Doors closing on fleeing Iraqis  

AMMAN — They are not sitting in camps, or straggling through the desert. In fact, any Western visitor to Jordan might not even notice them.

But this country now plays host to up to one million Iraqis who have fled the fighting in their country. Up to a million are in nearby Syria. And there are big numbers in Iraq’s other neighbouring countries.

After nearly four years of war, they know they are not about to return home any time soon. The hidden crisis is beginning to demand the world’s attention.

At the desert border crossing with Iraq, you see the Iraqi families arriving. Their belongings are piled high in GMCs, big American 10-seater vehicles that race across the badlands of western Iraq.

The Iraqis here will tell you of their relief after running the gauntlet of American soldiers, Iraqi insurgents, and the many bandits, that make this one of the most notorious journeys in the world.