Everyday I survey a selection of websites, looking for updates on news of displaced populations around the world. The news is seldom cheery, particularly when it's about Iraq. Two new reports highlight the plight of internally displaced Iraqis.

It's clear from the reports that security conditions aren't improving fast enough to encourage significant numbers of families to return home. In fact, the International Organization for Migration estimates that the internally displaced population in Iraq is still growing and has reached 2.8 million. The Iraqi Red Crescent Organization puts the number of internally displaced Iraqis at 2.2 million and says the number is falling slowly. Still, the Red Crescent says, "The humanitarian crisis in Iraq resulting from the displacement problem continues."

Both reports are on Reliefweb, a compendium of news and reports assembled by the UN Office of the Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs.

Approximately five million Iraqis—20% of the population—are displaced, either within Iraq or as refugees in neighboring countries. Despite reports of some recent improvements in Iraq's security, most of the displaced are afraid to go home. "Many [internally displaced persons] do not consider returning to their original areas of residence because their homes were destroyed or because they do not think that security is really enforced," the Iraqi Red Crescent reports. "Displaced families continue to face problems related to health, education, shelter, income, food, water and electricity."

Addressing the security and livelihood needs of displaced Iraqis is a key to making Iraq a stable, prosperous and peaceful country. Any joint American-Iraqi effort to stabilize Iraq must include a program to help Iraqis return home. This includes providing human security—employment, health care, education and protection of property—as well as physical security.

Iraq is rolling in oil revenues; it's time for the Iraqi government to start spending this money on meeting the needs of its own people. And it's time for the U.S. to start working with Iraq to develop a comprehensive plan to dealing with displaced Iraqis. Most want to return home, but they can't—at least for the foreseeable future. They all need protection.

--Ken Bacon