Keeping the light on: Jolie visits Baghdad to address refugee crisis

So the risk of Angelina's visit to the well-guarded Green Zone of Baghdad may have been a little over-hyped, but put it into perspective: Angelina is on the ground, where many a journalist, myself included, are dying to be. UNHCR cannot reach Baghdad for security reason, so their notorious celeb ambassador is doing some leg work.

While in Baghdad, Jolie gave an exclusinve to CNN in which she discussed her mission with CNN's Arwa damon. Although the interview was lacking in substance a bit, Jolie managed to hit all of the talking points: The potential instability created by the refugee crisis, the need of the global community to respond on a human-to-human basis, the need for internal security to provide an envirnoment in which reconstruction can begin without continues conflict, the devestation facing refugees, 4.2 million globally displaced and the undue burden being placed on neighboring contires such as Jordan and Syria, and the immigration debate in the United States (the US State Department has agreed to admitt 1,200 Iraqis refugee status in the United States this year. Last year, a similar promise only saw the admission of a handful of Iraqis).

It is essential that attention continues to be paid to this issue for, as Jolie said, the return of the Iraqi people is what will instill stability in the entire Middle East and the world at-large.

Props to the sexy star for getting her hands dirty and getting in the faces of the many officials who are trying desperately to depersonalize the war in Iraq.

One problem with the timing of her her mission was the lack of insight into internal politics. Just this week, there have been cries heard 'round the world that the Iraqi ministries are ill-fit to serve their purposes. Positions previously held by Baathists have been filled with incompetitent leaders who are unable to handle the level of beauracracy associated with their positions. This should make it interesting to see how well her message is recieved.