More On The Iraqi Refugee Problem

The Mosul dam, which is about to create more refugees. Image credit: Gulf Region Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.





Some followups on my story two weeks ago on the plight of Iraq's Refugees:

First off, George Packer wrote about the disgraceful efforts of the State Department on behalf of those refugees, particularly the ones who helped us as translators:

[The State Department] lobbied against a Senate resolution that would increase the number of special immigrant visas for Iraqis by tenfold and allow applications to be reviewed inside Iraq. After promising to resettle seven thousand Iraqis here this fiscal year, it managed only sixteen hundred and eight. After promising to resettle twelve thousand in fiscal year 2008, it started off with just four hundred and fifty in October. The projected numbers are meaningless P.R., which is how the department treats the issue. Watch this State Department podcast of an interview between the department's spokesman, Sean McCormack, and Ellen Sauerbrey, the Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration. Sauerbrey, a political appointee, comes off as a nice person who's completely out of her depth. Look at her expression, listen to her voice, and tell me that you think Iraqi refugees are in good hands.

The Disgrace at State

I mentioned that we weren't doing enough for these people specifically, and since I used a United Nations report as a basis, it's pretty clear the rest of the world knows, too.

As if there aren't enough reasons to be a refugee in Iraq, there may be another soon. This story appeared at the beginning of the week:

The largest dam in Iraq is at risk of an imminent collapse that could unleash a 20m (65ft) wave of water on Mosul, a city of 1.7m people, the US has warned.

In May, the US told Iraqi authorities to make Mosul Dam a national priority, as a catastrophic failure would result in a "significant loss of life".

However, a $27m (£13m) US-funded reconstruction project to help shore up the dam has made little or no progress.

Iraqi dam 'at risk of collapse'

In case you're wondering, the dam had a fundamental design flaw, the sort that would have gotten its designers fired, sued, or jailed in most places:

The dam has been a problem for Iraqi engineers since it was constructed in 1984.

It was built on water-soluble gypsum, which caused seepage within months of its completion and led investigators to describe the site as "fundamentally flawed".

In September 2006, the US Army Corps of Engineers determined that the dam, 45 miles upstream of Mosul on the River Tigris, presented an unacceptable risk.

Iraqi dam 'at risk of collapse'

[emphasis mine]

Building a huge structure on top of a water-soluble base would be risky in itself, but when you consider that they were building a dam on gypsum ... This is a clear example of what Saddam Hussein was doing to his country, of course, but as one Secretary of State observed, when you break it you own it, and we've done nothing to fix up our new property. This just illustrates that point, too. An undated Corps of Engineers article seems hopeful the problems can be fixed:

Completed in 1983, the dam has required maintenance to plug or “grout” areas of leakage on a regular basis. Without this needed work, the dam could develop problems over time with the possibility of a catastrophic failure. An event of this magnitude would be profound, devastating the rich agricultural valley of the Tigris and endangering the population of Mosul.

New automatic grout-injection equipment included in the project will help arrest seepage under the dam. Seismic equipment will provide information to monitor the dam’s stability. Both types of work are critical in continuing flood protection, irrigating farmland, and maintaining sufficient water to generate 320 MW of electricity.

Mosul Dam repairs: safety, electricity, and irrigation for the Tigris Basins

Going by the URL string and the fact that the page was last modified in November, 2005, this appears to be how the Corps viewed this issue two years ago. It looks like they're less optimistic now.

Finally, SusanUnPC has some thoughts on Iraqi refugees over at No Quarter.

It’s rare that I hear a word about the plight of Iraqi refugees in the media. Over five million and counting. While I was in the hospital, I read a story in the Seattle Times that Iraqis who fled to Syria are running out of money and have to return to Iraq and highly uncertain, dangerous fates.

Our National Shame: Iraqi Refugees

I've explored some of the reason we don't hear about stuff like this from our own "news" organizations. It's really not in their interests to do that.

So, how's that "no cost" war going for us, Mr. President? Besides our blood, treasure, and honor, it hasn't cost us a thing. Well, hey, it's not going to be your treasure, is it? As for the rest, I suppose you can't lose what you never had.

Enjoy falling backward today.