Progress report

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees fully 20% of Iraqi refugees in Syria had experienced violence or torture in Iraq before fleeing the country. The torture will obviously have been at the hands of the evil doers because the US doesn't torture!

It's what we say not what we do that matters

Remember all the ballyhoo a few months back when the US government pledged to accept a whopping 1,000 Iraqi refugees a month this fiscal year? Well it looks as if we are going to fall a wee bit short of the mark. Chalk up another one for the businesslike competence of the Bush administration.

Of course I don't understand why Iraqis need to take refuge from victory but then I'm not nearly as smart as that bloke in the White House.

I hope this wasn't one of those pesky milestones

The good news is that the United States admitted 450 Iraqi refugees in October. The bad news is that, in order to meet the country's ridiculously low commitment, 450 is only 45% of what was needed.

"My Clan is Refugee"

McClatchy has a story about a newly opened photo exhibition in Nairobi entitled Qaxooti, the Somali word for refugee. The show, put together by CARE International, chronicles life in the refugee camps in Dadaab Kenyawhich are now home to some 160,000 people, mostly displaced Somalis.

Perhaps it will help us not forget!