War causes untold suffering beyond the casualties that dominate the headlines. One of the terrible human consequences of the Iraq war is the mounting refugee crisis.

The UN estimates that nearly 5 million Iraqis have been displaced by the continuing violence in their country. Over 2.4 million have vacated their homes for safer areas within Iraq. About 1.5 million are living in Syria. More than 1 million have fled to Jordan, Iran, Egypt, Lebanon, Turkey, and Gulf States.

Iraqi refugees have no legal work options in most host countries and are increasingly desperate. They have difficulty finding housing, obtaining food, and accessing health care.

Neighboring countries are overwhelmed by this massive refugee influx and have increased restrictions on refugees. These restrictions are at least partly because of the lack of adequate support from the United States and other donor governments to lessen the tremendous burden that the host countries are bearing.

Since the United States created this humanitarian crisis by launching a pre-emptive war on Iraq, we surely have a grave moral responsibility to do more to alleviate the suffering of Iraqi refugees.

Write your representatives in Washington to urge greater U.S. aid and an end to the war that continues to exacerbate this problem. You can send a letter to President Bush through www.refugeesinternational.org.

Tom Lickona

Cortland