Christians in Iraq

Emailed to me by a Christian friend, who got it from his pastor.

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Still not sure how you feel about the idea of the U.S. attacking Iraq? Some ministers are warning against military action because it could have 'disastrous results' for Iraqi Christians. UK minister Graham Cooke told delegates at a conference that while Saddam Hussein had no faith and was a secular politician, "Hussein allowed Christian churches to exist as a way of keeping Islam in check. You know that once he gets killed there will be a bloodbath in that nation, and every Christian in that nation will likely be killed because they are on somebody's list right now." Cooke added: "We need to pray for Saddam Hussein right now. No matter what you think about it, this guy is the only one standing between the church in Iran and Iraq and a bloodbath. We need that guy alive because thousands upon thousands upon thousands of people are getting saved in the country. [Bible Society]
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May I add to that that Tariq Aziz, probably the most recognisable face other than Saddam's outside of Iraq, and has served as both Foreign Minister and Deputy President, is a Christian, as is the family he comes from. Apart from the Palestinian areas, it's one of the few places in the Middle East where freedom of religion for non-Muslims actually exists (it wouldn't exist in Yemen, Saudi Arabia or Kuwait, all major US allies). An interesting thought.