Sons of Iraq: A Grassroots Surge Against Al-Qaeda

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Sons of Iraq: A Grassroots Surge Against Al-Qaeda

By Pete Hegseth
National Review Online/Assyrian International News Agency
Posted GMT 3-4-2008 3:44:30

East Rashid, Baghdad -- A young man wearing a tan shirt emblazoned
with the Iraqi flag and with an AK-47 slung over his shoulder
approaches the doorway of Saint John's Church, peeks inside, and
motions to the American G.I. sergeant standing next to me. They step
outside and I watch as the Iraqi makes a sign of the cross, points to
the building, and then points to the American's M-4 rifle, and waves
his hand. After a few seconds, the sergeant gets it: no weapons inside
the church. The sergeant leaves his weapon with another soldier as he
reenters.

Saint John's -- one of about two dozen Chaldean Catholic parish
churches in Baghdad -- is located in East Rashid, a Sunni neighborhood
described by both Iraqi and American officers as "former al-Qaeda
headquarters. " Church leaders manage a small but growing congregation
of Iraqi Catholics, many of whom were able to attend their first Mass
in years this past Christmas. The pews that day were also full of
local Sunnis supporting their Christian neighbors, as well as invited
Americans.

The story of Saint John's is significant, and for the residents in
this part of Al Doura it's a return to normalcy. Chaldean Catholics
have lived in this neighborhood for centuries, part of Baghdad's
complex tapestry. However the need to defend the church is a recent
development -- and in a way, an encouraging one. I was intrigued by
the dozens of armed men in tan shirts standing in the streets near the
church, as well as the hundreds I've seen in Baghdad so far. Who are
these Sons of Iraq?

More at http://tinyurl. com/36o7vw

Learn more:

Christians of Iraq
http://tinyurl. com/2tmonj

Wikipedia: Category:Christiani ty in Iraq
http://tinyurl. com/2pcgma

Wikipedia: Chaldean Catholic Church
http://tinyurl. com/3dr2gq

BBC: Who are the Chaldean Christians?
http://tinyurl. com/2vbf3p

BBC: Iraqi Christians' long history
http://tinyurl. com/56stc

Globalsecurity. org: Christians in Iraq
http://tinyurl. com/2qhqfy

Christianity Today: What Iraq's Christians Need (2007)
http://tinyurl. com/2swycc

Iraq Ministry Surge (2007)
http://tinyurl. com/3apazl

Daniel Pipes: Christians Disappearing From Iraq (2004)
http://tinyurl. com/2tozth

Books from Amazon.com:

Christianity in Iraq
http://tinyurl. com/35b4t3

God Saw Them Through: Semper FI - "America's Battalion" in Iraq
http://tinyurl. com/2q5kx2

The Final Move Beyond Iraq: The Final Solution While the World Sleeps
http://tinyurl. com/33sfrb

A Greater Freedom: Stories of Faith from Operation Iraqi Freedom
http://tinyurl. com/3ajvpv
More by Oliver North: http://tinyurl. com/3xdrsg

Some of the crimes committed against Christians in Iraq:

Iraqi leader promises hunt for missing archbishop (2008)
http://tinyurl. com/35l3wn

Blog: Where's the outrage? (2007)
http://tinyurl. com/2uxku5

Blog: The Murder of Fr. Ragheed and Three Deacons (2007)
http://tinyurl. com/3cappc

Age of Martyrs Continues: 2007
http://tinyurl. com/2r6ko8

Orthodox priest beheaded in iraq (2006)
http://tinyurl. com/3de8c5

David McDonnall honored as martyr, 'ambassador of love'
http://tinyurl. com/328txd

Missionary Martyrs in Iraq (2004)
http://tinyurl. com/38qwb7

(Please note: Dizzy Campaigner is an Amazon.com Associate. Click here
to learn more: http://tinyurl. com/27duv4 )

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