Mr. Feingold: Mr. President, when the United States went to war with Iraq in 2003, a number of observers feared that a massive humanitarian crisis could occur if a smooth transition was not successful. Despite the quick collapse of Saddam Hussein's dictatorship, the heroic performance of our servicemembers, and the predictions of some in the administration, the transition was far from smooth. Nonetheless, we did not initially see a humanitarian emergency in Iraq.
Four years later, however, this emergency is now unfolding in the cruelest of ways. With Iraq enmeshed in civil war, the relentless violence has displaced numerous civilians not only within Iraq but outside of it as well.
There are a range of possible factors behind the current situation: as the war is increasingly defined by its sectarian nature, the growing potential for neighborhoods to be "cleansed" by one ethnicity or another may accelerate displacement patterns; the overall increase in violence that occurred following the golden dome shrine bombing of February 2006 may have served as a catalyst that changed the face of the war and the tactics of those fighting it.
Regardless of the reasons, the results are clear--millions of Iraqis have been forced from their homes because of entrenched fear and rampant violence. Basic survival needs such as food, clean water, shelter, sanitation, and health care are in short supply. The government infrastructure has collapsed--if it ever truly existed-- taking with it the communities it served.
The U.N. High Commission for Refugees estimates that there are nearly 2 million displaced people within Iraq and close to 2.5 million seeking refuge in neighboring countries. In total, that is almost 4.5 million people, Mr. President, 4.5 million individuals or approximately 13 percent of the total Iraqi population. Many of these individuals are from Iraq's shattered middle class and will be critical to rebuilding the country. But who can say where they will be when that time comes and whether they will be willing or able to contribute to that process.
The United States has admitted only a small number of Iraqi refugees since the beginning of the war. According to the State Department, there have been just 687 Iraqi refugees admitted to the United States since the war began in 2003. We have a particular responsibility to provide aid and safe haven for Iraqis whose lives are threatened because they worked for us.
Fortunately, many neighboring countries have been willing to step up to the plate and allow those Iraqis fleeing their homeland to seek temporary shelter despite the fact that many of their needs are straining the already weak and overburdened social services. Indeed, most of Iraq's neighbors are unable to provide adequate assistance to those living within their borders, citizens and refugees alike. The introduction of more than 2 million additional people into these already precarious environments could tip the balance in the wrong direction.
This humanitarian disaster is emblematic of this administration's poor planning when it comes to virtually every aspect of the war in Iraq. The administration's failure to respond adequately to the needs of these refugees and displaced people will have dramatic consequences for regional and global stability. We still have a chance to reverse course in Iraq, however, to refocus our strategy, and regain our credibility so we can work with the international community and resolve this crisis appropriately.
