There are areas of Iraq which are safe for the Iraqis if they must leave their homes. I trust the central government will earn their trust at some point, and they will see less need to leave Iraq.

I’d like to take a moment to introduce you to Nancy Pelosi’s choice for House Intelligence Chairman. Silvestre Reyes (D-TX) took a break from his busy schedule to answer a few questions from Congressional Quarterly. Shhhhhhhhh. Let’s listen in…

Think of all the chaos! Persia will not be spared.

And with all the merging violence in the Middle East, we forget that this is changing History, and while they are displaced, they are “detaching” from years of lack of civility.” Patience and perseverance is needed. VIDEO: Karzai speaks of what REAL…

I wish the NYT article had done a little finer breakdown on just who is fleeing Iraq. Their statistics are only raw immigration not net immigration.

Under Saddam thousands (I don’t know how many) of Iraqis left Iraq, too. Assyrians, Chaldeans, Shi’a Arabs from the south of Iraq, many of those fleeing to Iran. Nearly a million Iraqis left the country fleeing Gulf War I. Was there immigration into Iraq as well under Saddam?

Note the small number emigrating to Shi’a Iran. What I suspect we’re seeing is Sunni Arabs leaving Iraq and Kurds and Shi’a Arabs returning. This is apocalyptic if you’re a Sunni Arab but probably somewhat less so if you’re not.

I’m not saying that the situation in Iraq is not serious nor am I saying that this level of dislocation isn’t sad. I’m just saying that it’s difficult to tell much with what we’re being given. It’s a narrative rather than a report.

The other thing worth mentioning is that this diagram doesn’t deal with those who have been internally displaced due to little ethnic cleansing operations. If those people begin to flood over the borders, then all hell could break loose, particularly in Jordan in Syria, because many of these people are not so moderate or well educated.

The whole situation is a time-bomb, and it is ticking away.

And I agree that the US policy of only accepting 200 per year is outrageous. As is the fact that these people have not been given refugee status by the UN (due to US pressure) which would make them eligible for assistance which would in turn take some of the pressure off of host countries–particularly Jordan.

One thing these refugees bring to the countries where they flee is instability. And authoritarian regimes like Syria and Iran detest instability. The question is do they fear it enough to stop stirring the pot in Iraq?

Apparently the answer to that question in no, on account of the fact that recently manufactured Iranian made mines(IEDs), ammunition and assault rifles continue to turn up in the hands of the so-called insurgents.

BTW, I don’t think you’re a tool or a closet lefty. If what you claim is true, then Iran has overplayed its hand by meddling in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the MSM should be investigating it more thoroughly. But if you’re wrong, then Iran is positioning itself to be the last man standing, so to speak.

A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention.