PunchtheBag takes issue with Lew’s piece today, unjustly reducing his entire thesis to the claim that Iraqi Christians were protected under Saddam. Punch then links to a few pieces (1 2 3) that purport to show otherwise.

Now, it is possible to recognize that Christians were not persecuted in Iraq relative to their treatment in neighboring states (indisputably true) and also to celebrate Saddam’s fall (contrary to the common claim, Christian’s do not believe that all power is always to be preserved on grounds that it is ordained to be so). But that doesn’t mean that Iraqi Christians are not terrified about the future of being ruled by an Islamic majority.

So let’s trade some links: 1 2 3 and 4 for good measure. And for background Glen Chancy has an excellent piece on this very site. Of course, understanding all this requires careful thought, not merely punching a bag out of reflexive national chauvinism.

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