Out of Laser Sights, Out of Mind

by Eric Martin

This might interrupt the steady flow of flowers and candy from the lucky liberated:

As the US draws down its troops and supplies, which should culminate in a total withdrawal by 2012, funds for humanitarian relief operations in Iraq are dwindling at an alarming rate. US funding generally comprised 30-56% of total funding for humanitarian activity post-2003 invasion. However, the US is currently diverting its focus from Iraq towards the war in Afghanistan, as well as relief from natural disasters in countries like Haiti and Chile. Halfway through 2010, the US has only contributed $7.2 million to the [Iraq Humanitarian Action Plan] and other humanitarian assistance programs in Iraq; this comprises approximately 8% of the total funding collected so far in 2010. Furthermore, this total is $217.2 million less than US donor contributions in 2009.

Mark Leon Goldberg has a point:

Back in 2003, the most powerful country in the world decided it would lead a coalition to invade and occupy Iraq.  You can debate the merits of that decision all you want, but as a consequence, a civil war erupted that displaced about 3 million people. These refugees and IDPs still depend humanitarian assistance to fulfill their basic human needs.  It seems to me that the United States has a special moral obligation to provide adequate levels of humanitarian assistance until such a time when the Iraqi government is fully capable of providing for its citizens. That time is not now.

 On the other hand, since "we already won" the war in Iraq, what do they need aid for?

Comments

[McKinneyTexas]

Echoing Colin Powell, you break it, you buy it.

[John Thullen]

Humanitarian assistance for refugees and displaced persons, much like unemployment insurance, merely subsidizes and encourages refugee status and displacement.

Ordnance raining from the sky and civil war were not the cause of the problems in Iraq. It was the carrot of humanitarian assistance that drew millions of people from their homes just ahead of the explosions.

They virtually cha-cha'd across borders, waggling their fingers, singing "We Loves Us A Hand-Out") to set up the happy hovels of the serially dependent.

What most people don't know, too, is that minutes before the bombing, Saddam Hussein passed a hike in marginal taxes. Many of these so-called refugess were small businessmen quitting their jobs, gathering their families up, and fleeing to freedom.

The fact that the bombs hit so soon after and blew up their homes and places of work so they could collect humanitarian assistance was just gravy.

[Jacob Davies]

We have to divert that money to building orphanages in Afghanistan that don't have any orphans.

[Sault]

Halfway through 2010, the US has only contributed $7.2 million to the [Iraq Humanitarian Action Plan] and other humanitarian assistance programs in Iraq

This is terrible. This is really, really bad.

I could hardly believe it was true so I went to look for the UN documents upon which this is based, and yep, it's true all right.

Now, it's not quite as bad as it seems: the $7.2 million figure was based on July 9, 2010 numbers, and the amount donated by the US government is now up to $13.6 million. (See "Iraq 2010" in this document: http:\\ocha.unog.ch/fts/reports/daily/ocha_Rdonor6_DC224_Y2010___1007290206.pdf

And the US government has also donated $17.7. million in 2010 for "Iraqi Refugees in Neighbouring Countries" (see above document).

But still. $13.6 million for all humanitarian relief in the ENTIRE COUNTRY?

You have got to be kidding me.

[Mike Schilling]

I suggest we donate 9 billion, but this time not let 95% of it fall off the back of the truck.

[Eric Martin]

Just remember, we invaded to help the Iraqi people and rid them of Saddam.

[Hogan]

Just remember, we invaded to help the Iraqi people and rid them of Saddam.

And isn't that, as Stephen Colbert would say, the greatest gift of all?

I suggest we donate 9 billion, but this time not let 95% of it fall off the back of the truck.

Ah, that's crazy talk.

[Arcinian]

IMO Any war fought "for the benefit of the citizens" should immediately result in opening up immigration to all citizens of the country we've invaded. Seems pretty basic. But, wait, that would be an actual helpful thing to do that would demonstrate real good will - not even up for discussion.

[ajay]

Echoing Colin Powell,
we know from sources that a missile brigade outside Baghdad was dispersing rocket launchers and warheads containing biological warfare agents to various locations, distributing them to various locations in western Iraq. Most of the launchers and warheads have been hidden in large groves of palm trees and were to be moved every one to four weeks to escape detection.
...
We also have satellite photos that indicate that banned materials have recently been moved from a number of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction facilities.

This one is about a weapons munition facility, a facility that holds ammunition at a place called Taji. This is one of about 65 such facilities in Iraq. We know that this one has housed chemical munitions. In fact, this is where the Iraqis recently came up with the additional four chemical weapon shells.

Here, you see 15 munitions bunkers in yellow and red outlines. The four that are in red squares represent active chemical munitions bunkers.
...
This is evidence, not conjecture. This is true. This is all well-documented.

[bc]

What I don't see is any discussion of whether the funds are shifting from NGO's to the Iraq government itself. Is that happening?

From what I understand, the government is running a deficit but does have substantial revenues and will probably be running a balanced budget with increased revenues in 2013-2014 when production levels increase.

If the Iraq government doesn't have the funds, then no doubt we should be continuing to provide humanitarian assistance until funds become available.

[Eric Martin]

But if they're running a deficit, do they have the funds? In the amounts required given the enormity of the humanitarian crisis caused by the invasion?

And is it right to hand it all off to the Iraqi government. Kind of like, "oops, our bad, but you can take care of this now."

What's a few million displaced persons between friends!

[green laser]

The US has only contributed $7.2 million? So little....