February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Following on the heels of the bombing of the United Nations headquarters in September, it’s become a sadly irrefutable fact that non-combatants are now legitimate targets in the eyes of the extremists, Iraqi and foreign, who have vowed to drive outsiders from Iraq.
This is particularly grim news to international relief agencies, the so-called non-governmental organizations that provide so much important humanitarian assistance throughout the world. It is also bad news for the citizens of those countries who so desperately depend on the food, medicine and support that these organizations provide.
Ireland has long been at the vanguard of international humanitarian efforts. Two such NGOs, Concern and GOAL, are highly regarded both for their short-term relief efforts and long-term development programs. GOAL currently has a small group of aid workers in Iraq, having already scaled back its operation there according to schedule. Concern no longer has a presence in Iraq, but its workers remain on the ground in largely lawless Afghanistan.
Monday’s attack will no doubt have a chilling effect on the entire international aid community. After all, if an organization as well known and as respected as the Red Cross can be attacked, can any other organization consider itself truly safe?
By extending their attacks beyond military targets, the Iraqi extremists and their allies are sending a clear message that they intend to create chaos among the population. What better way to turn the Iraqi people solidly against the U.S. than to deprive those who are suffering the assistance they need to regain control of their lives?
There is much at stake here. If this destabilization strategy proves successful, and relief agencies thus begin to pull out of hot spots, the impact could be devastating, affecting everything from basic day-to-day relief work to infrastructure improvements. And it likely won’t stop in Iraq. If extremist organizations are anything, they’re quick studies. What works one place may work someplace else. This may be a problem today for the U.S. in Iraq, but it threatens other nations as well. The world will have to come together to address this issue — and sooner rather than later.