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James Palmer writes in the Washington Times about the increasingly desperate situation of the Christians in Iraq,
BAGHDAD — Nabil Comanny and his family endured the dead bodies in the streets, the roaming kidnap gangs and the continuing power failures.The Christian family stayed in their southern Dora neighborhood after their Muslim neighbors fled the daily fighting between Sunnis and Shi'ites.
But when a hand-scrawled note appeared on their door telling them to convert to Islam, pay $300 a month for "protection" or die, they realized they had to leave their home of 11 years.
"We don't have weapons, and the government doesn't protect us. What else can we do?" said Mr. Comanny, a 37-year-old journalist.
Islamic militants are increasingly targeting Christians, especially here in the capital, forcing an exodus that has cut deeply into the long-standing minority community.
Although meaningful numbers are hard to come by, the last Iraqi census, conducted in 1987, counted 1 million Christians. National aid groups estimate between 300,000 and 600,000 Christians remain today among an estimated 25 million people.
Mr. Comanny said he began to worry last spring when militants posted documents across the neighborhood ordering all residents to follow strict Islamic law. Among the 18 specific points, women were told they must wear all-enveloping black burqas.
"It's not our tradition," Mr. Comanny said. "How can Christian women be expected to do this?"
In the end, most Christian families paid a bribe, Mr. Comanny said, "because it gave them time to prepare to leave. But most can't afford to keep paying."
Read it all.
Posted by Robert at October 1, 2007 3:31 AM
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Reminiscent of the 90's when the Arab-Albanian Islamic Bank doled out cash to poor Albanian families, provided that the women of the household wore the full veil.
Posted by: grobari![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jihadwatch.org/dhimmiwatch/nav-commenters.gif)
at October 1, 2007 3:51 AM
(PLEASE POST THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AT OTHER WEBSITES)
The Jihad Awareness Project (to wake up the U.S. Senate) currently has 99 volunteers in 42 states.
WE ARE STILL SEEKING ADDITIONAL CITIZEN VOLUNTEERS FROM ALL 50 STATES, ESPECIALLY THE FOLLOWING 8:
Connecticut
Delaware
Mississippi
Montana
North Dakota
South Dakota
Vermont
West Virginia
THE PROJECT: We're looking for people in every state of the Union who would be willing to purchase, from Amazon or any other source, a copy of Robert Spencer's new book Religion of Peace? Why Christianity Is And Islam Isn't and mail it, on an agreed upon date, to one of the senators in your state. We want to get the book simultaneously to all 100 senators, in order to send a strong message. If we get more than two people per state, books can also be sent to the U.S. House of Representatives.
If you'd like to participate (or you just have questions), please write to me at traehnam@yahoo.com under the subject heading "Senate," and tell me the state your senator represents, and a nickname. No need for your real name. And I will never share your email address with anyone, not even with other volunteers for this project.
And visit jihadawareness.blogspot.com to get more info on this project and to leave comments other volunteers can read. You can also see there the growing list of participants in this project, and the states their senators represent. I've also designed a graphic that might amuse. Scroll down when you get to the site.
Once we have at least two people from every state, we can agree on a mailing date and then each of us can mail a copy of the book on that date.
Right before each of us mails the book, we’ll issue a press release to media outlets in as many states as possible, and in that way announce and explain the mailing. And perhaps we can come up with some other ways of maximizing the effectiveness of this project and gaining as much positive attention as possible.
One of the project's volunteers suggested contacting Rep. Sue Myrick, who started the Anti-Jihad Caucus in Congress. When we reach the goal of having all 100 senators covered, I'll call Rep. Myrick's office and see if she can help. I've called several congressional offices to get advice on how best to proceed.
Posted by: traeh at October 1, 2007 4:55 AM
From the article"We don't have weapons, and the government doesn't protect us."
More proof that "Operation Iraqi Freedom" has been the greatest military operation ever..............for the islamists that is
Let's see: NATO are now insisting that the Taliban have a say in any peace process in Afghanistan and now, the decimation of the Infidel communities in Iraq is in it's final phase:
A question: how can the islamists take this kind of punishment?
Bye bye christians of Iraq, just please stop complaining won't you. No one gives a shit. And it was rather naive of you to expect christians from the West to give a crap about your plight. You're almost as innocent as the Serbs. Anyway, it was nice knowing you all, you'll probably get a footnote or two in the history books. If you're lucky. When the death squads come round at night to slit your throats, don't expect any of the 1,000s of Western soldiers to help you: they're too busy protecting the far more valuable and important islamist politicos in the Green Zone.
Toodle pip.
at October 1, 2007 6:39 AM
An ideology masquerading as a religion, running a protection racket, on tiny villages, on cities, on the entire world.
When I heard about the Taliban being invited to the peace talks, my reaction was, why did we bother then? What was the point? What did our brave young men and women die for over there in the desert?
Posted by: ImNoDhimmi at October 1, 2007 6:52 AM
Wait, I thought the surge was working. Working for whom?
Posted by: cumulusnine at October 1, 2007 9:14 AM
The peace...can you feel the peace?
Oh, and the love....
What a "religion".
at October 1, 2007 11:42 AM
Heckuva job Georgie!! Bastard. How can you pray to God at night when you ignore this. I don't think he will be kind to you on Judgement Day.
Posted by: wrathofasma at October 1, 2007 11:58 AM
When does The Black Hand become Islam's official symbol?
La Cosa Islama?
The Mo-fia?
Posted by: profitsbeard at October 1, 2007 12:00 PM
Those poor oppressed followers of the religion of peace, its all Bush's fault, if he hadn't illegally occupied Iraq, and now he wants to wage war on Iran. Just like the Israeli occupiers of palestine......what excuse will it be now. What did this family "do" to deserve this. Come on Naseem why don't you chime in now, tell us more B.S. about the peaceful ways of your false prophet. I hope all the other religions around the world do get a backbone. It will be fun to watch on T.V.
Posted by: americanmadestrat at October 1, 2007 1:06 PM
profitsbeard says:
"The Mo-fia?"
--------------
lol ! Precisely !
That's how Islam works: join, pay or die.
at October 1, 2007 5:15 PM
Hello everyone! I am new here. I am Coptic Orthodox and as such, would love to contribute to exposing Islam for the death cult that it is.
How do I contact Robert or Hugh to link articles?
Just yesterday in the Age (I live in Melbourne, Australia) an opinion piece featured in which the writer was bemoaning the Islamophobia in Europe and warning that it was likely to lead to a second Holocaust.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/opinion/prejudice-is-not-a-joke/2007/09/30/1191090938861.html
The writer fails to compare the treatment of Muslims in Europe with the persecution of the Assyrians and the Copts.
at October 2, 2007 3:41 AM
How do I contact Robert or Hugh to link articles?
Posted by: Monica
....click on the JihadWatch link at the top of this page...on the Jihadwatch page, scroll down until you see the the Email link , it will be on the lefthand side of the page...
.....Welcome, take time to click on the past articles of both Robert S. and Hugh as well as the archives.....
....you may just discover Islam is a ticking timebomb, you will learn the truths about Islam, you will learn how Muslims think, what their plans are, and who leads them...you will find out about their hidden organizations, their secret plans, their modus operandi, and from time to time you will see posts by radical Muslims that clearly show their mindset and their irrationality (you can feel the hate), you will see posts by other Muslims who are more intelligent and you will find a good mix of people each with their own opinions and experiences to share....
you will learn much....and here, your opinions are shared, debated, validated, disputed and above all valued....you will meet new friends...
Posted by: exsgtbrown at October 2, 2007 6:49 AM
These autrocities against Christians are happening with impunity precisely because the US occupation authorities allow it. The US is arming the Muslim government while keeping the Christians helpless. The US Senate just passed a resolution advocating that Iraq be divided into three states (Sunni, Shia, and Kurdish) while completely ignoring the rright of the Christian Assyrians to thier own ancient homeland. This is outrageous!
The only way for the Christians to be safe is for them to have their own independent nation of Assyria in its historical homeland. At a minimum, the current Iraqi province of Ninewah should be set aside as a Christian state. (See map at http://www.goalsforamericans.org/gallery/v/maps/1-17-05ColorizedIraqMap.jpg.html).
There are already massive population transfers occuring in Iraq as Shia expel Sunnis and Kurds expel Arabs. All the Christians will perish if they are not given a independent nation of their own. A soveriegn Assyrian nation would be a safe haven for Christians, Mandeans, Yezidis, and Ismailis. If this doesn't happen, then all of these ancient peoples will perish.
Posted by: Provoslavni at October 2, 2007 9:47 AM
Certainly the Pope should speak out about this!
Posted by: CLL1709 at October 3, 2007 4:30 PM
Certainly the Pope should speak out about this!
Posted by: CLL1709
---------------------------------------
He has, often! He also confronted Bush over this when the two met a couple of months ago.
In fact, only two world leaders have spoken up for the Iraqi Christians: Pope Benedict XVI and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Of course Bush ignores both of them.
Posted by: Provoslavni at October 3, 2007 5:21 PM
I don't know why we're all getting worked up over this. Sure, it's unfortunate that Iraq's Christians are being run out of the country, but as Rummy said, "stuff happens," and the important thing is that Saddam is gone.
Posted by: Seamus at October 3, 2007 7:49 PM
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