Angelina Jolie to U.S. - "Stay in Iraq"

Santa Angelina Jolie, a mother, and a UNHCR goodwill ambassador wrote an op-ed piece for the Washington Post arguing that "we have finally reached a point where humanitarian assistance, from us and others, can have an impact."

I love her.

Staying to Help in Iraq (Washington Post)

The request is familiar to American ears: "Bring them home."

But in Iraq, where I've just met with American and Iraqi leaders, the phrase carries a different meaning. It does not refer to the departure of U.S. troops, but to the return of the millions of innocent Iraqis who have been driven out of their homes and, in many cases, out of the country.

What we cannot afford, in my view, is to squander the progress that has been made. In fact, we should step up our financial and material assistance. UNHCR has appealed for $261 million this year to provide for refugees and internally displaced persons. That is not a small amount of money -- but it is less than the U.S. spends each day to fight the war in Iraq. I would like to call on each of the presidential candidates and congressional leaders to announce a comprehensive refugee plan with a specific timeline and budget as part of their Iraq strategy.