Comments on: Refugee Distortion http://themoderatevoice.com/16308/refugee-distortion/ An Internet hub with domestic and international news, analysis, original reporting, and popular features from the left, center, indies, centrists, moderates, and right Wed, 15 Feb 2012 04:43:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Right Voices » Blog Archive » The Left: They’re Lying About The Number of Refugees Returning To Iraq http://themoderatevoice.com/16308/refugee-distortion/comment-page-1/#comment-106492 Right Voices » Blog Archive » The Left: They’re Lying About The Number of Refugees Returning To Iraq Thu, 29 Nov 2007 23:04:49 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/war/iraq/refugees/16308/refugee-distortion/#comment-106492 [...] Jeb provided the link to the UNHCR. I found that the report discusses only those returning from Syria. Iraqis fled to Syria and Jordan. This was worth noting from the report: UNHCR staff also did quick interviews with returnees in Baghdad, who cited economic difficulties caused by their long displacement as a major reason for going home. Many had run out of or nearly depleted their savings. Some returned as it was the last chance to get their children back into Iraqi schools before the end of the first term. Some were indeed encouraged by the reports regarding improvement of security, but many expressed concern about longer-term security, citing the fact that militias are still around and many areas remain insecure. People have mainly been returning to areas where they feel that local security forces are working properly and are maintaining control. [...] [...] Jeb provided the link to the UNHCR. I found that the report discusses only those returning from Syria. Iraqis fled to Syria and Jordan. This was worth noting from the report: UNHCR staff also did quick interviews with returnees in Baghdad, who cited economic difficulties caused by their long displacement as a major reason for going home. Many had run out of or nearly depleted their savings. Some returned as it was the last chance to get their children back into Iraqi schools before the end of the first term. Some were indeed encouraged by the reports regarding improvement of security, but many expressed concern about longer-term security, citing the fact that militias are still around and many areas remain insecure. People have mainly been returning to areas where they feel that local security forces are working properly and are maintaining control. [...]

]]> By: domajot http://themoderatevoice.com/16308/refugee-distortion/comment-page-1/#comment-106479 domajot Thu, 29 Nov 2007 21:56:45 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/war/iraq/refugees/16308/refugee-distortion/#comment-106479 The surge has worked to lessen the levels of violence. Whether it has worked to transform the country on more than a temporary basis is the curical issue. There are many and varied posibilities for future developments, both positive and negative. In the meantime, it's really awful that the surge is being spun far beyoind the success it can legitimately claim, and it's bad for both sides of the war argument. The news is now stuck on the success stories, just like ti was in the 'shock and awe' stage of the war. That sets up inflated expectations, which will return to dismay and accusations of being lied to at the first sign of trouble. The NYT article is but a small instance of trying to return the debates to a level of realism. Inflating the good news serves no one. Similarly to hyping the returning refugee story, when there are pictures of Baghdad now, they're all of thriving market places. The market places are a legitimately good story, but they don't include pictures of the walls that make the story possible. It looks like news outlets will never learn that adult citizens can handle complex stories and don't need to be spoonfed fairy tales. Maybe news people themselves have a problem with growing up and assuming respondibility for the false impressions they distribute. The surge has worked to lessen the levels of violence. Whether it has worked to transform the country on more than a temporary basis is the curical issue. There are many and varied posibilities for future developments, both positive and negative.

In the meantime, it’s really awful that the surge is being spun far beyoind the success it can legitimately claim, and it’s bad for both sides of the war argument.
The news is now stuck on the success stories, just like ti was in the ‘shock and awe’ stage of the war. That sets up inflated expectations, which will return to dismay and accusations of being lied to at the first sign of trouble.

The NYT article is but a small instance of trying to return the debates to a level of realism.
Inflating the good news serves no one.

Similarly to hyping the returning refugee story, when there are pictures of Baghdad now, they’re all of thriving market places. The market places are a legitimately good story, but they don’t include pictures of the walls that make the story possible.

It looks like news outlets will never learn that adult citizens can handle complex stories and don’t need to be spoonfed fairy tales. Maybe news people themselves have a problem with growing up and assuming respondibility for the false impressions they distribute.

]]> By: Jeb Koogler http://themoderatevoice.com/16308/refugee-distortion/comment-page-1/#comment-106478 Jeb Koogler Thu, 29 Nov 2007 21:52:23 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/war/iraq/refugees/16308/refugee-distortion/#comment-106478 That's a valid critique, Davebo. Thanks. I am going to make a few slight edits. That’s a valid critique, Davebo. Thanks. I am going to make a few slight edits.

]]> By: Davebo http://themoderatevoice.com/16308/refugee-distortion/comment-page-1/#comment-106473 Davebo Thu, 29 Nov 2007 21:33:10 +0000 http://themoderatevoice.com/war/iraq/refugees/16308/refugee-distortion/#comment-106473 <blockquote>Whether or not the surge is working is up for debate; but whether most Iraqis perceive it to be successful is not. </blockquote> I have to disagree here. I have no idea what the average Iraqi thinks of the surge, but you can't pin the opinion of 25 million Iraqis based on the actions of perhaps 2 million Iraqis who fled the country.

Whether or not the surge is working is up for debate; but whether most Iraqis perceive it to be successful is not.

I have to disagree here. I have no idea what the average Iraqi thinks of the surge, but you can’t pin the opinion of 25 million Iraqis based on the actions of perhaps 2 million Iraqis who fled the country.

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