists?:grr:

[mmonk]

3. This might be a signal the end to this is sooner rather than later.

[Telly Savalas]

4. So either two cases:

1. These folks have needed asylum for quite a while, but we've been dragging our asses with regards to doing anything about it.

2. These folks only recently needed asylum, which flies in the face of any notion that progress is being achieved there.

Either way U.S. policy, as dictated by the White House and the Democratic Congress, is a dismal failure.

[KoKo]

5. Let's hope they aren't the "Bush Chosen." The ones to become the Next Chalabi's...

We sure aren't going to be taking those who opposed the invasion. :-(