September 2011 - Archive
Peter Van Buren: “I am still haunted by the Iraqis we left behind”
As a State Department Foreign Service Officer in Baghdad from 2009 to 2010, Peter Van Buren consistently felt that his Provincial Reconstruction Teams could do little to lessen the sectarianism, corruption, and violence that Iraqis face every day. In an op-ed in the New York Times, Van Buren relates that whether sponsoring art shows or [...]
Brookings Institution: “And so, Iraqi refugees continue to wait”
Voluntary return is not a permanent solution when those “who have returned since 2008 have largely done so because of deteriorating conditions in exile rather than confidence that life is back to normal in Iraq.” And local integration seems unpromising when “Iraqi refugees will likely continue to be tolerated but increasingly resented in host countries.” [...]
“An offer of solace and shelter to victims of war and torture should be real and permanent, not subject to political whims and yearly rethinking.”
A New York Times editorial urges immediate congressional action to prevent 2,195 refugees in the United States, many of them elderly and disabled, from losing their eligibility for refugee benefits this Friday. These refugees, and about 400-500 more with each passing month, are at risk because of a 1996 law that penalized refugees who didn’t [...]
IRAP West Coast Summit!
Mark Your Calendars! The first West Coast IRAP conference will be held at Stanford Law School on November 5, 2011. We have a great line up of speakers, trainings, and networking opportunities. Registration and scheduling information will be available soon. DetailsDate: Saturday, November 5, 2011 Time: 9 am – 8 pmLocation: Stanford Law School Cost: FREE Accommodation: A [...]

