Christians of Iraq

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Updated list of Opression and Murders of the Assyrians in Iraq Not reported by the International Press

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---- Ancient ruins inspire hope in U.S. forces in Iraq Pre-Christian city of Hatra a source of awe in war-torn land By SEAN COCKERHAM The News Tribune October 18, 06 HATRA, IRAQ - Remains of the giant columns, temples and fortifications of the 2,600-year-old city of Hatra tower over the Iraq desert. This was a major city along the Silk Road. Hatra sent caravans of traders throughout the Middle East with spices, woodwork and gems. It was a tolerant center of diverse religions that twice drove back Roman invaders. Now the 1st Battalion of the 37th Field Artillery Regiment from Fort Lewis does daily combat patrols in the area, and religious tolerance is hard to come by. A month ago, a suicide car bomber killed several people in the neighboring settlement of al-Hatra. But the U.S. soldiers draw inspiration from the beautiful ruins, hoping someday they can be a world-renowned center of tourism. 'If this thing can last ..." "It's remarkable that it's still standing in a place of pretty much chaos," said Capt. Alex Aquino, 26, who lived in Tacoma before the Stryker brigade deployed in July. "It's like there is some hope, if this thing can last after all the stuff that has happened in Iraq." The places where Fort Lewis and other U.S. soldiers are fighting in Iraq are exceptionally rich in history. Cities might be garbage-strewn battle zones now, but this is still Mesopotamia, cradle of civilization. "It kind of makes you feel like you are not just in a counterinsurgency fight but something real, with some historic significance," said Lt. Col. Ken Kamper of DuPont, commander of the artillery unit. The Mosul area, where most Fort Lewis soldiers in Iraq are stationed, was the capital of the powerful Assyrian empire 700 years before the birth of Christ. Jonah, the biblical figure fabled for being swallowed by a whale, is said to be entombed in a mosque in a dangerous part of Mosul. There's an abandoned Christian monastery dating from sometime before 595 on Forward Operating Base Marez, where Fort Lewis soldiers in Mosul live. The chaplain gives tours. Academics say the Hatra site, 68 miles southwest of Mosul, is arguably the most spectacular archaeological site in Iraq. It is one of two places in the country to be designated by the United Nations as a World Heritage Site. The other is the city of Ashur, the capital of ancient Assyria. Hatra, built mostly of limestone and gypsum, blends Greek, Roman and Arab architecture. Remains of public baths, statues and defensive towers give a feel for its former grandeur. It's not known how much more remains under the ground. About 70 percent of the ancient city's 750 acres have yet to be excavated. Staff Sgt. Adam Armstrong, 30, of Puyallup had his re-enlistment ceremony at Hatra. Inscriptions within the ruins are mostly in Aramaic, the language Christ spoke. "I'm a Christian, and this is over 2,000 years old," Armstrong said. "Knowing Christ possibly could have walked on these grounds is phenomenal." Hollywood took note of the ruins in the early 1970s. Hatra is featured in the opening scene of "The Exorcist" as the site where a priest discovers a relic foreshadowing that he soon will face evil. The ruins also are a testament to Saddam Hussein's staggering ego. Saddam ordered that the bricks used in renovating the historic site in the 1990s had to be carved with his initials. The new era of violence in Iraq has affected the ruins. A U.N. archeological team investigated the site and found looters had damaged two features after the U.S. invasion in 2003. The archaeologists also complained the United States was threatening the stability of the buildings through the destruction of stockpiles from a nearby Iraqi ammo dump. "These delicate and sensitive remains are vulnerable to permanent and irreparable damage owing to the detonation of recovered ordnance nearby," Jane Waldbaum, president of the Archaeological Institute of America, wrote the U.S. government in 2004. The blasts were reduced, and the U.S. and Iraqi forces have now secured relative calm in the area, although insurgents operate not far away. Archaeologists still find Hatra too dangerous for excavations, and few visitors come to the site. "If they fix it, we can have tourists and stuff like the way we used to have," said Mahamed Hamed Al Ahmade, an Iraqi policeman who helps guard the Hatra Ruins. "Before the (Saddam) regime fell, people used to come from all over the world." Local sheiks have asked the Fort Lewis soldiers to help protect the Hatra site. Kamper's artillery battalion is able to do a lot of reconstruction work in this rural region because it is more stable than Mosul or Baghdad. The Stryker brigade troops said they want to add Hatra protection to the list, although a bid for a security fence came in too high at $700,000. The unit is working on finding other ways to make sure the site is secure. Sean Cockerham can be reached at seancockerham@hotmail.com.

Who are the Christians of Iraq? Tishrin 1 = October Ancient ruins inspire hope in U.S. forces in Pre-Christian Iraq . Oct. 18, 06 Save Us from the Time of Trial Oct. 18, 06 Persecution of non-Muslims increases in Iraq. Oct. 18, 06 In Iraq, a New Level of Threat to Christians Oct. 17, 06 World Has Forgotten Iraqi Christians: Chaldean Patriarch Oct. 16, 06 Some 500 people attend funeral of beheaded priest Oct. 16, 06 Christians are vacating land of Christ Oct. 15, 06 Threats force Iraqi Christians to flee to Syria Oct. 15, 06 Turkey starts to admit it has an ‘Armenian Question’ Oct. 15, 06 Some Turks change religion as way to West Oct. 14, 06 Beleaguered Yazidi find peace high in Iraq's northern mountains Oct. 14, 06 Beheading of Iraqi priest latest attack on minorities Oct. 14, 06 Kurdish Militia Attacks Assyrian TV Station in North Iraq Oct. 13, 06 Iraq priest 'killed over pope's speech' Oct. 13, 06 More than 35,000 Christians have fled violence in Iraq Oct. 13, 06 Prominent Assyrian Priest Beheaded Oct. 12, 06 Father Paulos Iskandar Killed by Terrorist Abductors Oct. 12, 06 Who Will Remember the Assyrian Genocide? Oct. 11, 06 Abducted and raped, young Christian women and girls are driven to suicide in Iraq Oct. 11, 06 Was the genocide of the Ottoman Empire in1915 only against the Armenians, or included Assyrians also? Oct. 10, 06 Traditional Assyrian Costumes Oct. 9, 06 Organisation and Substitutionism Oct. 8, 06 A Nation Without a Country Oct. 8, 06 Swedish authorities honor Malfono Gabriel Afram Oct. 7, 06 Christian husband and wife converts from Islam released Oct. 7, 06 Terror campaign targets Christians of Iraq Oct. 6, 06 In 20 years, there will be no more Christians in Iraq' Oct. 5, 06 \FIRST-PERSON: Assyrian haircut Oct. 5, 06 The Assyrians: Ignored Among Fears of an Iraqi Civil War Oct. 4, 06 Two Iranian Christians arrested in Mashad. Oct. 4, 06 Car Bombs at the Christian Assyrian shopping district in Baghdad killed 16, injured 87 Oct. 4, 06 30 Christian families receive threats to leave Mosul - Iraq Oct. 2, 06 Mr. Sarkis Aghajan, the Finance Minister of the Kurdistan regional Government Asks for more rights for the Assyrians Oct. 2, 06 Ealool = September National Council of Churches Ignores Christian Suffering Sept. 29, 06 Violence Against Christians Grows in Iraq Sept. 29, 06 EP Report Drops Genocide Clause, Calls for Investigation Sept. 28, 06 Nenveh Essa, 21, studied accounting, Dies in Car Accident Sept. 27, 06 Kurds and Arabs Vie for Control of Mosul Sept. 26, 06 Iraq ensnared in quest to escape Arab politics Sept. 25, 06 Two Assyrian churches attacked in Mosul and Baghdad Sept. 25, 06 Turkey invites Assyrian and Armenian dignitaries to meal that breaks daily Muslim fast. Sep. 25, 06 Dutch Lawmaker May Remove Assyrian Genocide Reference in Report on Turkey Sept. 25, 06 Tense Time for Christians in Iraq Sep. 24, 06 Assyrian Church Bombed in Baghdad; 2 Dead, 17 Injured Sept. 24, 06 Assyrian Police Officer Murdered in Mosul Sept. 24, 06 Assyrian-Swedish journalist investigates the arrest of the Assyrian-Georgian General Sept. 21, 06 Muslims react to the speech of Pope Benedict XVI Sept. 20, 06 Iraq: International Religious Freedom Report 2006 Sept. 19, 06 Fear Strikes Iraq's Christians Over Pope Words Sept. 19, 06 Assyrian Cultural Day Sept. 19, 06 When Iraqi Christians Vanish, Locals Pay the Price Sept. 18, 06 Dozens Dead in Kirkuk Bombings Sept. 17, 06 Book Exhibit in Baghdeda Iraq Sept. 17, 06 Second Assyrian Christian Killed in Retaliation for Pope's Remarks Sept. 17, 06 The Hellenic, Armenian and Assyrian Communities in the Late Ottoman Empire and Modern Turkey Sept. 16, 06 'I Felt God Was With Me,' Says Released Assyrian Priest' Sept. 15, 06 Two Assyrians Killed in Separate Terrorist Attacks Sept. 15, 06 Rosie Malek - Yonan Documentary, My Assyrian Nation on the Edge Sept. 14, 06 Two Assyrians Killed in Separate Terrorist Attacks Sept. 14, 06 Kirkuk: The potential spark for civil war Sept. 14, 06 Sabri Atman in Sweden Sept. 14, 06 Assyrian Candidate Gains Republican Endorsement Sept. 13, 06 Priest Abducted in Baghdad Was Threatened and Tortured Sept. 13, 06 Assyrians Accuse Kurdish Authorities of Discrimination Sept. 12, 06 Priest Kidnapped in Baghdad Released Sept. 12, 06 Turkey's refusal to acknowledge the Assyrian, Armenian genocide Sept. 10, 06 Rosie Malek - Younan; The Assyrian Woman of the Year Sept. 10, 06 Lebanese Bishops Chastise Hizbullah, Back Siniora Sept. 6, 06 A Feast Awaits At Annual Assyrian Festival Sept. 6, 06 Prominent Assyrian Christian Leaves Iraq. Says Work Situation 'Intolerable' Sept. 5, 06 Turkey's terror against Christians in Midyat Sept. 4, 06 Syria; Sanctuary for Iraq's Displaced Christians Sept. 3, 06 August = Tubbakh Assyrians honour the Lt General Sir Stanley Savige KBE CB DSO MC ED August 31,06 Assyrian archaeologist resigns amid threats by the fundamentalists August 31, 06 Assyrians: from Bebar Khan to Saddam Hussein (a new book) August 28, 06 Donny George of Iraq's State Board of Antiquity, Heritage Flees to Syria August 28, 06 A New Film by Lina Yakubova August 27, 06 PM Maliki urges tribal unity in Iraq August 27, 06 Lebanese Bishops Appeal for a Stop to the Christian Exodus August 24, 06 Iraqi Christians Caught in the Crossfire August 23, 06 Assyrian Universal Alliance, Australian Chapter Meeting in Canberra August 23, 06 Iraqi Christians on Edge After Priest's Kidnapping August 23, 06 The Secrets Of Mustafa Barzani In KGB Archives August 23, 06 Pope urges release of priest in Iraq August 20, 06 Heading Toward an (Inevitable) War in Kirkuk August 20, 06 TWO CHALDEAN PRIESTS KIDNAPPED IN BAGHDAD August 18, 06 Confiscation of the Assyrian villages by the Kurds August 18, 06 The Kurdish Democratic Experiment: an Assyrian Tragedy August 17, 06 Assyrians Experience Slow Cultural Revival In Southeastern Turkey August 17, 06 Lebanese Bishops Call for Single National Leadership August 16, 06 Lebanese Cardinal Concerned About Christian Exodus August 16, 06 In Turkey non Muslims are listed as Foreigners August 14, 06 Murdered Assyrians in Iraq in August August 14, 06 Why Can't A Christian Be More Like A Muslim? Revisited August 13, 06 Peter W. Galbraith's 'The End of Iraq' August 12, 06 Babylon the Great lives August 12, 06 We Don't Want a Proxy War in Lebanon:' Cardinal Sfeir August 10, 06 Go-ahead for dam that will drown history August 9, 06 750,000 Christians Caught in Middle East Crossfire August 8, 06 Arabist Indoctrination At Middlebury College August 8, 06 Middle-Eastern conference: from worship to ‘reunion’ August 8, 06 Hezbollah Uses Christian Villages As Shields in Missile Attacks August 7, 06 Family Pays Ransom in Iraqi Kidnapping August 7, 06 Johanns meets with Iraqi leaders to help rebuild agriculture August 6, 06 Half of all Christians have fled Iraq since 2003, says Baghdad bishop August 4, 06 Christian Persecution Groups Express Concerns for Mideast Believers August 3, 06 Assyrians and Australians will honour Captain Savige for his world war one help August 3, 06 Nuri Kino Wins Swedish Award of: good role model for the youth Aug 1, 06   Archives June, July 06 March April May 06 January- February 06