Washington (AP) A new survey says Iraq was the source of the world's worst refugee problem last year.

The U.S. committee for refugees and immigrants says half a million Iraqis fled their country in 2007. It's the third year in a row that Iraq has led the world in the number of displaced people.

As in the past, most left for neighboring Syria.

The U.S. had promised to settle 3,000 Iraqi refugees by the end of September, but the survey says just over half that number have been accepted. It notes that the U.N. High Commissioner for refugees has referred 10,000 Iraqis for U.S. resettlement, and criticizes the Bush administration and Britain for providing “no leadership toward ensuring the rights and well-being of the victims” of the war.

it also says European countries that warned of the dire humanitarian consequences of the war have also done nothing “for the most part.”