US withdrawal leave Christians’ fate in Iraqi hands

Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Congregations have dwindled through fear and exodus
As the United States steps up its military withdrawal from Iraq, the Christian minority is forced to look at the Iraqi security structure for protection. However, the prospect of being protecetd by the Iraqi police and armed forces fails to instill any confidence in the Christian minority.
“The greatest concern about a US pullout is that extremists will exploit any lapses in security and attack vulnerable groups, including Christians,” Samer Muscati, an Iraq expert from the Middle East division at Human Rights Watch, told Deutsche Welle.
“Although the Iraqi government publicly condemns violence against Christians and other minority groups, it has not taken measures to bolster security in areas where minorities are particularly vulnerable to attacks, and it has not thoroughly investigated attacks,” he added. “Iraqi security forces rarely apprehend, prosecute and punish perpetrators of such attacks, which has created a climate of impunity…
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,6052335,00.html