ANGELINA JOLIE - ANGELINA JOLIE WARNS AGAINST SQUANDERING IRAQ PROGRESS

ANGELINA JOLIE WARNS AGAINST SQUANDERING IRAQ PROGRESS

Angelina Jolie has published an article calling for the US to help Iraqi refugees displaced by the conflict.

In a piece entitled Staying to Help in Iraq - printed in the Washington Post newspaper - the actress called for increased financial aid to help the four million people driven from their homes in the wartorn region.

The Tomb Raider star - renowned for her humanitarian work - recently visited Iraq as part of her role as a United Nations (UN) goodwill ambassador and says her trip left her "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".

More than four million people have been displaced by the conflict and of the two million refugees within Iraq itself, it is believed 58 per cent are under 12 years old.

The 32-year-old has called on the US and the international community to act before the humanitarian crisis of displacement turns into violent upheaval.

"It seems to me that now is the moment to address the humanitarian side of this situation," she wrote. "Without the right support, we could miss an opportunity to do some of the good we always stated we intended to do.

"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."

Jolie explained that the UN high commissioner for refugees has appealed for $261 million (£130 million) a year to aid the millions of displaced Iraqis - less than the US spends on a daily basis on 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," she added.