A suposta inexistência de um afluxo significativo de refugiados iraquianos para os países vizinhos sempre foi um dos principais argumentos dos defensores dos benefícios da guerra no Iraque. Afinal, se não há registro de multidões fugindo do país, deve ser porque a vida por lá não é tão ruim assim.

Tomou?

Not quite. No Washington Post de hoje, uma matéria descreve a grave crise humanitária que começa a tomar forma na região do conflito. Já são 50.000 iraquianos fugindo mensalmente de seu país em busca de abrigo na Síria e na Jordânia. O governo americano, as usual, vem dispensando pouquíssima atenção ao assunto. Money quote:

The crisis essentially began last February, when the bombing of a Shiite mosque touched off sectarian war across Iraq. Since then, according to the United Nations, some 500,000 Iraqis have been displaced from their homes, and 40,000 to 50,000 more are leaving every month. As many as 2 million Iraqis are abroad, including many who left during the regime of Saddam Hussein. The majority are in Jordan and Syria. The negative consequences of this exodus could go well beyond a humanitarian tragedy. Jordan could be politically destabilized by the influx of Iraqis. Most of the refugees in Jordan and Syria are Sunni; as the history of the Palestinians vividly demonstrates, these communities could easily become bases and breeding grounds for the Iraqi insurgency.

The U.S. response has been shockingly small. Though it is spending $8 billion a month on the war, the Bush administration has budgeted only $20 million for refugee assistance this year. Only 466 Iraqis have been allowed to immigrate to the United States as refugees since 2003, including 202 last year. Most shameful has been U.S. treatment of translators and drivers who have risked their own and their families' lives to work for military units in Iraq: Just a handful have been granted asylum, and a special visa program has a six-year waiting list.

Quando achamos que o fundo do poço chegou, descobrimos que ainda há muito a cair.

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