Do you feel helpless about Christians in Iraq? I think we are helpless at this point. Once it hits the news it is history. It is too late. We made our decisions in 2012 and 2008. For better or worse the degree of influence and “power” God has allowed to be in the hands of the USA brings with it a degree of responsibility. The idea that we can keep the power but shirk the responsibility is as self-centered as the rest of the “me generation”. There will never be any way around this fact, if we have the capability to stop an atrocity, and we choose not to exercise that capability and opt to allow the atrocity, then we are complicit in the atrocity. People don’t want to see or hear this because we have blood on our hands. We wanted to “end the occupations” we were “tired of war” … Well guess what, our enemy isn’t “tired of war” and they’re actually fighting it themselves, most of us are just watching and paying for it. We’re fickle and our fickleness is complicit.

Being “tired of war” is an odd statement. It seems to convey that at some point in the past we were amped for it, all for it, … “not tired”. The thing about war is that nobody “wants” it. Even the terrorists would prefer that we line up for their sabres rather than fight back. You may not believe me but I have rational concern about saying what I’m saying, because I will be labelled a war monger. I’m not, I hate war, but here’s the thing, my tax dollars are going away faster now than EVER despite all of our retreating, cutting the military, and retiring from our role as “world police”. Even if they weren’t, would “mo-money” be enough justification to allow warlords to slaughter anyone anywhere on our watch? “Sorry your daughter has been dismembered sir, but you see I got free healthcare!”

Our soldiers ARE heroes, and some go off the deep end when faced with the gruel of looking evil in the eyes day-in and day-out but overall the USA is a force for good. Remember History, specifically remember who these Kurds are:

1988: Halabja – 5000+ civilians killed in chemical attacks for a grand total of 182,000 killed: “up to 200,000 Iraqi troops attacked the area, rounded up civilians, and razed villages. Once rounded up, the civilians were divided into two groups: men from ages of about 13 to 70 and women, children, and elderly men. The men were then shot and buried in mass graves. The women, children, and elderly were taken to relocation camps where conditions were deplorable. In a few areas, especially areas that put up even a little resistance, everyone was killed. ”

1991: Even AFTER surrendering to the USA what do we do? Under international pressure we slap Hussein’s hand and allow him to persist. He goes on to slaughter thousands of Shiite’s and Kurds with helicopters that we explicitly allowed him to use. Our soldiers were forced to watch and do nothing!

Who was Hussein? Sunni Muslim. Who is ISIS? Sunni Muslims. We have effectively reincarnated Saddam Hussein and unleashed him yet again on the Kurds by our “war-weariness”. Only our veterans have any right to claim “war-weariness” and while it may be true that we can never defeat satan with war alone, our resistance is NOT futile. Our resistance is exactly that, we resist the devil, he flees, then we resist again. I do pray that we have more solidarity than to require them coming into our house before we realize what a mistake it is to vote first for our own comforts:

“First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”

– Martin Niemöller

There will be no end of politicians promising “peace” but armed with the prophecies of scripture we already know that those promises cannot be realized short of Christ’s return. Has there ever been one day without war in all of history? The only politician that will bring any peace will promise 7 years of it and break it himself half way through. Everyone else will just continue to play shell games, procrastinating here, demonizing there… I hope not all Christians believe that the USA has been given such great power to surrender it to evil barbarians (ISIS is using US equipment). However, I’m saddened by how popular the “peace at any price” movement is within the Christian Church. Frankly I’m further saddened that only “Christian” victims seem to matter to us, but not just “Christian” victims, but “Christian child” victims, and not just “Christian child” victims… but “Beheaded Christian child” victims. Is that really the shock factor required to snap us out of our self-indulgent trance? Even if they could never come for us as Niemöller says above, is that the only reason to resist?

So long as we have strong sons & daughters willing to fight for justice and stand between the evil barbarians and their prey, the least I can do is be willing to pay for the best equipment conceivable. To be grateful for their service on our behalf, and to empower them to not have to sit in that equipment and watch the atrocities in violation of their (and our) very moral foundations at the behest of some self-serving politician. If that makes me a “warmonger” then so be it. Some things matter more than money. Some things matter more than even life and death. Many of those Kurds aren’t ready to go to heaven yet, but I am. Are you? If we believe this stuff is true then why shouldn’t we be willing to die for the sake of a few folks? Even if they aren’t Christian, even if they aren’t children, even if they would be “humanely euthanized”? Too much to ask from a Country that elected as its leader a guy that voted against banning partial-birth abortions? Probably. Too much to ask from followers of Jesus that believe that heaven is real and life is eternal? I hope not.

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