Christmas requiem for Iraq's Christian community

I wish President Obama, who seems to go out of his way to extol the virtues of Islam, would use his bully pulpit as president and speak out against the mistreatment of Christians living in Muslim dominated countries. This is a serious issue that needs more condemnation by the world of nations.

But, the world remains silent at the plight of Christians. Why is that he case? If the situation were reversed and Muslims were being massacred, rape, and beheaded at the hands of Christians, wouldn’t you think that CNN would be Johnny on the spot with video footage and Christiane Amanpour would be holding one hour specials to examine the story?

I think the answer is clear.


Haaretz.com reports that after Al-Qaida's October 31 massacre at a central Baghdad church, thousands of Christians have decided that their homeland is no longer safe.

In order to meet Iraq's Christians this year, Santa Claus will have to steer his sleigh to Jordan, Syria, Kurdistan or Europe. After Al-Qaida's October 31 massacre at a central Baghdad church, thousands of Christians have decided that their homeland is no longer safe.

This is not the first time Muslim terror has hit Christian sites, nor is it the first time Christians have fled Iraq. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates there were approximately 1 million Christians in Iraq prior to the U.S. invasion in 2003, and only half a million now - and that number is shrinking.

This week the Iraqi legislature discussed the Christians' situation and passed a resolution in principle to help families who fled. However, the parliament does not know where the Christians are, how many are still in Iraq, in their homes, and how many have found asylum in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Reports from Iraq show some Christians are even afraid to report they have received threatening phone calls or e-mails telling them to leave the country.

"Contacting the authorities forces us to identify ourselves, and we aren't certain that some of the people threatening us aren't the people in the government offices that are supposed to be protecting us," one Christian Iraqi told the newspaper Sawt al-Iraq. Others have reported masked men coming to their homes at night and demanding that they "convert to Islam, leave or die."

More details here

Memeorandum