Letters to the Editor
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The Christian church in Iraq, or what's left of it.
One consequence of the occupation of Iraq has been the persecution of Iraqi Christians. Never a large group in Iraq, they made up about three percent of the population. But the church had been in existence for many centuries, and was allowed to exist even under Saddam. Many churches now stand empty; some have only tiny congregations remaining.
As of 2007 about half the Iraqi Christians had been killed or fled the country. As the occupation continues it may be that the Christian church in Iraq will eventually be destroyed.
Ironically, it seems that the many American Christian supporters of the war never even thought about the possible consequences for their Iraqi co-religionists, nor at this point do they seem to have any concern over the actual consequences. Like all other Iraqis, even the Christians are expendable. Surely the Iraqi Christians must be thinking "with friends like this, who needs enemies?"