Speech #1100178116

Of these. more than 2.7 million Iraqis are displaced internally. while more than 2 million have fled to neighboring states. particularly Syria and Jordan. In 2006. Iraqis became the leading nationality seeking asylum in Europe. I witnessed firsthand the challenges facing Iraqi refugees last August when I spent time in Jordan meeting with United Nations and International Organization for Migration personnel. I can report that Iraqi refugees throughout the region have become increasingly desperate and have nowhere to turn. Since the beginning of the crisis. the Iraqi government has proven to be unwilling and unable to respond to the needs of vulnerable Iraqis. While the government has access to significant oil revenue. it is divided along sectarian lines and lacks both the institutional capacity and the political will to effectively address the growing crisis.