This briefing paper describes the current humanitarian and security conditions faced by hundreds of thousands of Iraqi residents, refugees, and displaced persons, and examines priority concerns and potential humanitarian consequences in the event of war. It urges relevant governments, including those of Iraq, the United States and its allies, as well as Iraq's neighbors to uphold their obligations to these vulnerable populations and to implement several key measures to minimize harm. In identifying some of the potential humanitarian consequences of war, this briefing paper particularly focuses on the displacement of people both inside and outside of Iraq.
