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Christians Flee "Liberated" Iraq
The New American ^ | 7-12-04 | The New American

Posted on 08/01/2004 6:02:12 PM PDT by SEA

Christians Flee "Liberated" Iraq

Understandably concerned over the fact that the new Iraqi constitution designates Islam the "official religion of the state," Iraqi Christians are "voting with their feet" by preparing to leave their native country, reported Insight on May 28. Tragically, this validates a prediction made in these pages more than a year ago (see "What Did We Win?" in our May 19, 2003 issue).

"Most of the Christians in Iraq are Assyrians — people who claim to be the original inhabitants of Iraq," reported Insight. "Because they are Christians and seen as allies of the West, the Assyrians have long been subject to persecution." During the waning years of the Ottoman Empire, nearly two-thirds of the Assyrians were slaughtered. At present, there are an estimated six million surviving Assyrians worldwide — less than half of whom remain in Iraq.

"We thought the Americans were going to bring us freedom and democracy," stated a 31-year-old Iraqi identified as Robert. "Instead, they are promoting Islam. We do not understand it.... We do not want their effort to be a failure [which it would be] if the dictatorship of Saddam is replaced by the dictatorship of Islam. The American-funded TV station, Al Iraqia, broadcasts Muslim programs four times every day and for two hours each Friday but nothing for other religions." Additionally, not a single member of the UN-approved Executive Council is a Christian.

One priest told Insight: "We are having to take care of daily cases of harassment of Assyrians by Muslims.... Our women are accosted on the street and intimidated to start dressing according to Islamic tradition, our businesses are being burned...." "We want to stay," insisted the priest. "This is our homeland. But if we do not have a place where we can go, if we will be persecuted daily by Muslims again we cannot stay."


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: assyrian; christian; churchbombings; flee; hussein; iraq; iraqichristians; thenewamerican; war
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1 posted on 08/01/2004 6:02:12 PM PDT by SEA
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To: SEA

I guess this falls under the aegis of "unintended consequences". Sad, nonetheless.


2 posted on 08/01/2004 6:05:14 PM PDT by johniegrad
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To: SEA

I can't even comment on this.


3 posted on 08/01/2004 6:05:18 PM PDT by VoteBush04
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To: SEA

This is not good. I hope Bush isn't taking the TROP stuff too far for his (and their) own good.


4 posted on 08/01/2004 6:05:52 PM PDT by jocon307
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To: SEA

IRAQ was "LIBERATED". They no longer live under a dictatorship. BUT FREEDOM isn't free.......they all must step up to the plate and WANT their new found freedom.......WE CAN'T MAKE THEM! In the end they will get what they deserve. Just like this country.


5 posted on 08/01/2004 6:10:40 PM PDT by PISANO (NEVER FORGET 911 !!!!)
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To: SEA

It is simply a myth to imagine that attacks on Christians is a new thing there. This happened before as well, only now, since we are occupying, we hear about it and the Christians can flee with more open borders.

See my blog regarding latest bombings of churches:

http://freedomstruth.blogspot.com/

But also see this other article- a lot of good things are happening in Iraq, for Christians as well as for all Iraqis:

http://freedomstruth.blogspot.com/2004/07/chaldean-bishop-on-building-new-iraq.html

"as an Iraqi I believe that we shall always be grateful to the US for our liberation. I say it as an Iraqi, as a Kurd, as a Catholic bishop. Our people were saved and can now hope in a better future." - Rabban Al Qas, Chaldaean bishop of Amadiyah (northern Iraq)


6 posted on 08/01/2004 6:29:33 PM PDT by WOSG (George W Bush - Right for our Times!)
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To: PISANO
they all must step up to the plate and WANT their new found freedom

Let's face it, if they wanted it bad enough they would've overthrown Saddam themselves. There's a reason why an SOB like Hussein was allowed to hold power for so long over there, and it's a reason that many refuse to acknowledge. .....it's way to politically incorrect to do so.

7 posted on 08/01/2004 6:35:54 PM PDT by Mr. Mojo
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To: Mr. Mojo

to = too


8 posted on 08/01/2004 6:36:38 PM PDT by Mr. Mojo
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To: Mr. Mojo

So we have 100,000+ soldiers enforcing a Constitution that proclaims Muslim as the state religion?
Way to go, George. Freedom and democracy are the key words. Are we going to sell the Christian Kurds down the river?


9 posted on 08/01/2004 7:10:16 PM PDT by meenie
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To: SEA

Meanwhile, the US State Department continues to allow Islamic "refugees" flood into the US.


10 posted on 08/01/2004 7:17:05 PM PDT by valkyrieanne
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To: SEA

God grant to those in authority wisdom to accomplish your purpose in this time of conflict. In Christ name.


11 posted on 08/01/2004 7:23:11 PM PDT by swheats
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To: SEA

For the first time in 30 years, they can leave without getting shot in the back. I would imagine there's a bit of pent-up demand.


12 posted on 08/01/2004 7:25:43 PM PDT by cookcounty ("NIXON sent me to Vietnam!!!" --JfK, lying about his 1968 arrival in-country UNDER PRESIDENT LBJ.)
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To: SEA

This has been posted previously.


13 posted on 08/01/2004 7:32:03 PM PDT by Jeff Chandler (Do Chernobyl restaurants serve Curied chicken?)
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To: SEA

This is horrific. I can't say any more. We must protect our own.


14 posted on 08/02/2004 12:45:14 AM PDT by Cronos (W2K4!)
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To: SEA
designates Islam the "official religion of the state,"

I'm surprized to hear that. What's the URL for this?

And if the situation is such that Muslims are descending upon 'eastern rite' Catholics, essentially, and also schismatic eastern rites, then the interim government must pay more that lip service to cracking down on such attacks. They had said the right words. But they have to mean it.

This is the Buchanan complaint, basically. It was my fear before the 'shock n awe'. An Islamic theocracy WILL behave brutally toward non-Muslims. It's pretty much right in the Koran. They can't allow an Islamic theocracy to be established.

15 posted on 08/02/2004 1:49:12 AM PDT by sevry
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To: sevry

June 6, 2004
http://www.christianpost.com/dbase.php?cat=missions&id=882


16 posted on 08/02/2004 2:01:22 AM PDT by Truth666
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To: sevry
and this, from the same link, is also telling of what times do we live in :
The Assyrian Church, known officially as the Assyrian Church of the East, is the oldest continually existing church in the world. Assyrians are the only people in the world who still speak Aramaic, the language spoken by Christ.
Just think about it :

only people who still speak Aramaic leaving their native homeland after 2000 years ...


17 posted on 08/02/2004 2:04:25 AM PDT by Truth666
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To: Truth666
The Assyrian Church, known officially as the Assyrian Church of the East, is the oldest continually existing church in the world.

As a Catholic I have to say - no, I don't think so. That goes to Rome, and The Church founded by the God-Man, Our Lord, Jesus Christ. But many eastern churches were established by Catholics. And the rites were not all the same, and diverged over time, clearly.

18 posted on 08/02/2004 2:09:02 AM PDT by sevry
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To: sevry
The three visions of Fatima : the reality of hell ...
... the genocide of christians ... announced in advance. One month ago ... as 87 years ago.
19 posted on 08/02/2004 2:29:50 AM PDT by Truth666
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To: SEA; All
This, as is typical with most reporting on Iraq, is blown way out of proportion. Don't believe everything you read...especially about Iraq.

For example, I'll bet they talked to quite a few peole before they were able to get this quote:

"We thought the Americans were going to bring us freedom and democracy," stated a 31-year-old Iraqi identified as Robert. "Instead, they are promoting Islam. We do not understand it.... We do not want their effort to be a failure [which it would be] if the dictatorship of Saddam is replaced by the dictatorship of Islam..."

Yes, the idiots attacked Christian churches last night and this morning and that's horrible, as is everthing those terrorists have done. But nobody with realistic expectations figured Iraq would be completely calmed down just over a year after the fall of Baghdad. Not in this region.

Bush warned on September 18, 2001 that the War on Terror would not be some quick, neatly sewn-up mission. Iraq is still part of the War on Terror; I don't care what the Democrats say. Al-Qaeda is all over this place.

20 posted on 08/02/2004 2:45:08 AM PDT by Allegra (It depends on what the meaning of "is" is......)
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