Wichita, KS — Operation Rescue President Troy Newman returned safely this week from a trip to Iraq where he met with Prime Minister al-Maliki.
Newman was part of an historic delegation was led by Rev. Patrick Mahoney of the Christian Defense Coalition, and was the first Christian group to be formally welcomed by the Iraqi government. The delegation consisted of six members including Mahoney, Newman, Dr. Gary Cass, Keith Ferguson, David Bradshaw, and Kris Keating.
The delegation met with the Prime Minister and presented him with a display of the Ten Commandments and pictures drawn by American school children for Iraqi school children. The Christians then prayed for the Prime Minister and the nation of Iraq in Jesus’ name.
Newman said they had an amazing time and were used by God mightily while they were there, but he expressed concern for the plight of Iraqi Christians and other religious minorities should the U.S. prematurely leave the war-torn nation.
“We’re concerned that an American pull-out could lead to the massive genocide and extermination of religious minorities,” Newman said. “As one Iraqi Christian leader told us, ‘If American troops were to leave Iraq prematurely, Christians would be exterminated.’”
Newman has made available photos, personal notes, and observations from his trip. Click here to read them.
This is my first visit to the OR website, although I have known about OR from its beginning. About 20 years ago, I walked out on an Ohio “Right to Life” board meeting after failing to persuade them to at least report on OR activities in their news organs (even if they refrained from editorial support). They refused, for fear of a RICO suit. I told them they were denying comrades just as surely as Peter denied Jesus.
With that as background, I have to admit surprise and concern at Troy Newman’s reported visit to Iraq’s US-puppet “president.” This strikes me as ill-advised mission creep for OR.
Moreover, Mr. Newman’s claim that early US withdrawal could result in “massive genocide” is just the kind of grossly speculative thinking that the US government architects of perpetual war exploit to maintain their unholy status-quo. Does he not know when he is being used? Does he think he would have been permitted to meet al-Maliki unless our government thought it would be useful to the war effort? Do the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi deaths that have already resulted from the US’s weapons of mass destruction not concern Mr. Newman? The overwhelming majority of the dead were non-combatants.
Please stick to your mission of rescuing those US citizens condemned to execution in our domestic abortuaries. You’re out of your depth with the kind of well-intended diplomatic buccaneering reported on your website.
I for one appreciate Mr. Newman’s efforts in Iraq. He was told by people living there that “mass genocide” would result from a premature pull-out of American forces. I suppose they should know since they are the ones who live over there.
And frankly, Mark, I don’t know what makes you think you are an expert on the matter. I would bet you have not been willing to sacrifice to go over there and find out what the situation is and how you can alleviate the suffering of the people, like Troy has.
In fact, it is the duty of Christians to seek to spare lives, alleviate suffering, and act as ambassadors for Christ. That’s why pro-lifers go to the abortion clinics. I find Troy’s trip completely in line with the mission of Operation Rescue, in that regard. In fact, Troy has stayed truer to the pro-life mission as an organization than many others. It seems unfair to criticize him for acting on his faith where others are too afraid to do much more than complain.
Welcome back, Troy!
We have “anticipated” your report, praying each day for your safety and “divine appointments” arranged by the Lord, and searching the website for any “news!” Thank you for your report and pictures. Thank you, Troy, Pat Mahoney, Dr. Cass, and the others, for carrying the type of messages and outreach to the Iraqi people, governmental officials, and our military that we would desire to carry ourselves. We know Jesus will use all the contacts to draw the people to Himself. So many are coming to belief in “Isa” in many of the nations in that area.
At the 1987 Pro-Life Rally in D. C., hosted primarily by Last Days Ministry, I met a young Cambodian who was carrying a sign “Cambodians for Life.” We spoke briefly, and I asked if his family was also there. He gave me a long look, and then said his entire family had been killed in Cambodia after the U. S. left Vietnam. We “know” that we must continue to support the Iraqis who so desperatly want an end to war, and for peace to reign in their land. Thank you again, Troy, for saying what has been in our hearts and our prayers for those in Iraq–our troops, the Iraqi leadership, and the people. Being a teacher, my “heart” has been for the children. I have rejoiced each time I saw a school open; I grieved when one of our area radio talk-show hosts, sent to Iraq with his unit, gave his weekly report–he and his men were giving out candy to some children. Just moments later a car drove into the area of the children, and it exploded. He chocked back the emotion as he reported.
Blessings to you all–Denise
>Do the hundreds of thousands
>of Iraqi deaths that have already
>resulted from the US’s weapons
>of mass destruction not concern
>Mr. Newman?
Mark, this is a classic “statement of ignorance” that comes from the Bush hating Liberal Democrats.
When you say “hundreds of thousands,” you are of course including the Republican Guard troops we had to cut through to reach Baghdad (there were 750,000 RG troops), and the insurgents who continue to shoot at us and try to kill American troops each and every day. The Liberal Democrats call these people “innocent Iraqi’s.”
Secondly, we have not used one single weapon of mass destruction in this war. Not one. Yet the Liberal Democrats continue to call our laser guided smart bombs “weapons of mass destruction,” while continuing to deny the fact that we have found a complete stockpile of Sarin packed missiles (over 300) all because of their hatred for George W Bush.
If you want to learn something, do a search for “Operation Desert Fox.” Oh, but that was under a Democrat’s watch, so that was justified, wasn’t it?
It’s all about the R and the D. It’s not about truth and logic, just about that letter.
Glad you are back safe and I know you were led of the Lord to go there. If any one knows the heart of God it is you.
I saw a news story about the plight of Iraqi Christians on Catholic television station EWTN. There was even an article in my local paper a month or so ago. They’ve been told to: leave, convert to Islam or pay a fine (I think that’s right). If the official religion of Iraq becomes only Islam, I seriously doubt the Christians there will have any rights. Many of them are from the Nineveh area (where the Old Testament Prophet Jonah was sent) and have been for hundreds or thousands of years. I hope the government there considers the rights of those in the minority. I don’t want Iraqi Christians to suffer anymore.
Mark:
“Do the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi deaths that have already resulted from the US’s weapons of mass destruction not concern Mr. Newman? The overwhelming majority of the dead were non-combatants.”
–And your evidentiary support for this assertion is…what?
–The terrorists who cut Daniel Pearl’s head off… were “weapons of mass destruction.”
–The F-16 which killed said terrorists…was not.
I do not think Troy was being “used.” I instead agree with the posting by All_Life, about the plight of Christians in the middle east. All_Life, it’s that bad & worse. My church was recently addressed by a Lebanese Christian who detailed the suffering of Christians there. I believe the “fine” you speak of is a reference to the “head tax” which basically “allows” Christians to live in Muslim lands if they basically “pay tribute” for the privilege of living there — to say nothing of whatever other difficulties they face, which are apparently legion.
The whole world needs Christ.
Regards,
Frank