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Congressman: ‘Genocide’ Against Christians Going On In Iraq And White House Saying Nothing

Jamie Weinstein Senior Writer
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Virginia Republican Rep. Frank Wolf says there is a genocide being perpetrated against the Christians of Iraq and the White House hasn’t said a word about it, much less acted to stop it.

The terrorist group the Islamic State, an al Qaida off shoot that has taken over large swaths of Iraq in recent months, told Christians in the Iraqi city of Mosul they had to convert to Islam by July 18 or they would be killed, according to the Economist. The only other option they were given was to leave Mosul, a city which has had a Christian presence for nearly two millennia. So thousands of Christians have now fled the city in fear for their lives.

“It is genocide. It meets the test of genocide,” Wolf said Friday on Hugh Hewitt’s radio show, which this writer guest hosted. “The definition of genocide was put together by the UN by a guy named Raphael Lemkin. But it is the eradication of a group of people – race, culture, ethnicity, religion. So this meets the official test of genocide.”

Asked if President Barack Obama has spoken out against this atrocity, Wolf said he has not.

“No, the president hasn’t said anything, the State Department hasn’t said anything,” he lamented. “Frankly, nobody is saying anything.”

Asked what the United States could do about the situation in Mosul, Wolf listed several options.

“There is a lot we can do,” he said. “One, the President of the United States can urge the Kurdish government to continue to guard and protect the Christians.”

“Secondly, we can give some of the foreign aid that we are already giving, give it to a group like Catholic Relief or World Vision or a group like that, to provide relief – water, food, clothing,” he continued. “Thirdly, we can tell the Maliki government to start protecting the Christian sites and the Christian communities. [Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-]Maliki flew out – all the Shia were flown out of Mosul – and they left the Christians there to die.”

“And lastly,” Wolf concluded, “every person who is listening should call their congressman and their senator and insist that they insist the White House do something.”

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