ANGELINA JOLIE - JOLIE URGES AMERICA TO INCREASE AID FOR IRAQI REFUGEES

Humanitarian actress ANGELINA JOLIE has called on U.S. government officials to keep troops in Iraq and increase the "financial and material assistance" to refugees there. Jolie, who is a United Nations High Commissioner For Refugees (UNHCR) goodwill ambassador, has written an article, titled Staying To Help In Iraq, for The Washington Post newspaper. The Tomb Raider star, who recently visited the war-torn country, writes: "My visit (to Iraq) left me even more deeply convinced that we not only have a moral obligation to help displaced Iraqi families, but also a serious, long-term, national security interest in ending this crisis. "Today's humanitarian crisis in Iraq - and the potential consequences for our national security - are great. "Can the United States afford to gamble that four million or more poor and displaced people, in the heart of the Middle East, won't explode in violent desperation, sending the whole region into further disorder? "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." The UNHCR is asking for $261 million (GBP130.5 million) in aid in 2008 to help displaced refugees.