A G. I.'s Letter from Iraq

February 19, 07

Sir:

I'm afraid I've done little for Christians and the other non-Muslim minorities of northern Iraq, perhaps less than I could have if I tried harder. Most of my time here has been devoted to helping improve the overall life of all Iraqis with some positive results. At times I think the heavy-handed intimidation of Saddam's regime perhaps was better in preventing mayhem that rules the streets of Baghdad and Mosul, yet state sponsored persecutions were also devastating.

Whatever good I've done here has been by the grace of God, He gets the credit for it. I've learned in my second time around in Iraq that to rely on His grace results in far greater things than trying to get by on my own strength.

I think when I return to the State various churches would be interested to hear the story and see pictures of the people of this area. Most everyone I know back home thinks the Middle East has only Muslims (and unfortunately they may be right in a generation or two) and think the most important conclusion to draw from the experience of your ancestors, is that in many ways we (the US and the West) soon may find ourselves in a similar position as the Assyrians and Byzantines of the 8th and 9th centuries AD, confronted by a civilization that we can't fathom which poses a threat to the rest of the world but we are currently unwilling to admit . (After all, we tend to think all religions are different paths up the same mountain, right?).

I want to explain to people in the US that now is the time to clearly and carefully understand that our civilization (Judeo-Christian, Greco-Roman civilization) that represents the light, is in danger, and if we are unwilling or unable to protect it , it will perish and we will be forced to live as do your people in Iraq. The only difference would be that there would be no safe haven to flee to. We would be stuck having to hear the prayer calls, and having to live as dhimmis, second-class citizens, and live under the intimidation of a remilitarized, re-energized Islam that is fully willing to carry out all the requirements of the religion as specified in the wondrous and most holy Quran.

This will not happen in our lifetime but possibly by our grandchildren or great-grandchildren's generation. We need to do certain things such as materially and financially support people in the Middle East who do not conform to the militaristic Islam and by their mere continued existence prevent future worldwide tragedies.

When I asked some of the Yazidis how their relationship was with Kurds they said obviously that they've been very bad and have been pretty intimidated, but when I asked them about the Christians they said they (the Christians) are friends and brothers to them. It was good to hear that they find solidarity with their fellow non-conformists.