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Iraq’s Christians ‘Close to Extinction’
The Catholic Herald (UK) ^ | 8/6/19 | John Newton

Posted on 08/06/2019 6:19:12 PM PDT by marshmallow

'Those of us who remain must be ready to face martyrdom,' says Archbishop Warda

Christianity in Iraq could now be on the brink of completely disappearing – according to one of the country’s most respected Church leaders.

In an interview with Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need coinciding with the anniversary of Daesh (ISIS)’s 2014 seizure of Iraq’s Nineveh Plains, Archbishop Bashar Warda of Erbil stated: “Christianity in Iraq, one of the oldest Churches, is perilously close to extinction.”

Archbishop Warda who – with ACN’s backing – oversaw the care of IDPs fleeing Daesh, told the charity that Iraq’s Christian presence has been decimated over the last two decades.

He said: “In the years prior to 2003, we numbered as many as one-and-a-half million – six percent of Iraq’s population.

“Today, there are perhaps as few as 250,000 of us left. Maybe less. Those of us who remain must be ready to face martyrdom.”

Archbishop Warda said that, although Daesh has been driven out of northern Iraq, the radical ideology which spawned it is still present.

“The defeat of Daesh has not seen the defeat of the idea of the re-establishment of the Caliphate…

“And with this idea of the Caliphate there comes all the formal historical structures of intentional inequality and discrimination against non-Muslims.

“I speak here not only of Iraq. We see leaders in other countries in the Middle East who are clearly acting in a way consistent with the re-establishment of the Caliphate.”

Speaking about the Daesh invasion that led to the displacement of more than 125,000 Christians and the loss of their homes and businesses, he said: “Our tormentors confiscated our present while seeking to wipe out our history and destroy our future.

“This was an exceptional situation, but not an isolated one.

(Excerpt) Read more at catholicherald.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Catholic; Current Events; Islam; Orthodox Christian
KEYWORDS: obamalegacy

1 posted on 08/06/2019 6:19:12 PM PDT by marshmallow
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To: marshmallow

Why are we are allowing this to happen? We already have troops there and in the region.

Any official explanation from the White House and/or Pentagon as to exactly why the USA is turning a blind eye to this?


2 posted on 08/06/2019 6:28:57 PM PDT by MichaelCorleone (Jesus Christ is not a religion. He's the Truth.)
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To: MichaelCorleone

Amen to that btother


3 posted on 08/06/2019 6:35:47 PM PDT by mosesdapoet (mosesdapoet aka L,J,Keslin posting for the record hoping some might read and pass around)
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To: MichaelCorleone

It’s Gods plan. Prepared to be martyred or take the mark, thats next. Christ is coming very very soon! The Dmocraps are possessed by the Devil, and Trump enables them by not prosecuting them. It’s now out of control and getting worse.


4 posted on 08/06/2019 6:37:54 PM PDT by Bommer (2020- Vote all incumbent congressmen and senators out! VOTE THE BUMS OUT!)
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To: marshmallow

Thanx to Bush & the “nation builders”


5 posted on 08/06/2019 6:50:02 PM PDT by attiladhun2
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To: marshmallow

The Jewish community there has already been driven out, after being there for over 2500 years.


6 posted on 08/06/2019 6:54:18 PM PDT by rightwingcrazy (;-)
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To: MichaelCorleone

Look if you’re a true Christian in a Muslim country - you just need to get the hell out!!!!

there’s no understanding and getting along with or living with these people

Get the hell out yesterday!


7 posted on 08/06/2019 7:30:56 PM PDT by Truthoverpower (The guvmint you get is the Trump winning express !)
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To: MichaelCorleone
Any official explanation from the White House and/or Pentagon as to exactly why the USA is turning a blind eye to this?

That's been a valid question since the first year of the US invasion of Iraq. And it's something few in DC have ever talked about very much.

8 posted on 08/06/2019 7:51:07 PM PDT by Will88 (The only people opposing voter ID are those benefiting from voter fraud.)
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To: Will88

And it’s one of the oddity’s of Iraq that the Christians were better off under Saddam than they have been since the US invasion.


9 posted on 08/06/2019 7:53:43 PM PDT by Will88 (The only people opposing voter ID are those benefiting from voter fraud.)
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To: marshmallow

There has been reports that the administration is more focused on saving the gays around the world than the Christians, apparently.


10 posted on 08/06/2019 8:10:44 PM PDT by Karl Spooner
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To: Truthoverpower

This was a Christian country. Would YOU leave the USA if Muslims wanted you out?


11 posted on 08/06/2019 8:17:37 PM PDT by Cronos (Re-elect President Trump 2020!)
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To: marshmallow

Iraq in hindsight was better off under Saddam considering the aftermath of “occupation” and idiotic post war policy. Regime change is pure folly. Totally flipping military assets from Afghanistan to fight Iraq was asinine. I really cannot not see much positive since 9/11 in regards to our spilled blood and treasure.


12 posted on 08/06/2019 8:19:28 PM PDT by shanover (...To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them.-S.Adams)
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To: marshmallow

W fooled us.

He wasted his political capital after 9/11 to get us into a war with Iraq that led to the murder of over a million Iraqi Christians. Obama and Hillary armed ISIS so they could commit unspeakable atrocities.

W never opened his worthless yapper once to point out his and his successor’s failure to protect Iraqi Christians.

W could have got a wall built on the souther border. He didn’t bother. He could have spared over a million Iraqi Christians, but he didn’t bother to speak up once.

We could have even given legitimate asylum to the Iraqi Christians rather than importing millions of Muslim “refugees” created by the Obama-Hillary Arab Spring.


13 posted on 08/06/2019 9:03:40 PM PDT by unlearner (War is coming.)
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To: Cronos

They’d be dead before they even came close to taking over this great nation

We TOLERATE them. For now


14 posted on 08/06/2019 10:03:36 PM PDT by Truthoverpower (The guvmint you get is the Trump winning express !)
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To: Truthoverpower

That’s what you say now - but why is there even 1 Muslim?

Furthermore, Iraq is where their ancestors have lived and died for thousands of years. Their very genes are in the soil


15 posted on 08/07/2019 12:24:48 AM PDT by Cronos (Re-elect President Trump 2020!)
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To: MichaelCorleone

We also have troops at the border. Can’t get much done when their hands are tied.


16 posted on 08/07/2019 3:53:06 AM PDT by bgill
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To: unlearner

Despite their illusion of being polite conservatives the Bush’s were and are warmongering NWO globalists who enabled that anti-Christ spirit in this world, evil,

Jeb was supposed to be the gentleman loser loser to Hillary. This is why they hate President Trump so much, he derailed their plan (for a short while at least)

This is not a battle against flesh and blood,


17 posted on 08/07/2019 5:10:25 AM PDT by captmar-vell
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To: Bommer

Every word you wrote is true,

Pray for believers in Iraq and everywhere in this world where they are being persecuted,

Its coming faster than many believe and will take a form few will recognise until its risen up completely,


18 posted on 08/07/2019 5:15:11 AM PDT by captmar-vell
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