She's Back

Six months ago one of our Iraqi staff members, Mohammed, ran into my office with a goofy grin on his face.

"Finally we have good news in Iraq," he said.

"What is it?," I asked.

"Angelina Jolie is here," he answered.

Well she's back. The Hollywood bombshell returned to Baghdad to "bring awareness" to the refugee and internally displaced people crisis in Iraq.

The U.N. Goodwill Ambassador dropped into Iraq for the second time to meet with U.S. and Iraqi officials including the Prime Minister of Iraq and General David Petraeus. I assume it's a lot easier to get those appointments when you starred in Lara Croft Tomb Raider.

Maybe a little star power will make everything right, I don't know.

There are over two million people in Iraq displaced from their homes. Another two million are outside of Iraq. While some have returned it is a trickle and not a flood. Among those who have returned some only returned to be forced out again by new groups that control neighborhoods.

There is no real plan to resettle these people if and when they return. Squatters have taken over many displaced families' homes. In many cases militias are now deciding who can and who can't return to neighborhoods including the praised awakening councils, who are largely credited with helping reduce violence in parts of Iraq. The councils or Concerned Local Citizens are U.S. contracted mostly Sunni groups paid to protect their neighborhoods. Many of the members are former insurgents.

Here's what Jolie told CNN about the situation:

"There's lots of goodwill and lots of discussion, but there seems to be just a lot of talk at the moment," Jolie said. "What happens in Iraq and how Iraq settles in the years to come is going to effect the entire Middle East, and a big part of what it's going to effect, how it settles, is how these people are returned and settled into their homes and their community and brought back together and whether they can live together and what their communities look like."

Well there you go Angelina Jolie said it. Iraq is very important to the future of the Middle East, people need to stop talking and start fixing. Here's a link to the CNN transcript of the Jolie interview in Baghdad.

Comments

[Laura]

If she inspires even one person to become more educated about the plight of the displaced in Iraq, it will have been worth her time.

At the same time, I look forward to the day when CNN turns to McClatchy bloggers for their insights--because you enrich us everyday.

Thank you for all you do. Please stay safe.

[billjpa]

4 million plus! The surge is definitely working. Ya gotta love it.What a bloody joke Ms F. And no plan for wht to do with all the folks that are "rushing" to return?

[Momma Brucks]

Once people stop trying to chop everyones head off. Then others wont be so scared to try to help. I don't see why you would want to chop someones head off who's trying to help you. I personally wouldn't mind bringing people together to collect clothing and food for refugees. But no body is willing to drop them off in iraq. I guess the terrorist are doing their jobs!