Break the News to President Bush: There's an Iraqi refugee crisis.

Tell President Bush: five years in, time to help Iraqi refugees.

Today, on the fifth anniversary of the beginning of the Iraq war, people across the country are discussing the war's complicated consequences and debating the right way forward. We must remember one important consequence of the war - more than four million Iraqis have been forced from their homes, fleeing persecution and danger.

We have a clear moral obligation to assist these vulnerable people through aid and resettlement. Protecting internally displaced Iraqis and refugees must be part of any "way forward" in Iraq.

Send President Bush a copy of this week's article in the Wall Street Journal and tell him it's time to make Iraq's most vulnerable refugees a priority.

Subject:

Dear [ Decision Maker ],

(Edit Letter Below)

I am writing to call your attention to the Wall Street Journal's recent sobering coverage of the Iraqi refugee crisis:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120553610561238057.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Five years have passed since the beginning of the war in Iraq, and more than four million Iraqis have been forced to flee their homes. The needs of refugee and displaced families are increasing as their savings are depleted. And according to the International Organization of Migration, only one percent of these refugees and internally displaced people have returned home. The crisis is not going away.

I ask you to ensure that this country plays a greater leadership role in addressing the needs of refugees from Iraq, by taking the following steps:

- Lead assistance efforts by contributing 50 percent of the funding for all UN agency appeals for humanitarian assistance for Iraq's displaced civilians and increase bilateral assistance to countries that are hosting large numbers of Iraqi refugees; and

- Step up our commitment to resettle Iraqi refugees by increasing the U.S. resettlement goal so that it is commensurate with the leadership role that the United States should play in addressing this crisis.

This country has a long history of protecting those who are persecuted. I believe that the United States has a particular obligation to provide life-saving assistance to the many families who have been forced to flee their homes in search of safety. These steps will also help to increase stability within Iraq and the region, and prevent this crisis from deteriorating further.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]

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President George W. Bush

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