Posted on 07/27/2008 2:30:17 PM PDT by forkinsocket
Iraq's Christians have taken up arms and formed new militias in a desperate effort to defend their beleaguered communities from an onslaught by Islamic extremists.
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."
Radios supplied by the US-led coalition keeps the command post in touch with guards in Karamlis and three hamlets nearby. A heavy machine gun protrudes from the guardpost on St Barbara Street, pointing towards a road shared with Sunni Muslim neighbours. The gun's purpose, said Saleem Yusuf, the checkpoint commander, is to deter would-be car bombers. "We have not used it in anger yet. Thank God," he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
.
> “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.” <
(nods)
So much for the post-Christian West coming to the rescue of its Christian brothers and sisters. I forgot, then it would look like a Crusade again, and we can’t have any of that paranoia lurking amongst our peace loving mohammedan brothers. In the meantime, get ready for this type of behavior elsewhere, remember, they look at this as a religous war at it’s root, and they won’t feel vindicated until every vestige of the West, Christian and Jew, is eradicated. Think about that the next time you here someone say they’re a religion of peace. Study history and learn, and don’t forget it. They don’t.
Remember the god the mohammedans worship, and it is not the God of the Holy Bible, despite the mohammedans say otherwise. It is the devil via a moon rock god.
Since the errr....what?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.