Iraq's Christians form new militias to combat Islamic extremists

[pegleg]

In the five years since the Anglo-American invasion of 2003, murders and abductions have driven about half of the 800,000 Christians who once lived in Iraq to flee the country.

Checkpoints manned by civilians armed with heavy machine guns and assault rifles have received official backing in Christian villages on the Ninevah plain in northern Iraq, where their presence dates back to the missions of St Thomas the apostle.

Father Yusuf Yohannes combines the duties of parish priest with overseeing security from a converted post office in the village of Karamlis, 10 miles east of the local capital, Mosul. Informal patrols by his parishioners started last year but the effort is now a fully-fledged operation, with 250 employees and official approval from the US army base in Mosul.

"We are facing the threat of wipe-out," he said. "I have not left this town in three years because of the danger. The situation here was like a bowl without a base for Christians, we were just tossed around. By establishing our own security we have the chance to stand steady again."




http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/2463208/Iraqs-Christians-form-new-militias-to-combat-Islamic-extremists.html

[Sanctified]

1. As a Christian this makes me sad.

First we go to Iraq and bomb fellow Christians and Muslims indiscriminately all in the name of bringing them freedom and then sit back and watch as they literally kill one another. Sorry but I highly doubt any of the Iraqi people want anything to do with our freedom after watching the destruction it brought to their country.

[pegleg]

2. The irony behind this is that Christians were tolerated and protected

before the invasion.

[Sanctified]

3. The Irony for me is when I meet fellow Christians who were all for the war but had no idea

that they were killing fellow Christians. I really wish all Christians would take some time and read their Bibles and then stop voting for politicians just because they use the name Christ in their speeches.

[JerseygirlCT]

5. Oh yes. nt

[knitter4democracy]

4. Just what we need. More militias.

I understand why they'd take up arms, but at this point, it doesn't seem like a good idea overall. I don't know. No easy answers there.